THE HLOBISISG- OREGCXSIXAjS", -ETTESDAY, JA2sTJAHy 1. 1895.
ASTORIA BY THE SEA!
Xiie Only Deep-Water Seaport?n ttie
State of Oregrori.
AT THE MOUTH OF-THE GREAT COLUMBIA RIVER
There Is 2Co Deep-Water Seaport In Southern. Washineton-
.Astoria's IJarlaor Is the 3iIost Accessible on the
Coast North of San Francisco.
steadily increasing; and all railroads
reaching: cedar districts on this coast do a
lucrative business in hauling; shingles to
the Eastern markets. large quantities of
spruce and other timber are manufactured
into pulp near Astoria and shipped to the
various paper mills of the country. This
industry must necessarily attain greater
development as the supply of timber in
less thickly timbered districts becomes
exhausted. It would be almost impossi
ble to ascertain the amount of merchanta
ble timber in Clatsop county, but a fair
idea may be formed from the fact that
of the 900 square miles in the county fully
TOO axe covered with timber, and conserva
tive estimates place the average amount
of timber on each square mile at 02,000,000
feet.
SI1IPPIXG FACILITIES.
Une-
(Thls article was written by the Astoria Chamber of Commerce.)
9mm
STORIA Is situated
at the mouth of
the Columbia riv
er, a stream dis
charging into the
Pacific ocean near
ly or quite as
much water as
the Mississippi
pours into the
Gulf of Mexico,
of country
greater in extent
than the entire
area of the New
England states.
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
"West Virginia and Ohio combined, or
about 250.000 square miles. In a word. It
is computed that the Columbia watershed
t overs an area equal to one-sixth of that
of the whole of the United States.
For hundreds of miles inland from Its
mouth (with the exception of obstructions
at the Cascades and The Dalles, which are
already under course of removal by the
general government) this magnificent river
affords free navigation for river steamers,
by which the diversified products of the
immense section of country tributary to it
may be conveyed either to market for
home consumption or to Astoria, at the
mouth of the river, for shipment to for
t ign or domestic ports.
Prom the point where the Columbia
of The Oregonian: "Astoria is the sea
port of Oregon; it always will be the sea
port of Oregon; nature has so ordered it
that this state can have no other great
seaport, no other considerable seaport.
We shall not get the best results from
shipping the products of the Columbia
watershed to the sea until cars may go
through to Astoria without transhipment
and rehandling of their contents. Then
we shall have an advantage in the com
mon railway rate to the seaboard, for
there will be no account of river charges
thereafter, though many ships may still
go to Portland. But till this shall be ac
complished there will always be ground
of discrim'nation against this route which
will be necessary to meet and cover through
various methods.
"The Astoria railroad, therefore, will be
quite as advantageous to Portland as to
Astoria more so, indeed, because of Port
land's larger aggregate interest.
"It is not a Portland scheme nor an As
toria scheme, but an Oregon scheme using
the term Oregon in the large sense for
merly embraced in the geographical ex
pression, when Oregon included the Pa
cific Northwest of the United States.
"There is no more a Columbia bar; soon
the Cascades of the Columbia will not ex
ist; not distant Is the triumph over the
rapids at The Dalles, and similar triumphs
far in the interior will be recorded. We
shall have the Columbia river railway to
For Cheapness and Dispatch
quilled Jn the World.
LTHOUGH the shipping inter
ests of the Columbia river have
steadily Increased since the
construction of the government
jetty, and the resultant deep
ening of the channel at the en
trance of the river, the com-
f$tmRtl$ pletlon of a line of railroad
S$s frora Astoria to a connection
with any of the lines tapping
the great wheat-producing regions of Ore
gon and Washington must necessarily
bring about a development in this direc
tion not to be otherwise accomplished.
The advantages possessed by Astoria over
Sound ports are so marked that they have
only to be pointed out.
For Astoria it is asserted that she must
become the principal seaport of the Co
lumbia watershed as soon as railway con
nections place her in a position to become
the point of exchange of products between
land and water, and that, Instead of ship
ping to foreign ports 5,000,000 bushels of
wheat (the amount of wheat shipments
from the Columbia river at the present
time) she will ship the total amount ex
ported, or 15,000,000 bushels. The laws of
commerce demand that first-class seaports
shall be located as near the, ocean as pos
sible, for the reason that such a seaport
adds to the value of the products in the
producers hands by reducing the expense
of reaching the world's markets. This is
especially plain when it is known that
Astoria will be made a common point with
any seaport In the Northwest upon the
completion of a railroad from Astoria to
connect with any of the trunk lines.
