The West Shore.
VOL. 9 No. 6.' j
L. Bamnnl. mhllslwr.
Portland, Oregon, June, 1883.
121 front St.
Blitatwl M lb
I"t Annua, I luW fl
tm eu.
Craigie Sharp, Jr.,
Is fully authorised to transact business for this
publication.
SPECIMEN NUMBER.
Any one receiving this copy of The West
Shore will please consider It an invitation to be
come a regular subscriber.
The next number of The WEsr Shore will be
oneof the b.'t ever issted. Those desiring extra
copies should send in their orders at once.
Wherever the fame of the Columbia river salmon
has penetrated, Astoria his become a familiar
word. At home or abroad the sight of a can ol
that delicious fish upon the grocer's shelf suggests
it as much as a clipper ship suggests the Clyde.
Situated on the left bank of the Columbia, about
twelve miles above the bar. where the river
widens out into broad estuary, she is the gate
way and natural shipping point for the entire
state of Oregon.
For beauty and healthfulness of location As
toria has no superior on the coast. Situated on
the marcin of the river and extending up the slop
ing hill, with a forest-crowned ridge rising cool
and beautiful above, never suffering from the
overDowerinr? heat ol the sun, but constantly
fanned by cool and healthful breeies from the
oDen sea. she affords a delightful place o! resi
dence. To be sure the rainfall is Urge in the
winter season, but this is amply compensated for
by an entire exemption from snow and excessively
cold weather. The sewerage is perfect and no
malarial sewer gai or diseased-breeding slough
exists to people the cemetery on the hill. The
business portion of the city is built upon piling
above the tide flats. Drains run into this from
the hill, and twice a day the ebb tide bears
away the filth and completely purifies the city.
From the highu back of Astoria a view can be
obtained that is worth miles of travel to one who
k.. . .... tn, it.. hMutiful. On the cut, four
mile above, Tongue point thrust its mass of
green pines far out into the stream, lorn.
side of the graceful bay in which the city lie.
n....h k;,i i.n (mm view, the course of the river
can be plainly discerned by the contour of the
k:n. -i. t.A kin melts into the horiino
many mile beyond. Immediately at our tret
i: .i.- i .a nf the Columbia, frecked
ttr tuc WIIWU v -
with little cap. of while, and dotted with the
spread sail of hundreds of filing boats. Some
are standing aero. tb river, other, .preading
their
while
Handing across the river, oincn
net, many beating out towaid the bar,
i dill other, are coming lt winf m4
wing, with a loud of the loyal salmon. It is no un
common s ght to see five hundred of these liule
boats darting about, as well as several large ocean
steamers and deep-water vessels, and a whole
fleet of river ciaft. As far as the eye can dislin
guish their sails these little boats are seen, until
they disappear amid the while breakers of the
liar. Across the bar Cape Disappointment iuts
far out into the ocean, thrown into bold relief by
the sun just setting at its back, while the low line
of Point Adams lies opposite on the left. As the
twilight dcetiens, the cape gradually fades from
view, but its position remains liimly fixed by the
brilliant star that gleams from the light house on
ll.e point.
Astoria is divided into two parts by a high
ridge that conies down lo-lhe walei's edge, the
two divisions being connected by a long plank
way built upon piling. They are known as the
uuner ami lower town, the business houses bring
ri
nearly all located In the lower or main poition ol
the city. The upper town is expanding rapidly
along the river and back upon the hill.
HISTORICAL
In 1810 John Jacob Astor organlied the Pacific
Fur Company and dispatched the ship Tenurn
around Cape Horn, sending at the same time an
overland oarlv from Mackinaw under Wilson I'.
Hunt. The Tonquin arrived off the bar lale In
March and a landing wa effected and settle
mentmade alut the first of April, 1811. Th
lire m named Fort Astoria in honor of th
r,.,m,!,r of ihe enterprise. It was located on the
ile now occupied by C. Adler, Esi. Octolier
16, 1813, owing to the war between Great Hrileln
inl the United Stales, the fort and busines were
sold to the Northwest Company, and two months
later the British flag was raised over the pise
chsnired to Fort George. Oclo-
lr 6. 1818. it was formally restored to the
ITnlied State and the old name was again given
... . a t I II L
It. After the consolidation ol lh rival r.ngnsn
ind Canadian fur comanie a the Hudson llay
r,.mn.n.. the headquarter were moved to Van
couver, and Astoria became of secondary im
portance.
