The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-02-15

wonderful harbor viii be approach,
from every direction.
II will say that n splendid roo
: right down the coast is to be bull
nom the Columbia to the Golden Cat
| II VIII avoid all tho grades OF III
present route and II will do far NOR
business than the Southern paclil
line is now doing, And Il viii b
the finest scenic route In the eountr,
II viii be speedily lined with grea
sawmlls, and big population vii
spring up with surprising rapijit,
along the whole Inc Try to rcaiix,
what this means for Astoria. We ar,
not only TO be a tinontal tor.
minus, but also terminus for this
extremely important coast line. Not a
city In all the United States has nc
bright an outlook from its present
conditions as has Astoria today. You
do not sufficiently appreciate that. You
live too near this wonderful harbor
to fully realize what Il means Those
who live near the base Of 4 wonder
ful mountain rarely think OF tho apien.
doris right above their heads, The
boys In South Africa played marbles
with the diamonds for a great many
years before they understood their
value.
During the ffteen years OF my un-
ceasing effort for the full recognition
Of this port. have been looked upon
by some OF you with sort OF amused
indulgence. and with scant confidence
that anything would come OF IT, hut
ar"w | was right. and | have stayed
with Il, guess you viii all admit
that. Nothing that is worth having
is obtained without effort. and OF
course this grea, project has been met
with tremendous opposition from the
great aggrcgations OF capital In
trenchei In other cities. We are told
that II a railroad should be built down
the Columbia II could never pay for
It's axle grease. Yet II seems that the
greatest railroad master Of this coun-
try is ready 10 buy IL for a very large
amount more than II cost. This rail-
road which would never pay axle
grease, this port which would never
do any business, has now been en-
iorsed by all the transportation lead
ers OF America. Clark, Huntington,
Mellen, Pierce. Hartman AMI now
Jim Hill ratities II by spending M
teen millions for his new line down |
the north bank of the Columbia TO
get here. In Seattle they will tell
you ne Is building that road simply |
"A another line 10 the Sound; virtu- |
ally double tracking the old line. Hard
Iy. He would scarcely spend fifteen
millions to build another road 200 mics
longer than the first, and with the
CowlItz and Olympia grades to cross
between Portland and the Sound. one
per cent on that fifteen millions would
or all time, pay the extra charge N
,aused by the difference In operation
between the old line and the new. And
Is als new bonds must pa several
im's enc per cent, there could have
zen 10 such object in building down
10 Columbia. Some OF our Portland
rie is think Mr.. Hill's object was to
ONE 10 Portland. He comes into
cortland now from the north. Would
70 spend fifteen millions for the priv
leg Of loading ships al Portland when
&C already enjoys the superior port
( Seattle? No. Mr. Hill came down
he Columbia to go 10 Its mouth. If
be right to come part way down
he Columbia, say as far as Port
md, TO get the advantage Of the down
Ill haul, then surely 1t IL right TO get
40 whole benefit by continuing on
, the mouth. II two thirds Is good,
len three thirds Is better. The great
orts OF the future must be on the
,ean highway. The greatest ships in
le world now ply the Pacific and
ot the Atlantic. The long Pacific
oyage demands large carriers. Mr..
ills big ships carry over 10000
ms; they can enter but few ports
I'd those ports will determine the
1es Of commerce. What San Fran
SEQ is to the Sacramento, what New
rleans Is to the Mississippi, what
verpool Is to the Mersey, what New II
ork is to the Hudson--Astoria is to
@ Columbia. We have no quarrel
th any other city. There Is plenty Of
ON for all, in this wonderful North
est that is now entering upon an
q of development that Is to sur
ss anything ever known anywhere. 4.
we have been held back for time y
the slow work upon the harbor 4
proyement, and certain kinds of a