578 THE WEST SHORE.
right, for there is too groat a tendency to do bo in order to secure their propor.
to looseness in our nomenclature, and tion of the enormous business. It i9
not enough care is taken to preserve the apparent that the varied products of tbe
purity of the titles bestowed upon ob- entire Willamette valley and Columbia
jects and localities; but in this instance basin can be concentrated at this point
no practical good can bo accomplished, as cheaply as at the city of Portland it
since the number of adherents to the self, can be converted into manufactured
old name is gradually diminishing, and articles cheaper than at any other point
those who learn the new title, and never on the Pacific coast, and can be shipppd
hear of any other, are increasing in to the markets of the world to ay good
numbers at the rate of a thousand a advantage as from any other place. In
week. Willamette, then, it will continue fact, so far as the shipment and receipt
to be, though but a mongrel word, an of freight is concerned, Oregon City
Indian name slightly "Frenchified;" but and Portland would be practically one
whatever controversy there may be re- city, for Portland must, of necessity, re
garding the title, the beauty and power main the commercial point and seaport,
of the falls are beyond dispute. Since while at Oregon City she can build up
the earliest settlement of the valley by to the best advantage those large manu
Amcricans, the falls have been called facturing enterprises which must con
upon to supply the motive power of fac- stitute the chief element of her future
torica, chiefly saw and grist mills, and growth. No other seaport city in the
thongh but a titho of their strength has United States is blessed with such a
been utilized, they have contributed not magnitude of available water power at
a little to the prosperity of Oregon. It its very gates; nor are any of the great
is tho great possibilities not dormant, falls of America so favorably situated,
but rampant-which they possess, which both as regards nearness to the seat of
inspire this article. production of raw material and to a sea-
Oregon City is but fifteen miles from port from which they may reach the
Portland, and tho stream is navigable markets of the world. A few moments
to the very base of the falls, by river thought will convince anyone that in
steamers, several of which ply between the falls of the Willamette, Portland
tho two places. Above tho falls, the possesses a valuable gift of nature not
river is navigable to tho head of the vouchsafed to any other city on the Pa
valley. Tho lino of the Oregon k Cali- cific coast, and that the falls themselves,
fornia railroad, soon to bo the through in their accessibility and their contigu
route of tho Southern Pacific between ity to tide water, possess advantages of
Portland and San Francisco, passes location superior to any others in the
through tho city. Tho narrow gauge world. The falls which have ma'de Min
system of tho Oregonian, and Portland neapolis so great a manufacturing city
t Willamette Valley roads, tapping the are more than a thousand miles inland,
wholo valley on both sides of the river, and yet millions of barrels of flour are
passes within four miles, and the ques- shipped to foreign markets. Here the
tion of a branch lino to tho falls is al- falls are but fifteen miles from deep wa
rendy under consideration. With ex- ter, where vessels may be loaded for any
tensive manufacturing enterprises here, port in the world,
both tho Northern Pacific and the Union When Henry Villard was at the head
Pacific could easily run a lino down to of tho transportation systems of Oregon,
tho factories, and would feel compelled ho fully appreciated the economic value