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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1881)
aa6 THE WEST SHORE. September, 1881 ocronEk. In (he circle of the months October plays no common part. Spring it til promise. Summe follow the bloom and perfume of May with the ripen ing influences of July. Autumn fol lows seed lime and harvest with the lusclousne of fruition. The sun has withdrawn from the zenith and surveys the lately fevered landscape from a distance. The slanting rays fall with tempered force. The context now raging between heat and frost is Imrne witness to by the rich Oclolcr foliage that glows on the autumnal air with the hues of the ripened and dying year. Ilut time has In unfailing round brought here again the fruition of all the hopes and lalxrs of the husbandman, for his granaries are full and overflowing, and his barns piled up with plenty. Now he gathers his reward for the faith and toil expended through seed time and harvest, and realizes the delights of Harvest Home. Like the strong man who, In his prime, looks back iikhi the timely laltors of his younger and ma turcr years to And that well-ex cnlc t lloit has earned lor lum ami his a re ward of plenty and abundance, so grand October, with yet strong sinews, though his crown and heard are touched with the frosts of time, stands like patriarch amidst his children and his sheaves, and quaffs his willing wel come in the vintage of the accom plished year. Throughout the Northern nations now, the willing earth pours out its noble stint of corn and wine. The squirrel gather in his harvest from the abundant mast the bee has stored his wealth of sweets and waits the Winter. All nature has prepared to drop its mantling green ; and when November winds may come, foret and orchard shall meet them with hare bought. Hut everywhere, if we but look, fttiit buds have formed to wait the coining of another Spring, and, with the ripeness of another Summer, turn to luscious fruits. 'Tis well with all of us when turning lo lite yellow leaf that maikt the Octolcr of our live, if the barin boughs tit found like natuie't wooilands, clothed with the promise of future life made precious by the harvest part, and rich with the wmicd village of a life lo come. Henby Vili.aud, Esq., accompa nied by a numler of distinguished European and Eastern capitalists, arrived here on the steamship Colum bia, on a tour of inspection. Residents of the Pacific Northwest have every reason to feel grateful to Mr. Villard for the prosperity we are now enjoying and set on foot by him, not only by his investing his own large capital here, but by enlisting almost unlim ited capital abroad to prosecute and carry to completion the immense rail way, ocean and river navigation sys tem mapped out by him. It is safe to estimate that at present more than 10,000 people find remunerative em ployment in the Pacific Northwest through Mr, Villard's various enter prises, and these 10,000 in turn keep up large numbers of merchants and artizans. These all combined are heavy consumers of the farmers' products, so that every branch of occupation is directly benefitted by the pluck and en terprise of Mr. Villard. ASTORIA. Y In this issue will lc found an excel lent and faithful picture or the best portion of Astoria ; and the important relation this city bears to the whole Columbia tegion justifies that we shall give fair mention of its present and prospective importance, Astoria was founded three-quarters of a century ago by John Jacob Astor, as it was the first location made for the prosecution of the fur trade on the North Pacific. That early history has been read in various forms, the most at tractive being that contained in Wash ington Irving' charming narrative. It is still possible to recall the site of the old structures erected by Astor' com pany in the outset, by the outline of the embankment, now almost obliterated, they threw up around their palisades Whatever may aflect the commerce of the Columbia in year to come, we may look upon Astoria as the pcrma nent depot for upplie the actual tea port of the Columbia and the point where all heavy ships must complete cargo. Thit has necessitated the con- struction of warehouses and whtrvet of great capacity, and they will Increase in numner and capacity as tl.a mm. river it concerned, it bears an impor tant relation to all parts as the depot for export and supply. We will briefly recapitulate its advantages. Astoria has -an intimate connection with the salmon trade ; the thousands who man the fishing boats and consti tute the working force for fisheries and canneries, make their headquarters at this place, and from here the great quantity of supplies needed for these fisheries is drawn. The lumber mills along the Columbia swell the Astoria trade. The shipping that comes and goes is constantly on the increase ; and this trade in many lines of goods is im portant, and demands many vegetables, fruits, meats, etc., that make a cash market for products of farmers of that section ; so that it is understood that Astoria is the best market in the State for farm products. The pros perity of the surrounding country of course keeps pace with that of the town. Clatsop has many fine farms ; up the bays and streams to the south there is a good country that is devel oping fast, and all ftlong the river settlers are making clearings for miles back, and becoming producers and consumers, in both of which capacity they benefit Astoria. That city is fast acquiring wealth, and when her citizens gain in fortune so that they can embark in greater en terprises, there is certainty that they will build up their town, because they possess public spirit to a remarkable de gree. It will be seen that the various interests which center here are suffi cient in themselves to build up a good business center. But our bird's-eye glance has not gone out of sound and reach of the Columbia river, whereas, we must recollect that Clatsop county has a good area of soil fit for cultivation as soon as it can be cleared of brush and timber, and there is a good section of country extending north from Ba ker's bay, with out-put at Ilwaco, that will eventually trade at Astoria, and bring its products to that point, com prising a great portion of Chchalis county, and all of Pacific county, in Washington. All things considered, the future of this city must witness con tinued progress. . Let us now look at the expectations iHatMni al . at . I ....v, .c region ueveion. A an ii. u t !... ' tr m.how. h. favorable potion with the Willamette and Upper Co theaiyoocupts. So far a, , he lower lumbi. regiom. Tht, railroad ,ptcm