The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1903-10-27
LINES MUST
BE CHANGED
Harbor Boundaries at Present
Stand In the Way Of Asto.
ria'sS Ocean Commerce.
-------
CHAMBER TAKES UP MATTER
Makes No Recommendations Pen.
ding the Arrival of Major
Langiltt for q Con.
ference.
CHAMBER TAKES UP MATTER

Last nights meeting Of the Chamber
of Commerce was given up 70 discus
sion OF the harbor line matter. Tn,
chamber deemed II lnadvisable to offel
any recommendation pending the ar
rival here OF Major Langfitt. but sen
timent was pretty thoroughly canvass.
ed at the session last evening. There
was large attendance OF members.
II was agreed on all sides that some
action must be taken at once TO relieve
commerce. During the discussion VIII
II. Hume and II. y. Dyer. the lattei
Of the Ciatsop Mil Company, made the
statement that they had been compelled
10 turn down orders for lumber eargoes
Mr.. Hume said he had been asked tc
furnish the eargoes OF vessels taking on
partial wheat cargoss at Portland. and
similar proposals had been made TO th'
ciatsop mill people. The local mill were
unable to haQdle this business because
there was not sufficient water st theii
docks to aecomodate large vessels.
II was the general opinion Of rem
bers that the harbor lines must be ex'
tended II such extension will rot In
lure the harbor. The effect Of exten'
rion would, OF course. be a matter fol
the government engineers to determine
Tut the present condition Of AFFAIRS car
not possibly endure.
one important fact developed at the
meeting was that there ~ n big differ
ence between the depths as shown by
the 1900 government charts and sound
ings recently made. Mr.. Hume Offered
nm exhibit OF soundings that showed
wide variance. Necessarily this dis
crepency will have material bearing
on the subject which the Chamber has
taken up. When Major Langfitt comes
to Astoria November 10 consult with
the people here he win be acquainted
with the situation. and Il ID quite prob
able that he viii order resurvey oil
the harbor.
The causes leading up to the shoal-
ing OF certain portions OF the harbor
were also detailed. II was the opinion
OF men who have studied the matter for
years that the Snag island jetty has
done more than anything else TO till in
the channel below Tongue Point. II Il
believed also that sand and silt remov-
ed by the dredge Ladd has not always
been properly dumped. President
Weich stated that there was now !!
feet OF water in the river at point al.
most In a line between Tongue Point
and No. . beacon, while two years age
the bottom was bare there. The dredg'
has been working in this neighborhooc
cutting channels between the aeeE
pockets, but the sand has been dumbed
so that II will hll up the new channe
which IL now evidently cutting through
and which was the original channe
across the bay at the Tongue. 1t ap'
pears from statements of members last
evening that the changes above the
city affect very materially the con-
dition OF the channel below. II will be
recalled that only short time age
complaint was made that the channel
between Smith Point and Fort Stevens
was shoaling. yet the action of the
water above has deepened this stretch
since thens
When Major Langfitt comes the mat
ter will be thoroughly discussed with
him, and he will take such action as
will seem advisable.