The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-03-30
After That Is Finished It's Time
to Talk Of Dredging Astor.
las Upper harbor.
SENTIMENT OF THE CHAMBER
Government Maintains Large
Fleet of Vessels at Astoria
and Merchants Should
Provide Dock for Them.

The extent to which the dredge
Chinook win be permitted to work IN
and about the mouth of the Columbia
river was the subject of considerable
discussion at Monday nights meeting
Of the Chamber of Commerce, While
the dredge was unable to work on the
bar during the heavy weather of the
past winter (aecording to the calender,
the spring season has set in) she put
In her time deepening the inner harbor
and at many points effected material
Improvement. But 1t is hoped the
Chinook may be permitted to eventu-
ally devote some attention to the up
per harbor where she could do great
work.
The appropriation for the improve
ment of Astoria harbor." which was
available for many months. has, it de-
veloped at the meeting of the chamber
been expended in the removal of the
Sylvia de Grasse reef. Astoria harbor
is therefore now without any fund for
it's improvement. 1t will be recalled
that Senator Fulton has undertaken to
have Astoria placed in a separate i'm
provement district, distinct from Port
Ind and the bar, and, while there will
be no appropriation for this purpose at
the present session. it is probable the
senator's effort will be successful, as
he seldom fails to gain his point.
When Astoria is made a separate
Improvement district there will be an
appropriation for harbor work. and
under that appropriation the dredge
will be enabled to work in the upper
harbor. Sentiment is unanimous that
proper improvement of the waterfront
means extension of all of the wharves
to the pierhead line and dredging Of
the channel beyond it's present north
ern confines. The Chinook could pro-
vide a wide and deep channel here,
and might eventually be utilized even
above the Tongue Her inner harbor
work has been very satisfactory and
during the winter storms she increased
the depth at many points from IL or IA
feet to 22 and "a feet.
1t was the general opinion Of men,
bers of the chamber that the first
great task was improvement of the
bar. When the Chinook cuts 40-foot
hole in the obstruction at the rivers
mouth and an extended jetty insures
the permanency Of the improvement, 1t |
will be time to take up the matter Of
inner harbor improvement. The big
vessel is a Columbia river feature and |
there is ample time for her to make
all the Improvements in this neighbor-
hood which may be found necessary.
The return Of the Chinook from Port |
land, where her boilers are being re-
paired, Is anxiously awaited. Captain |
Dunbar and all the other officers of
the dredge have repeatedly asserted
that they will provide 4O-foot depth on
the bar with 80 days good weather,
and those to whom the bar improve
ment seems the greatest of all public
works in Oregon are impatiently wait
ing to see whether or not the Chinook
will make good. Major Langftt says
a few weeks will suffice to put the
boilers Of the vessel in shape, and il
all goes we'll she should be back at
Astoria by April Is.
The fact was not chronicled in the
Portland papers, but it has leaked out
that the Chinook has had rather dis
greeable experience since going there
for repairs. 1t appears she was moor
ed at an old dock, the piling of which
Is rotten. The big dredge broke
loose from her moorings and started