For the fiscal year ending June SO last, S3
board, and has so much less mileage to
the coast to pay freight on, that it can
afford shipment by ocea"hHoEnrope. When
the Nicaragua canal Is opened. It may
even compete with some areas now ship
ping to the Atlantic, in the Atlantic coast
markets. In this tonnage stream we find
the Columh'a route centrally'Iocated, with
a counterpart In the Columbia river to the
water route to New York, and with a sat
isfactory coast port at Astoria.-
"Although railroad lines on the north of
this stream may seek a simple shipping
outlet on the Sound, ultimately they must
all seek the centrally located commercial
port on the coast, just as the Canadian
Pacific on the north and the Baltimore on
the south seek New York, Irrespective of
distance; and, even though deep-water
ports are passed In so doing, the central
situation, the water routoand the coast
location will win the day in the long run."
Of the local advantages -of Astoria Sir.
Schenck has this to say:
"Within the harbor Is found the penin
sula formation (in this case double, Smith's
point and Tansy point), which by doubling
the water line back upon itself concen
trates a great frontage within a small
area, massing business and securing cheap
and quick facilities to such a degree that
no mere 'riverside' location can compete
with it- Additional to this, there Is the
almost equally valuable and somewhat
similar feature of great penetration of
land by small waterways, giving Invalua
ble facilities for transfers from cars or
other conveyances to vessels, or the re
verse. At all ports where such small rlv
ers are found, these waterways will be
found crowded with business."
and the streets are well lighted by elec
tricity and gas.
There is a neat theater, capable of seat
ing 500 persons.
The water works, owned by the munici
pality, furnish an abundant supply of pure
water, brought from mountain streams
distant 14 miles from the city. Although
salmon-canning and lumber-manufacturing
are at present the staple Industries of
Astoria, all other trades are represented.
The Astoria iron works has an extensive
plant and is well equipped for the manu-
....,,- T ..-111 4T.... Vo. niuin thot -n4K -fha 1
enactment of proper laws for protection of
fish and the establishment and mainte
nance of hatcheries on an adequate scale
the salmon industry may be made per
petual, and must always occupy a promi
nent place among the attractions to com
peting lines of railroad. For the year just
closed the total amount of salmon dis
tributed from Astoria, including the spring
and fall packs on the Columbia and fall
packs at different other points tributary
to Astoria, was 55S,C0 cases, of which, as
ASTOHIA HARBOR,
At the Month or the Colombia River
The Depth ClVnter.
HE distance from sea into the
harbor limits. of Astoria is but
10 miles, so that the cost of
bringing a vessel in from sea
is necessarily less than at any
other harbor, accessible to
deep-sea ships, on the North
Pacific coast. With a straight
channel at the entrance to the
river, not less than two miles
wide, and wltA 30 feet of water
at mean low tide, subject to a rise of from
six to ten feet at high water, with a fair
wind, vessels of large tonnage can often
dispense with the aid of a bar tug and
safely sail to anchorage in front of the
city. Astoria has a water frontage of 5V5
miles, where ships of any draft can lay at
j the various wharves or come to an anchor
:iS .
Portland. Goble, it may bo stated here.
is the paint ok the Oregon side ot tbo
Columbia river from which all trains ovr
the Northern Pacific railroad are ferried
across this stream lo Kalama on the op
posite shore, from which place cars run to
Tacoma and all points cast. Goble is dis
tant from Portland about 40 miles, and :t
Is afforded direct communication with the
latter city by the main line of the North
ern Pacific, which makes frequent and
regular trips between the two points.
Hw
sV5Hfcr
COURT-STREET HIGH SCHOOL, ASTORIA.
facture of steam engines, boilers and other
machinery, employing many hands.
The Pacific Can Company has a factory
here with a capacity of 90.000 cans per day,
or over 1500 per day for each hand em
ployed. This factory did business during
last year to the amount of $230,000.
Astoria is the center of business not
only for Clatsop county, but for a large
district on the north side of the Columbia
river. It affords a good market for pro
duce raised In the surrounding country.
That the supply furnished from this source
is not equal to the demand is evidenced by
above stated, 4S1.G00 cases comprised the
spring pack on the Columbia river.