Thus matters continued until 184$ when several
American settler, took up claim along Die river,
tome of them on the present town silt. In 104a
a V Diiiia settled here and owned store,
trading with th few tetller nd lb many
Indian of the Cat up tribe who occupieo mis
He is Ml I rcsiiline in mm cut. .j
in 1849 the custom boost was establlsed, the only
one then on the coast, and quit a little town
h In . km vrars. though H wa not wr
some lime thai vr!i in any numbers entered the
j.-. a . mill wa toon built, ami the town
Ih.ii. ..nanded wilh the development of Ihe
u,in and the Increase to commercial Iraflie.
In 186; the busines. of canning salmon neg.n
and from the inception oi that Industry dale In
...ii.m'u.1 and Dtrmaoen! growth o4 tn cuy
Th. Increase was slow (of a few year, Ihere
Ii coo mooU here to lS7. I lKkl
ttost on k grew- rapidly that to 176 k bf
corioraled by the legislature. The past few year
have been ones of remarkable Increase of wealth,
population and business, and the Indicallons are
the future will witness a growth still greater than
that of the past.
rOrUI.ATION AND (USINISS.
The population of ihe upper ami lower town
combined wa given by the census of 1S80 as
,8jO Including 1,000 Chinese. This has been
increased by Hit addition of fully 1,000 white
ieo!c and a large numlicr of Chinamen, so that
he present population cm not vary much fiom
8,000. The Increase Is steady and permanent of
almut l.otoannually. Tht majority of tht fiher
men are single men, but during the last few year
many of Ihciu have sent to Europe for ihrlr f im
lies or have mariied. and the population I lielng
rapidly augmented In this manner.
The number of building, completed wlihilt yew
or now in process nf erection is very gieal. Sis
new canneries were built at an average cost (of
building and machinery ol )jo,ohO. Gas woik
with a capacity of ao,ooo feci have recently Ix-cn
compleied at an expense of $75,000. Two mall
sytlcms of water works tslil, but those will be
supplanted In August by a more exiendvt one.
Water I being bioughl from Hear river In largt
Iron piie a distance of eleven miles. The reser
voir on llcar river has a capacity of 1,000,000
gallons, ami the will lie a prvseuit of 141 feel
at lidt water, These Improvements will cml
tHc.ooo. and ait the woik of Iht Columbia Water
Co., composed of J. W. Unite, I). 1 Thompson
and F. Dckum. Iht Odd Fellows' leuiplt Is
maimiliccnl three stoiy brick building, 50x100
feel, Just completed at a t tspenst of $4 $.000 In
clusive of tht ground. The Hank of I, W. Cast
and tht largt drug store of W. E, Dement A Co.
occupy the ground flour. Pythian ball wa ha
isbed this year by the, Knights of Pythias at cost
of $17,000, and Is a line liautt sUuctui. Mr.
Ellta Kinney hat laid tht foundation of loo
slury brick building, 5070 (eel, that will cost
JiJ.ooo, Tht Odd Fellows building I at pres
ent Iht only (Nick in lit city, owing to Hit fact
that Iht buines portion of Iht town rests upon
piling. Tilt method of laying Iht loundallu (of
on la very peculiar, 1'iU art driven into Iht
iud and aawed off at Hit turfact. Upon llws
art placed crovbeams, which form Iht fuvmla
lion for Iht brick woik. Many stuallti bulldmg.
have been trccttl during Iht pest year, ami twii
iban 100 dwelling house have been completed of
ti in process of tieclloa. Tht Indication ait
that In clas of buildings elected fo budnest
purpose In lb futurt will bt a gieal Improvement
upon Ibost in Iht past, larger and of lint In
stead of wood.
Th handsome and aubsianllal enstom house wa.
erected tonsil Iwelvt year egs, ll i a solid
Mruclutt It stories high, and standing
in Iht ctnur of block. II I upi4
bf tht custom hmt office and th p
uffict. Owing to Iht character of Iht p-ipst
Nation Iht number of hotels, boarding huuac tod
laalaaiaaU at 1 bug- Th leading hottk art