The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-05-08
ALASKA STEAMSHIP
LINE SUGGESTED
PROJECT OF GREAT MERIT IN
WHICH ASTORIA AND PORT.
LAND COULD COOPERATE
OUTLINED BY MANAGER
WHYTE.

1T seems there IS one project o
great merit in which Portland an,
Astoria can cooperate hand in hand
each with feeling that the best in
terests OF their respective communi
ties are being served, and this is tn,
promotion of steamship line between
the Columbia River and Nome, Alas
ka, TO touch at all the Alaskan port.
this side OF Nome.
As the Alaskan trade situation now
stands Seattle enjoys an undisturbec
monopoly.
There is absolutely no doubt of the
fact that the interests OF Astoria and
Portland are identical in this respect
both having products that could be
marketed to the best advantage in
Alaska. Astoria can sell to Alaska
groceries, fruit, vegetables, dairy pro-
ducts, poultry and brick, which Port
land can likewise deliver all of these
same products, as we'll as others.
1t has been stated on god authority
that the grocery business of Alaska
alone, amounted to $20,000,000 year.
And it might be mentioned that
while it is 4202 miles from Port
Townsend to Yokohoma aud 1911
miles from San Francisco to Yoko-
hama, from the mouth of the Colum-
bia River it is only 5000 miles.
While these latter figures have no
bearing upon Alaskan trade, perhaps,
yet they do show the advantageous
position Of the Oregon port and form
the common ground on which Astoria
and Portland can do some effective
promotion work.
So far as the promotion OF steam
ship line between the mouth of the
Columbia River and Alaska is con-
cerned it is very simple matter and
five or six irst-class mercantile
firms, the like of which my be found
in either Astoria or Portland, could
establish a line without any trouble,
without any financial outlay whatso-
ever, not evening so much as
penny.
Here is the plan by which such
line could be established:
1t is matter of notorious COM
ment that there never have been so
many empty charters on the Pacific
Coast as may be found at the present
time. Now if five or six hrst-class
firms should get together and send
statesmen to Alaska, cargoes could be
secured in advance OF chartering YES
sells to carry them from the Colum-
bia River.
Furthermore there are a number Of
products in Alaska which could be
brought to either Astoria or Portland
with great commercial advantage.
Among these might be mentioned coal
and there are many passengers be-
tween the States and Alaska that
would greatly prefer coming to Ore
gon instead of Puget Sound where
there are many idle people. And all
of these passengers, mostly of whom
are miners, would buy their prospec-
tive mining and campaigning utensils
in either Astoria or Portland if they
had an opportunity Of doing so and
then going directly to Alaska where
they would want to use them.
Another advantage that the steam
ship line would have from the Colum-
bia River to Alaska, is, that as most
Of the salmon canning in the United
States is done in the Columbia River
and Alaska, the canning interests thus
having a mutual interests would prefer
to use the Columbia River steamers
to the steamers that ply between Sc
attic and Alaskan ports.
An effort is now being made to Sc
cure cooperation on the part of bust
ness men Of Portland and Astoria in
The promotion Of steamship line to |
Alaska and the merchants Of Astoria |
sincerely hope that the merchants of |