On the basis of 300 cases per carload, the
salmon industry of Astoria and tributary
points furnishes, therefore, a business of
over 1S00 carloads yearly, an Item of Itself
sufliciently important to -justify the speedy
completion of a railroad arid assist in plac
ing Astoria in the rank among the cities
of the Pacific coast to which she belongs
by reason of the Importance of her diver
sified Industries and of her location as a
distributing center.
With the completion of a railroad to
NEKALEM COAL.
Vast Deposits ot the Binds Dia
monds Near Astoria.
HE coal fields of the Nehalcm.
distant not over 40 miles from.
Astoria, while yet in an ma
developed state, give abun
dant promise of an apparent
ly inexhaustible supply of tha
bituminous product. Veins
ranging from two to seven
feet in thickness have been
discovered in different por
tions of three townships, and experts pro
nounce the samples procured as of a very
superior quality. The widest of these
veins have been discovered at Onion peak
and Necarney mountain, but fromTthe lat
ter, all the way to Saddle mountain en
couraging indications of a plentiful sup
ply have been found. The Necarney moun
tain coal will coke, says an eminent au
thority, and, if this view proves to be cor
rect the discovery is a most valuable one
for the iron manufacturer. The extension
ot the line of the Astoria & South Coast
railway a distance of 15 miles will reach
these coal fields and develop them, and
not alone make Astoria Independent ot
other sources of supply, but place her in
a position to enter the coal markets of the
Pacific coast as a competitor on excellent
terms.
DAIRYING INTERESTS.
Opportunities for the Dairyman antj
the Orchardlst.
WING to the handsome profits
in the lumber and fishing In
dustries, sufficient attention
has not been paid by the peo
ple of Astoria to agricultural
and dairying Interests, al
though the business of butter
and cheesemaklng has already
reached such dimensions that
much Is exported. Cool sum
mers and mild winters give
almost perennial green pas
tures, and enable the dairymen to carry
on their business economically. Several
large dairies and one creamery are now
f firr ? C Q C E VH-
.. z-jrz !jaj.- ---Ejc-K-agrMV- jjJMv--r3g:3r. zfsg!SrrAL,gL -.-. - -. . .-vri"TrP"u-.fc-r'TkrvJitH.iw jm. -, i iii i i wihi hn !! i ' . ' i i i i i ii nww n
A."3warv(ttllfrDnll. 4.. - xomEEDW i '
empties into the Pacific ocean the country
It traverses has all the diversified resources
of an agricultural, pomological, pastoral,
timber and mineral section. For nearly
tOO miles inland along its course, the coun
try bordering on either-shore of the river
is dark with a heavy growth of the very
fnest merchantable timber, -while its
i aters Are ah e with the unexcelled Chi
nook salmon and numerous other varie
ties of food fishes, the whole now consti
tuting one of Astoria's staple Industries,
gllng employment to an army of fisher
men and necessitating the disbursement
in this one industry alone of more than
V jJO.OOO annually.
A single glance at the geographical posi
tion of the city of Astoria, distant only 10
miles from the Pacific ocean, should be
hjfilnent to convince the most incredulous
that, if the chief seaport ot the products
of the Columbia liver basin must be at
the mouth of the great river of the West,
Astoria's location Is altogether unap
proachable. It may truly be said, without
fdr of successful contradiction, that on
t' e Paclrtc coust north ot San Francisco
there is but one seaport, and that one is
Astoria. Tacoma and Seattle, on Pugot
sound, are only inland seaports, over 100
miles from the ocean.
BID'SEYE VIEW OF HSTOfclfl, SHOWING THE WRTES pOflT HJ4D TflE 0$EGOfl COSST IiliSlE.
Astoria, which will place our railway
common point at the seaboard."
THE LUMBER INDUSTRY.
"Vaxt and Almost Untouched Forests
of Splendid Varieties of Timber.
i. HE practically inexhaustible
supply of timber In Clatsop
county, all of which must of
necessity be brought to As
toria for shipment, either by
sea or rail, to the coast and
Eastern markets, consists
of Douglas fir, more com
monly called Oregon pine,
cedar, spruce, larch, maple
and hemlock. These varie
ties are found in a district of several hun
dreds of square miles in extent, and with
in easy access of one or the other of the
8
foreign vessels, of an aggregate tonnage
of 102,773, cleared from the port of Astoria.
During the same time 426 coastwise ves
sels, of an aggregate tonnage of 403,431,
cleared. The exports from the Columbia
river for the fiscal year of 1S93-94, as shown
by the custom-house records, were as fol
lows: Wheat-5.5SS.6SS bushels.
Flour 2S6.74S barrels.
Lumber 940.000 feet.
