Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-06-16

y anu hBht TOT open rivers n deeper
harbors might as well take his place
in the rear of the procession first as
last; for the people now are awakening
to their own interests and It will be
business clear down the line. A great
newspaper published in the city of
Portland has said that If Yaquina Bay
harbor was so feet deep it would be
OF no use to commence, as it was moth
ing but a frog pond inside, and that
there was no room for vessels to dock.
YAoUINA BAY IS MANAGEABLE
FOR RIVER STEAMERS SUCH AS
RUN ON THE COLUMBIA AND
WILLAMETTE RIVERS FOR A DIS.
TANcE OF "a MILES, AND FOR A
DISTANCE OF 8 MILES UP FROM
THE HARBoR THE CHANNEL IS
DEEP ENOUGH TO FLOAT AMY
VESSEL THAT EVER ENTERED
PORTLAND HARBoR, AND THE
CHANNEL FOR THAT DISTANCE
Is SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET
WIDER THAN THE WILLAMETTE
RIVER IS AT PORTLAND.
The government has expended in all
a little owe $6o0,0O0.OO in the improve.
ment Of Yaquina Bay, and as a result
thereof the bar has been deepened
from Ia to 22 feet. When we consid.
err the fact that there is only 90 feet
of water at the mouth Of the Co.
lumbia river and that in order TO
maintain this depth the government
spends annually about a million dollars,
and the port Of Portland another mil.
lion to keep the sand bars dredged out
Of the Columbia river between Port
land and the sea, we think that al.
fair minded men will agree hat the
sum Of 81, 900, 10000, as recommended
by the board Of engineers to make a
permanent 30 foot channel over the
Yaquina bar would be a paltry sum as
compared with the savings to the farm
ers and manufacturers Of the Will
lamette valley and coast counties trib-
utary to that harbor. Enemies of va.
quina Bay urge rs an excuse that
there is not now sufficient commerce
to justify the expenditure Of any more
government money on this harbor at
the present time. The same excuse
could have been urged against the inn
provement Of the Columbia river. The
same excuse was urged against the
opening of the upper Columbia river TO
the commerce Of theinland empire. To.
day we are celebrating the one hun.
dredth anniversary of the coming Of
Lewis and Clark. One hundred years
ago the Indians in their little bark
canoes handled all the Of the
Northwest. Fifty years ago the pic.
neers Of the Willamette Valley were
still using canoes for the transporta-
top Of their products. II is less than
three decades since the first railroad
was built and operated in this state.
Oregon is big enough, long enough and
wide enough, long enough and wide
wide enough 10 have more than n har-
Dor; more than one city, more than one
newspaper, more than one political
boss. To illustrate and show the diff.
ference in freights 10 the farmers of
the Willamette valley, by way Of
Portland and the sea, and the Yaquina
bay, were it a deep Yater harbor,
we are informed that the average tow
age on a ship from the high sea at the
Of the Columbia river to Port
land is equal to about 10 cents on a
bushel Of wheat. And a like amount
on other products. This line would be
A saving Of several hundred thousands
and dollars to the farmers on their
products, and IL is safe to assume that
the tariff saved on the lumber indus
Of the same territory would amount
10 fully as much. Therefore, IT, the
products Of this great valley could
the markets Of the world by way
If the Yaquina harbor, which is with
n a stones throw Of the high seas, and
connected by a railroad sys
.em with a shorter traekage from the
ieart Of the Willamette Valley than
20 Portland. 1 have not had time TO
prepare any figures or statistics Of the
AMOUNT Of produce that would natur
lily pass through the port of Yaquina
+ il were improved so as to admit deep
steamers. But we assume that
IL the wheat, wool, hops, lumber and
,ther products Of the upper Willamette
Valley and a portion Of southern Ore
,on would be shipped through Yaqui
IA harbor, and at a big saving OF
'reight to the farmers as was done in
he days gone by when the line Of