The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-01-19
BUILD CARS RIGHT
In ASTORIA.
STRAIGHT TALK FROM A PRAcTl-
CAL ASToRlAN ON THE PRoPo.
SlTloN OF SOLVING THE CAR
SHORTAGE FOR OURSELVES. A

one OF the gravest problems con-
fronting the business men OF the west
IL the car shortage, and in discussing
this yesterday with level-headed,
practical Astoria, he made the rather
startling announcement that the peo-
pie OF this city might we'll undertake
to relieve themselves Of the weight of
delay and deprivation to which they
were subjected by building their own
cars. The reporter Of the Astorian
was bit staggered with the PROPOSE
tion, at first, but the elaboration pre-
sented by this active and intelligent
worker, soon made the matter quite
plausible. Said he:
why should we OF the West sit
down, Visiting and growing over a
situation, the remedy for which lies di-
rectly at our own hand? Why not start
a set of shops right here in Astoria ?
They are doing it at Tacoma and Eu
reka and will make pronounced sue
cess of II. If they can do it, We can.
THE established manufacturers of
freight cars throughout the East are
at this moment actually five years be-
hind their orders. and if relief is to
come in any sort of time. it must come
from communities with the facilities
and the snap to butt in and do the
work themselves The Eastern shops
are not able to handle 10 per cent of
their orders The freight on a freight
car shipped to this coast from an
Eastern shop costs exactly $3.50. and
this item alone in the requirement of
an immense string of cars. such as is
~ teded out here. would more than con
stitute the capital necessary for the
equipment and maintenance of good
plant here. or anywhere else.
THE average cost of forty-ton car
is $500, and every item of material is
directly at hand here, except the
Westinghouse air brake equipment,
which must be bought of that plant, Of
course. We have the timber, since the
rule today with the Eastern builder is
to use oregon fir, which. it is said has
a tensile strength nearly equal to oak,
from which cars were, formerly, built,
and which goes from here in almost
endless quantities for this very pur-
pose; and besides, it saves the ton
mage of the completed car.
'The woodwork of the cars is all
a matter of milling and can be done
as we'll right in Astoria as it can in
any place in the Union. The pate.
car-couplers can be had from the man
ufacturers, or they can be made he {,
by paying a reasonable royalty to the
patenting house in the East.
'All trucks, wheels and castings can
be founded right here, small foundry
being set up for the purpose, and at
a nominal outlay. The pig iron basic
material can be brought out from the
East for a mere song as to expense,
for it can be had at fat market rate
in gross quantities there, and can be
brought here around the Horn as
ballast in sailing ships.
ANY, and every way the question is
viewed it demonstrates a decided pro-
fit for the investor, and such a plant
would give an immense impetus to To-
cal business and employment to ? lot
of skilled and common labor as well.
There is no question of money
wherewith to inaugurate such an en-
terprise. 1t is plentiful and lots Of it
i6le, despite the fact that Astoria has
many active industries afoot, and for
one / would like to see some steps
taken in this direction. Brains ana
money and the raw stuff are here In
plentitude; all it needs is the initial
movement by men of standing"
The Astorian man said he would
quote him, and here 1t is!