The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-10-08
WILL HILL SIDE-TRAcK
THIS CITY?
AN AFFIRMATIVE SUGGESTION
IN THIS BEHALF BY AN
INTERESTED CITIZEN.

Alfred Davis, OF this city, reached
this office yesterday afternoon
and is published for the SAX,
Of the intelligent presentation oI
a very interesting question, rather
than because the Morning Astoriau
agrees with Mr.. Davis conclusions.
! X Is subject that viii take time
rather than argument to settle, apd
this paper Is willing 10 abide the
issue Of time and its compelling de-
velopments, however much they may
be disparaged by alleged existing
conditions The paper submitted
reads as follows:
"Will Jim Hill do anything more
for Astoria than making the Astoria
& Columbia River Railroad feeder
for his liness The facts as found by
a close observer Of the railroad
movements in the Columbia River
region for a number Of years would
indicate that Mr.. Hill will do moth
ing for Astoria. We will now go
back to the time when Mr. Hammond
first made his appearance IN Astoria,
and with the aid OF his local repre-.
sentatives, secured the entire water.
front of the city without money or
price, being a nice birthday present
Not only that, he secured the water
frontage along up the Columbia as
far as Goble, thus preventing a COM
peting line from building down the
lower Columbia along the Oregon
shore. Mr.. Hammond then got busy
between Astoria and Seaside by
making extensive purchases in the
vicinity Of Flavel and Hammond, no
doubt with the intention OF blocking
any effort that might be made by any
other road to enter Astoria from the
south. Having accomplished this
work he then turns over the A. & c.
road to the Northern Pacific, which
is owned BY the Hill system.
Having secured all he desired on
the Oregon side of the river, the
great railroad magnate, Mr., ]. J.
Hill then began using his energies
on the north shore or the Columbia,
and with the completion Of that line
TO Kalama we can look forward to
its extension to Gray's Bay at no
distant day. Having control OF the
railroad situation on both sides Of
the river, it lies within his power to
choose either for his seaboard termi-
nus, where he will erect elevators and
where a great city will be built Will
Astoria be this point? This is a
question whose solution is anxiously
awaited by the citizens of Astoria.
The writer would prophesy that
Gray's Bay will be the location for
this future city, viz
First, because there is an abund-
ance OF room and where land can be
secured at a more reasonable figure.
In fact, quite a number Of large sales
have already been made to the Hill
interests. Again, because the natural
resources on the Washington side OF
the river between Kalama and the
seaboard are greater than the Oregon
shore between Goble and the sea
board By observing the topography
OF these territories above mentioned
we will find but two or three steam
ers Of any consequence emptying in
to the Columbia along the Oregon
shore, while on the Washington shore
we find the Kalama and Cowlitz
rivers, Coal Greek, Alternately Creek,
Elchman and Skamokawa Greeks,
Jim Grow and Crooked Greeks,
Deep River nd Gray's River and
two or three Others farther down,
which we will not mention.
Again, let us follow the survey
made from Gray's Bay to South
Bend and, as along the streams above
mentioned, we pass through a coun-
try not only heavily timbered but
fertile land especially adapted for
farming, dairying and fruit raising.
With the construction of line down
the north shore of the Columbina the
natural resources of the country
would mean heavy local traffic, and
the erection of large sawmills would
make the city on the north shore
great shipping point for lumber The
the construction Of the line would
complete the network Of the Hill
lines in the State Of Washington, viz:
The Great Northern and Northern
Pacific bringing the wheat and other
products Of the soil from Eastern
Washington and Idaho, as well as
Southwestern Washington, to the
city on Gray's Bay
"When the net work Of lines which