East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1920-09-23

plrespect for its sister city on the viii
lilamette the handwriting on the wall In
dicates that the grain OF the inland
empire is going to find Its terminal at
the mouth OF the Columbia from
where IT will be transhipped to the
markets of the world In bulk and In
Finished product.
Gnfdi,g Star. /.
| The Port Of Astoria has, been the
guiding star or hope for the return OF
shipping to the Columbia river. The
credit of~the people OF ciatsop county
made 1t possible to erect vast termi-
nal centers and the faith OF the men
who directed the destinies of the port
commission combined to give Astoria
it's rightful place as one of the three
great shipping ports OF the Pacific
coast.
| Astoria then can rest assured of It's
place In the future. God created the
only harbors on the Pacific coast and
Is not making any more of them. Man
followed with engineering skill to
make the entrance from the open sea
to docks safe. A great nation cut a
waterway through the Isthmus Of
Panama and Joined two mighty oceans
with the result that the Pacific coast
has been brought closer to the ATTAIN
tic by water than 1t is by land. BY 2
peculiar geographic calculation the
mouth OF the Columbia river IL near
err the Orient by 80 miles than Seattle;
h00 miles nearer than San Francisco;
2s0 miles nearer the Panama canal
than Seattle. and Astoria Is only 70
miles further away from Sitka. Alaska
than Seattle.
With these geographic advantages
and further blessed with the po-sess.
sion of the Columbia river draining an
empire OF $4,000 miles square. a
fresh water harbor, the seventh larg-
est in the world, terminal distributing
rates by rail- prospective first-class
naval base. leaves nothing TO discount
the future.
40 Acres First Purchase.
These are some OF the reasons why
Astoria has embarked upon such an
elaborate program of commercial ex-
pansion. Since the beginning of the
work on the port terminals there has ,
been no abatement. First the port
purchased 40 acres of wa
terfront and later added $50 acres to
Its holdings TO assure room for sexpan-
sion. 1t outlined a progras that call
ed for the pumping of 1,25O.000 yards
Of sand from the river channel to re- +,
claim the land and afford solid
for building upon. Then
camo the erection of the first ware
house 1900 feet long. This was con-
structed OF hollow tile. Pier two was
the next effort This was originally |
intended for open storage and wharf
ing. The war came and pier two was
into marine ship center
where over 80 of the emergency fleet
vessels received their machinery and
,ther equipment ready for the open
sea. Coal bunkers followed and load
ng cranes were established to expe-
lite the handling OF thousands of tons
lf material daily.
pier three became a necessity and /
he port commission has let con-
tract for its election 10 the Foundation
Company of New York. This work
now is in progress. The contract for
his work exceeds $l.00os000s Pier
hree will be utilized exclusively for
export and import shipments. II will
% equipped with modern trackage fa-
silities.
During the War.
During the period of the war the en-
ire space on pier one was turned over
q the food administration and receiv-
ID the grain that was later shipped to
III parts Of the world. The port bulk
grain elevators the largest on the Pa
.ific coast, have a total capacity of H.
$50. 600 bushels This elevator. has
been in operation for the past year
and is taxed to its fullest capacity.
Adjoining the port elevator Is To-
lated the new 1000 barrel Touring mill |
II the Astoria FIGURING Mill Co. The i
building is Of reinforced concrete and |