The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-02-09


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The press of California is bemoahing
the fact that the trade Of San Fran
cisco is drifting TO the cities of Oregon
and Washington. 1t advises the mer-
chants OF san Francisco to suosidi7e q
line OF steamers-to protect the OrieE-
tal trade OF that city from tEe en-
croachments Of Eastern jobbers. The
san Jose Mercury thinks that the less
of the flour trade is what has worked
san Frarcisco's undolng According to
the Mercury tha; trade has been lest
through the carelessness ana folly of
San Francisco itself. The Mercury
says. Whatever mort OF ports shall in
the future control the Pacific ocean
-four trade has the advantage of a
ready-niade sub d1y for Pacific ocean
carriage. TO-DAY il belongs to Portland
and Seattle" The Seattle Post-Intel-
ligencer is naturally very much gratl-
ned at this admission and says. The
trade has been taken by us through
fair competition in an open market,
In which Sea,tle's advantages proved
tco great for the older city. II may
be possible for the California mer-
chants and millers to regain the trade
which has been lost to Seattle, but
they certainly cannot 10 it unless they
put IL mills which are as well equipped
10 handle the trans Pacific trade. ard
which, can ship on vessels owned or char
tered by themselves Add to this that
a steamer can obtain her coal at Seat
tie for one-half what it costs in San
Francisco, and that vessel has sever
al hundred miles shorter distance 10
travel in going from Seattle to any
AsiAtic port than when San Francisco
is the port Of departure, and it is easy
to explain why the flour trade has
gone into the hands of the Washington
millers without accusing the San Fran
cisco millers of either folly or careless
ness. They simply cannot compete
because cf the superior advantages
which Seattle possesses; advantages
which have proved more than sutil-
cient to Offset the greatly superior cap
ital that the California metropolis has
heretofore commanded. The flour trade,
like the Alaskan trade, has centered in
Seattle because Of the natural advant-
ages which this port possesses. The re-
naming Pacific trade will ultimately
follow the same course. The prestig.
cf San Francisco has already been ir-
pared 1t win soon be completely lost
4 shorter route, batter railroad con-
nectlons. cheaper coal, and a greater
wealth Of natural resources are the ad-
vantages which Washington has over
California in competing for Oriental
trade. They are the advantages which !
tell in the long run. Not capital, Or
prestige. or indeed, enterprise, is suffi- /
cient 10 overcome them The Post /
Intelligencer is exceedingly boastGu |
but it tells San Francisco some whole |
some truths. But Seattle is not alone !
in the field by any means. The super
ior natural advantages which it pos
sesses az compared with san Francisco, |
to which the Post -Intelligencer attr.b-
utes its success in gaining from Sar
Francisco large portion of that cily's
Oriental trade, are in turn surpassed
by rhe natural advantages Of Astoria.
We have a Shorter route" to the ORR
cnt than that from Seattle, "a greater
wealth of natural resources" within
easy reach and, when the Knappa coal
fields and the Nehalem fields are sup
plyirg US with unlimited quantities Of
q god quality of coal, as they will be
within a few months. we shall be able
lc supply vessels with cheaper coal'
than can ever be furnished at Seattle
As the Fost- st-Intelligencer says: "They
are the advantages which tell in the
long run. Not capital or prestige or,
indeed. enterprise, is sufficient to over
come them"