The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-10-13
OFFER FOR LOCAL ROAD
S3.bOO. 900 SAID 10 HAVE BEEN
REFUSED FOR n.
Two Great Railroads Arc 10 Fight
for TrnnseOntincnthl Bus.
iness

.
lrhnrconlnrntaI business. ana those
who closely wach me railroad
chcsgb0ir predict war the
like Of which has never before been
trrn Astoria .s vitality concerned Ia
this impending struggle. FOR one of the
factors viii unqusatlonably be compel.-
ed 10 utilize this port
From source which cannot b.
doubted. the AHtrlan learns that the
Northern PacInc Railroad Company re-
Gently offered a. B. Hammond $780,
900 Tor the Astoria & Columbia River
railroad Whether the offer was de-
cllneI or taken under conaleratlon was
not learned
The Northern Pacific Is one Of the
parties In the coming fight, and he et-
f1r, % secure possession o. the local
road Is important ~ showing the trend
of cyents A railroad man who was IN
the city a few days lgo, 10 c9nyerHlti0n
aith hn As'orlan representative. made
lhc following statement concerning the
railroad slua. lion al the present time:
There win shorty b. two great con-
tending factors fJr transcIn,inental
hurlaesv one VIII be- male up OF the
Union Plrl1c. the Southern Pac.A ana
thc q. u. & y Tho other vii. comp-sa
the Great Northern. the Northern Pa
r.nc iuI The Burlington. The great
railroad Interests VIII clash. ana .o,k
% See a nght Tor business such as has
never before occurred Ia this country.
Every possible advantage win b. selzel
upon ami communities viii be made
ana unmade.
The Columbia river will be the
storm center OF the struggle. Each
combination win seek the best outlet.
and already preparations are being
made Tor the hgh, For several months
past the Northern Pacific has had a
force of hundreds u men At work along
the Columbia river near Vancouver.
The Kl.ama.Yancouyer railroad Is nov
almost 'ompIe'rl' ABOVE Al''u'e'
work o. being vigorously pushed. while
u.g further 20 the east the Northern
has bought a 'AiTiy-ml'e l'gg'As road
This -oad has been bough. because The
grade Is already established. and 10
VIII TAX one N'r,eArn almost TO Cas-
cales. \; or near the locks ihe ROAD
VIII STRIKE - a noriA'aStrIN u'Ire''oh
tapping ,he eoue'Ty !y'ng o'AiNd IN
mountains which skirt 'he river ana
reaching 'Ae Wilia Wa!ia l.s'F'e. ana
The Pa. Use couniiy. TAis VII put tAr
Northern 'nio ta' ,. X y rs terri
tory, on a grade equally as easy.
'E''ryihi7g ,en1s 70 snow deter
mauAtuu 80 Soc par, % TIE c'mb'na-
t'on % Northern roads 'o u-.ze the
Columbia as the outlet Fge'um'o'y'
kA'ama is 90 be the seaport AZ pres
r.t Seattle ana Tacoma are .Ae 'u.-
lets. hu, the grades leading 60 thass
cities Is so great that eomaetiii'n with
ihr Union Paclhc' u. X q y. anu me
sou1 P1-.tc which reach the t''um-
b.a oa a W1.er-'e'e'. is Out ot the que'-
ton tn" sound must pe AoaNd'nei
1s The exporting point ana the Co.um-
h'" utilized control oi he hA'amA
waterfront Is nov being secured, and
have "' DOUBT me e'n'eh"'hs Factors
WI" soon Sho" 'he'r hdhlS' III an ei'
fort To secure the best out'rt' the North
e'H e'''p'hAuon made o'a lot Tue
a " 4" the price 'HeTea oe'hs ~
'oo'"0' but the oueT / am lhtorhei'
has been rejected Perhaps toe Nor'A-
ern eomolnlt''n considers 'Aat As'o-
RIA Is no, worth SS''oooVo more 'Aah
NaAHl'' or perhaps 'ne a. X T. is ho'
for sale a, present however 'his may
o'. It is 'NsdeAtIy me purpose 'i 'ae
Northern c'moihauon to do business
from ha''m'' p.tleu'ty WI De eNpeI-
fenced In getting vessels up and down
.he river but ,he Northern alliance Viii
have the advantage over Portland 'I
he forty miles between kalamA ana
the metropo"s.
'Tae Uni'n Faclhc~S)uthern Pac'ne-
q. r. \ y, combination, then must
look about for better shipping faculties.
To my mind, there Is but one thing Tor
this combination 10 do-ouy he Astoria
road AMI ship grain from the mouth
OF the river Il seems to NE that the
U, P-S, P.-O, II, 4 \, combination has
the best OF the situation, unless the 9th
er alliance manages TO gain control OF
the a, \ c. Where such tremendous
interests are involved, l have an idea
few millions one way or the other
,,-iu t,,t ,ut tnu,h ap1,ra and that nna