The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-09-29
We MUST HAVE MILLS
W. W. wHIPPLEs SUMMARY OF
THE LOCAL SITUATION.
Returned AstOTlan Tells Of What
lie Saw on the Sound. Where
Things Are Humming.

W " Whipple has returned from
two-weeks yisl; 10 Puget sound points
ana other cities IN the Northw3st that
are ceniers Of activity in the lumber
industry. During his trip Nr. whipple
ylsl,ei Everett. seattle. Ballard. Ed
mu1d. Tacoma. Hoqulam. Aberdeen.
Cosmopolls and other cities along the
great timber belts OF the Northwest.
Everywhere he found Industry and
prosperity. Busy mills were ,ransfDrm-
Ing logs into finished lumber and little
elite, Of a few thousand are prosperous
and growing because u n practical util-
Ea,ion of the resources Of the country
roundabout
II was surprised. amazed. even. I
might say. anounded" said ar. Whip
pie last night. 'to See the prosperous
conditions prevailing In cities that were
not even railroad stations long after As
ioria was known o. the world hs The
second city In Oregon. Timber has been
the magic wand that has worked the
Transformation. The natural resources
u the country were developed by men
" no never boyher about common point
or subsidies or conferences with mill
ionairrs-mcn who aw an opportunity
for profitable Investment. put their
money In ans sre now reaplng the re-
ward OF large dividends and rapidly in
creaslng fortunes am more than ever
impressed with The fact that We must
do something 70 help ourselves and that
in the immediate future. II we ever ex-
pee, 10 make anything more tran
fishing hamlet out Of our city We have
the opportunities and the time was new
er better than now to start on the path
that broadens ana lads 20 permanent
prosperity.
within the las. twelve days have
me, and talked with owners. manag-
era ward foremen. sawyers. engineers
slab burners. laborers and all manner
Of men connected In any way with the
timber industry I have discussed The
prcsen, and the future Of NUMBERING
In Oregon and Washington with some
of the leading sawmlll men o, the Sound
cities and In the Grays Harbor els
trict on every hand they have asked:
How many sawmills. shingle nils AMI
shIpyhrds are at the mouth Of the Co
lumbar The only answer possible was
that there was none tributary 10 Asto-
ria. nni I was ashamed 10 make H.
Why don't You people 70 into he lum-
ber ami sawmiA lniustry? was asked
n there Is no, enough capital there,
| was told. so East with chart Of
your timber belts. Investors are look
ing for Jus, such opportunities end the
money would be forthcoming without
months delay
We must cease pursuit 4 will-p-the-
w,sps. We must aban ION cur pathetic
devotion 10 the common pnin. rate agi-
iauon and adopt the more practical plan
II creating treigh; FOR the railroads TO
haul, The lack Of terminal rates never
kept us from building slwmllls except
that Il was held up AS a 'bogie man.
when In reality II was but shadow on
'ho wall. and what We needed was light.
and lots of IT, To tell The ruth with
blunt plAinness our present day condi-
iion Is due 70 lack NJ progy ssslveness.
We have been waiting instead of doing.
Tillmook. Coos Bay and Knappton are
srea, timber centers, yet the common
point rate has not helped or harmed
them. The frs, two probably couldn't
define .he common points II they want
ed TO- Knappton has it-and then
ships her lumber by water. The three
towns named have cut and marketed
millions OF feet Of lumber In the past
year ana Astoria has been In a stupor.
Asleep doesn't express the situation; we
haven't been resting, but rather the
town has been drugged and our inertia Is
the cause for wonderment throughout
ihe Northwest, Let's wake up: hypo-
tsrmic injections OF ginger might help
Any remedy that will accomplish re-
suits will do, but results we must have.
Look At the prosperous little cities
on harbors to The south OF us. Ships |
can enter only at certain times and on
favorable tides, causing delay, ,ncreas.
ing insurance ana general expenses; the |
facilities for hauling cargoes are prImi- |
live and slow, yet the communities are |
PROSPEROUS and the ships return for /
more cargoes. have visited mills on /
Puget sound and Grays Harbor that !
ship so per cent OF their output to San
Pedro, Cal. and other Southern ports |
10 be sent inland to points In Mexico.
Arizona and Texas, Why should ships
be compelled to go hundreds OF miles
10 the north for cargoes thar are at our
back doors? In addition millions Of feet
" lumber are exported annually that |
should come from Astoria.
"The men who have made fortunes |
rom the salmon business didn't wait |
'or common point rates, but the rail-
roads saw that the business was here
md would so by water routes. and ier-
';inal rates were crqnted, not as
concession graciously bestowed but as a
n the natural course Of COM
petition. So /, win be with any other
At times I think It would
have been good thing II the threat
,ned salmon famine had been actual.
We would have been jolted to a reallza-
ion Of the fact that other Industries
ire necessary; that no city Of any great