The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-02-28
ASTOMAN PUBLISHING COMPANY.
THE oREGoNIAN AND THE TRUTH.

THE OREGONlAN AND THE TRUTH.
Our highly esteemed contemporary the Oregonan,
has again taken upon itself to discuss the matter of
delaysto shipping at the Columbia river and to chde
those Puget sound papers which have seen fit to
point out with persistency the ease of the
transport Dix, which should have gone to sea from
Astoria Thursday February Is, but which is still
tied up in the lower harbor. The 0regonian says
in part:
Considering the fury of the storm which has
wrecked so many vessels and left such trail of de
structon in its wake it is highly probable that had
the Dix been at sea, she would have sustained in
juries much costly than has been the slight de-
lay experienced AT the same time the Oregonian
does not contend that the Columbia bar is in per-
feet condition. Were such claim at all reasonable
no further effort would be made to improve condi-
tions at the mouth of the river. The unobstructed
passage of the Dix from Portland to Astoria shows
the river to be in excellent condition in fact larger
and deeper ships than the Dix have been passing up
and down without delay on a smaller stage of water
Puget sound papers, with desire to conciliate their
large constituency in eastern Washington, have al
ways professed desire to do everything possible tC
open the Columbia river If there is any sincerely
in their professions and the Dix matter is one-half
as bad as they endeavoring to make it. here is
golden opportunity for them to join with Portland
and aid in placing the bar at the mouth in as good
condition as Portland has placed the channel above
Astoria .
Once again, not so much for the benefit of the
Oregonian but for the edifcation of the papers Of
the sound and the officials of the government The
Asoran desires to relate the facts in the case of the
Dix Ten days have now elapsed since the vessel
arrived down the river from Portland. and The
Astorian intends that the Oregonan misrepresen
tation of the circumstances leading up to the delay
of the transport shall not 90 unnoticed
The Dix left Portland at 10 o'clock on the morning
of February II. We have the Oregonians state.
ment for it that hers was an unobstructed passage
down the river but the fact is that she did not reach
Astoria until o'clock on the afternoon Of THURSDAY
February Is. In other words. her trip down the
river occupied 30 hours time 1t is interesting in
this connection to note that during this unobstruct
ed passage, the Dix lost 12,000-pound anchor and
oO fathoms OF chain cable The vessel was about to
run aground coming down the river and the anchor
was hastily dropped in order to avert the disaster
This sort of thing may have an unobstructed'
appearance to the Oregonian but to the government
department which operates transports the Portland
idea may not appeal very strongly
The distance from Portland to Astoria bv water
is approximately 100 miles, and the Dix made the
trip over that expanse at the rate of three and one
third miles an hour. Had the big vessel been able
to navigate even at the low rate of 10 miles an hour
she would have reached Astoria at O'Clock on the
evening of February IT, and on the following morn
ing, when the tide was very high and the bar as
smooth as mill pond, would have been able to put
to sea. As it was, she did not arrive down until 4
O'Clock on the afternoon of February 18. or too late
to get to sea-
The Oregonian is striving to make it appear that
the bar has caused the delay of the Dix and is alone
responsible for her detention. The Dredicament of
the ship is the direct result Of her slow trip down