The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1902-01-16
WOULD TAKE AWAY
ASTORIA'S TRADE
0. R. & n. Co. Assumes Hostile
Attitude as TO Points on
Lower River.
THE MERCHANTS MUST ACT
Independent steamer Line VIII
Prevent Loss Of Trade
Probability of Another
Rate War.

Al n not harmony between the rival
steamboat companies on the Lower
Columbia river. and indications point
10 another split the effects Of which
VIII be far.rraching The impending
trouble is due to the attitude lately
assumed by the u. Il & n Co which
IN making a strenuous effort 10 mono
polite business between Astoria and
points on the Washington SHORE trib-
utary 20 this city.
Al the present time the steamer
Miller IN plying between Astoria and
points below Chinook Some time ago
Captain Hnbbldgr " the Miller WAS
approached by g + Oycrbaugh tray-
cling freight agent OF the o r. q y.
Go. and asked Ia raise rates between
ASTORIA and the points made Oy the
Miller Mr. oycrbnugh also proposed
that captain Babhiigc should arrange
60 throw all Portland business a. the
.O Il a :. shutting out the White
Collar line and the Nancouvrr Trans
pprtau,u Company Captain Hab.
bligc declined 20 heed the ovcrturcs.
The plan of the O H. & y was 20
take away business from The Astoria
mcr hnutr and give It tp Portland
merchants bu, Captain Hahhldgr's
rrfu nl tu cooperate made thr plan
lmprar'l.aa.r unless the o II & y.
pa, on "a bret N lts own This Is ryl.
IDENTITY the Intention Of the company.
agents or which have already been
comforting wAh North Shore huslncas
mrn about the matter Il is report
ri That the company will operate the
steamer Candy between Astoria and
Nur,h Shore points. commencing Feb
ruary l. making a rate on mrrchAn-
disc from Portland to Washington
points that will be- almost as low as
the rate now In force between Port
land aud Astoria This. OF course.
would be- calculated to drive the local
''' ~ ''i'NH 'NA W Inv W ANNIUklou
trade
For some time pas' the O. /; 4 y.
has been permitted to enjoy AN the
business between llwaco and Astoria.
the Miller having kept out OF that
field. As "a result local mrrhants.
VINO once furnished most NJ the pro-
Visions 20 llwHco merchants. have lost
that trade, In discussing the situation
last evening, Captain Babhidgc said:
There seems no doubt that the q. II.
n n wishes to throw North shore
trade 20 Portland merchants and the
business men Of this city must act
promptly II they wish to prevent loss
~ the trade, My advice is that they
operate small steamer or steam
launch that can be run at slight cost,
reducing the passenger fare to %
ccnts-or carry passengers free "
chargc-and aiming to charge fright
rates that will pay for operation OF
the boat Indeed II would not be un-
reasonable to ask the Astoria mcr-
chants to deliver the freight 70 the
North Shore towns, The steamer
could touch at llwaco every day and
In this manner make strong pid
for business In what Is now an cXclu-
sivo O, r, X n field From the state
mcnts " O. r. Il n. agents to mer-
chants OF Chinook and other North
shore towns, | am satisfied tnat the
company win operate the Candy n and
after February l. The trade Is worth
making a bid for, and ] hope the As
loria merchants will take prompt ac-
ton"
In view OF the fact that the coup
on the part OF the o. r. y n. is a
direct thrust at the White Collar line
and the Vancouver Transportation
Company the situation is fun OF in
tcrestlng possibilities, At the present
time the river lines and the railroad
company are In combination al
fectlng freight and passenger rates.
The agreement can be broken by any
OF the companies at any time, thirty
days notice alone being required. 1t
ls possible the White Collar people and
the Kamm company will sit idly by
and see the o, II, 4 ~ pursue hos
tile tactics on the river below Asto-
ria, but this is not at all likely, es-
pecinlly as the o. II. X Ms efforts
are directed at the Portland Astoria
business of the other two lines.
SO at almost any time now the an
nouncement may be made that the
agreement entered into after settle
ment of the rate war has been called
on and that hereafter each company
viii be out for itself Steamboat men
said last night that the o. r. & Ms
aggresslveness would undoubtedly re-
suit In another rate war between As
toria and Portland, which, OF course,