The west shore., July 01, 1885, Page 196, Image 2

196
THE WEST SHORE.
That the needs of the Northwest and Pacific Coast
generally Bre not recognized by Congress is made evident
ty lauuy i.U of ILut body sius of omission, as it wera
This neglect arises, of course, chiefly from the fact that
our representation is small, while our vote is still smaller.
Washington, Idaho, Montana and Dakota, all rapidly in
creasing their wealth and population, are still in a terri
torial state, and have no representation in the Senate
whatever, while to the House they each send one Dele
gate, who can talk, if lie knows how, but cannot make his
presence felt with a vote. This neglect is especially
galling in the matter of appropriations for river and
"harbor improvement. Streams in the East that Nature
never designed for highways of commerce, in a region
where a multitudo of railroads render waterways of but
relative unimportance, roceive appropriations that should
be bestowed elsewhere. Congress certainly does not put
these sums where they "will do the most good" commer
cially, however judiciously they may be apportioned in a
political seuse. The business men of the Northwest have
takon this matter in hand, and in a few weoks delegates
from Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri,
Kansas, Nebraska, Dakota and Montana will meet in
oouvoutiou at St Paul, to consider the means of securing
adequate appropriations for the improvement of the
upper Mississippi and Missouri. This movement is in
the hands of tho Kt Paul Chamber of Commerce, and it
would seem a wise move for our commercial organizations
to endeavor to have Oregon and Washington included.
Such a uniUnl effort will certainly produce good results,
and we can by lending them our assistance procure their
jwworful aid in obtaining the appropriations needed for
our owu rivers and harbors. The topography of this
region is such as to prevent it from ever becoming grid
ironed by railroads as is the East, and for that reason the
improvement of our waterways is a question of vitei im
portance. This is somothing our Eastern friends do not
realiec, and it behooves us to impress it upon their minds.
It is doubly gratifying to know that while throughout
the United States cennrallv tlm wlinni nmn will .
-- -- - " . wj tai
below tho average, Oregon unci Washington will produce
a larger crop and have a greater surplus for shipment
umupvur m-iore. u,e twofold gratification arises from
the great stimulus business Will ItXWIVA Bttil tlta trftm
able Dotm we must necessarilv ultrnel i
from which our most desirable immigration comes. The
intelligent farmer of the Mississippi Valley, as he con
template his field of winter wheat averaging only from
i'i to CO per omit of a standnr.1 vill .n.l , i
tlmt Oregon and Washington average 101 per cent for
wuiS iu4 H.r ceuu inr rye and 100 per cent for barley
"""" """" m meatiowa and pasture allow
ooudition of 101 and 102
trong dire U dispoM of his possessions and with his
accumulated means secure a desirable home in this
favored mnon: and this dira mm.1 .. i 1 1
- - ft' " IUO OUIU
winter clo in upon him and he read of the warm rains
and gentle breoao of the Pacifio Coast Montana, though
not vet a producer of wheat for the general market, lias
none the less a considerable acreage of grain, all in a
most promising condition, while her meadows and pasture
ands are above the average. I he time will come when
the thousands of acres of table land in Montana will be
yielding wheat for shipment, and the condition of her
crops the present year is a sure indication of what may
be depended upon. The time is rapidly approaching
when every acre of available land in the Pacifio North
west will be placed under cultivation, and there never
will be a more favorable opportunity than the present for
the Eastern agriculturist to secure a desirable portion.
Fortunately reduotion works in Portland would not
be dependent upon the ore of any one locality or the
whims of any single transportation line. In Southern
Oregon, Jackson, Josephine and Douglas counties have
edges upon which drafts can be made; the newly discov
ered ledges of Tillamook, Columbia and Clatsop counties
would contribute their share; the older and better known
xles of Grant, Baker and Union counties, in Eastern
Oregon, could be called upon for a liberal supply; the
edges of Yakima, Kittitas and Stevens counties, in
Washington Territory; the many old and many new lodes
of Idaho, and even Western Montana, may be depended
upon. Take, for instance, the case of Missoula, about
whose mines we speak on page 225. The Northern
Pacifio has fixed a rate from Wallace to the Wickes
Smelters, near Helona, of $5 per ton for ore. The haul
is quite a long one and up a steep grade. The haul to
Portland is, to be sure, still longer, but the grade is in
favor of this city, and a rate as low as $8 at least ought
to be secured. Both Helena and Butte City have taken
hold of the question of providing smelters for the treat
ment of ores produced from their numerous smaller
mines. Near each of those cities are numerous good
edges but partially developed, or owned by parties with
out sufficient capital to erect works of their own. With
works at which they can sell their ore or have it reduced
at oustom rates, the owners of such claims will be able to
add much to the bullion product Portland must arouse
herself and take decided action in this matter.
The time is rapidly approaching when another great
line of railroad will span the continent By the 1st of
January, it is estimated, the great Canadian Pacifio will
have the gap of 180 miles in the Rocky Mountain division
olosed, and will be ready to compete for through freight
and passenger traffic. Already the trip from Montreal to
lciona can De made in ten days, including a stage ride
of 104 miles. The completion of this road will be of great
oenent to Uritish Columbia, more especially in the im
pulse it will give to the settlement of her thousands of
acres of agricultural lands, and the development of her
stock, lumbering and mining interests. To Great Britain,
in the event of a war with Russia, this road might prove
of incalculable benefit, and no doubt this fact had much
to do with the recent additional assistance the company
received bom the Dominion Government Strong com-