Salmon 11,721 cases.
Value-$4.000,000.
As coastwise vessels are not required by
law to file a manifest of cargo Tvith the
customs authorities, lumber exports do
not ot course include shipments coastwise,
and for that reason convey no adequate
idea of the volume of the lumber industry.
The above showing, it must be remem-
TIIE JETTY.
n
Vsrfr
ESU
The Grent Impro-v rn:rn( at the Month
of the River.
HIS important work was com
menced by the government in
185. and is now nearlng com-
-g. . j juruoit. j. ik? want oi cntteu
J3'' I States engineers who devised
the plm. of Its construction
estimated Its cost Vit about
$3,000,009. but nature itself has
so ably assisted in crowning
w4h success the brilliant conception and
design of the engineers that it will be fin
ished at u cost of $1,000 less than the
C'.s.n.al estimate.
The boneitcial effect of the construction
cf tine jetty has met the most sanguine
expectations of Us projectors. The jetty
has been extended more than four miles
seaward in a northwesterly direction, start
irg from the south bank, thus virtually
contracting the immense body of water
dotting out of the mouth of the river into
a space of less than four miles, instead of
c ht miles as lormerly. The substantial
result Is that the width of the river whore
It debouches into the open ocean has been
rcauoed one-half, and in coseequence a
r iraight and open channel to and from the
sea. . feet at mesa low water, and from
C7 to 40 feet deep (according to the tide) at
I sh water, has been create, and any
r uiber of ships of largest sice can now
i.e in abreast; in fact, the bar has vir
t r : ceasd to exist.
This jetty makes Astoria a seaport of the
r- t magnitude. There is an open.strMsfet,
v..ve and deep ohunel. through which
eri vessel may eater as easily us into any
ha-bor in the world.
As heretofore stated in a previous issue
i
CVSTOX-KOrSE AXD POSTOFF1CE. ASTORIA. Pitto ZyJ. H.Sralt.
small rivers which penetrate the interior
of the county and empty themselves into
th Columbia river at or near Astoria.
At the jK-esect time there at three saw
mills i Astoria, with a daily capacity of
MA.0O) feet. Three other mills are.situated
at points near by. and two of large capac
ity are in operation on the Washington
side of the Columbia opposite Astoria.
Host of the output of these mills goes to
market by water transportation, but with
the completion of a line of railroad to
transcontinental connection the market
oast of the Cascade mountains will be
brought within reach, and thebuatoers
In railroad transportation will bemlted
only by the demand.
The demand for cedar shingles Js ajso
bered, was made during a period of the
greatest business stagnation ever noted
in the Northwest.
The following extract, taken from an
article written by ilr. Archibald A.
Schenck, civil engineer of the New York
Central railroad, and an eminent author
ity on railroad matters, will strengthen
Astoria's claims at the present time for
the attention of the world as the most
promising point of the West. Sir. Schenck
says:
"In the Pacific Northwest are vast pro
ductive areas la Northern Oregon. Wash
ington and Idaho. They are capable of
I furnishing an immense export of grain,
J cattle and wool. The tonnage is so much
' nearer the coast than the Atlantic sea-
in the stream. Extending the line around
Smith's point and along Young's bay. It
has a total water frontage of more than
13 miles within the city limits that may be
utilized, affording unequalcd facilities for
commerce, manufacturing and shipbuild
ing. NO TEREDO.
Entire Freedom From the Ravajjs
tf Tula Dextrnctlvo Worm.
HOUGH situated so closa to
the open ocean, Astoria has
the special, exclusive and de
cided advantage of being a
fresh-water harbor, a bless
ing duly appreciated by every
salt-water navigator bringing
his ship's barnacle-covered
bottom Into port. That destructive pest,
the teredo, or pile worm, cannot exist in
Astoria harbor. Piling on the water front
of Astoria driven 30 or 40 years ago Is to
day sound and In serviceable condition.
The ravages of the teredo upon wharves
and logs at salt-water ports can be par
tially estimated when it is stated that
Seattle, on Puget sound, is about to in
augurate work on a ship canal which will
connect the waters of the Sound with
Lake Washington, a body of fresh water
to the east of that city. It is estimated
this work will involve the expenditure of
possibly I3.0C0.000. While the benefits of
this canal will not be confined altogether
to freedom from the teredo, yet the rav
ages of this destroying worm proves one
of the strongest arguments for the inaugu
ration of work en the Lake Washington
canal. It Is a saving of time and money
to shipowners to have the vast accumula
tion of barnacles and other marine growths
incident to a long sea voyage, and col
lected below the water line of their ves
sels, as effectually cleared oft as though
they had been scraped in a drydock. This
beneficial result accrues to every ship that
visits Astoria, the only fresh-water sea
port on the Pacific coast.
BUSINESS ASPECT.
The Backs and Commercial Hon sex
of the City.
STORIA at present supports a
population of 10,000. It has
two national banks and one
savings bank, telegraph, tele
phone and district messenger
; offices, and two daily and
three weekly papers. It Is the
county seat and an incorpo
rated city, with mayor, city
couDcil, and an efficient corps
of municipal officers. It has
the most efficient volunteer fire
department in the West, con
sisting of one hook-and-ladder
and three steam fire engine companies
Here is the United States customs port
for the district of Oregon. The govern
ment has erected a substantial stone edi
fice for the use ot customs and postoiQce
officials. The city has free postal deliv
ery, over two miles of steam motor line
and two mile3 of electric street railway.
the fact that many tons of hay, besides
vegetables, fruit and other productions,
arc Imported yearly. Practical and expe
rienced gardeners and small fruitraisers
are needed. There is also a splendid open
ing at Astoria for a hemlock tanning ex
tract factory, a flour mill, a furniture fac
tory, several more saw mills and other fac
tories, and especially there is every need
ed facility at hand for a drydock and for
shipbuilding.
The annual consumption of 50,000 boxes
of tin-plate demands and would support a
fair-sized Un-platc factory at this point.
SALMON INDUSTRY.
Tha Aunnal Ontpat ot the Various
Columbia River Canneries.
3TORIA is the headquarters of
the salmon-packing industry
of the Northwest, and dis
tributes yearly the entire
pack of the Columbia river,
amounting to almost 500,000
cases and valued at 53,000,000
and consuming 50,000 boxes of
tin-plate. Formerly the great
er proportion of the pack was shipped for-
transcontinental connection, Astoria will I maintained In the vicinity of Astoria, and
at once uecome a iormioaoie competitor
for the handling of the Alaska salmon
pack, averaging over 750,000 cases yearly.
At present the bulk of this business is con
trolled in San Francisco, but Astoria's ad
vantage geographically places her in a po
sition to bid on more than even terms
against her California rival. The estab
lishment of a regular and frequent steam
er service between Astoria and Alaskan
points offers to capital Inducements which
will readily command attention.-
A RAILROAD ASSURED.
Work on the New Line to Be Com
menced in April.
N the future prosperity of Asto
ria no single factor will play
such an important part as di
rect railroad connection with
the leading centers of popula
tion In the Northwest and with
the East. By the terms of an
agreement made on Decem
ber 1 last, Astoria is now as
sured of the early completion
of a road which will afford
that place all the advantages of a direct
w2ms0K&f&- .: h &c o a l
e"'r
"J
ASTORIA'S COAL FIELDS:
eign, but as the peerless qualities of the
royal chinook became more generally rec
ognized the home demand increased corre
spondingly, and now almost the entire
papk finds a ready sale in the United
States, and is shipped East over the differ
ent railroads, via Tacoma and Portland.
In wages and supplies the amount paid
out by the canners In Astoria for each , would insure the city a railroad. On De
3 up about 5L500,- j cember 1 last a contract was finally mad(
season's operations foots
000. The remarkable increase in the do
mestic demand for Columbia river salmon
and the consequent increase of the busi
ness In inland transportation furnished by
the salmon-packing industry, will beshown
by the fact that in 1S82 nearly 400.0C0 cases
were shipped direct to the United King-
J dom, as compared with but 1L72S cases in
5i-.j out oi tne total spring pacic oi lai.ww
connectioa with Portland and the other
leading cities of Oregon and Washington,
and the active work on the construction of
the line will commence before April 1 next.
The enterprising people of Astoria have
always been ready to lend every encour
agement and support to any proposition
coming from responsible parties that
made
between E. L. Bonrer and A. B. Ham
mond, responsible capitalists, and a sub
sidy committee of Astoria. Messrs. Bon
ner and Hammond agred in consideration
of valuable subsidies, to be given them on
the completion of the line, to build a rail
road frbm Astoria to a connection with
the Northern Pacific at or near Goble. cr
with some other railroad running cars into j coast, if not in the world.
machinery is being put in place for an
other creamery. The marsh lands along
the Columbia are exceedingly rich, and
frequently yield two crops of hay yearly.
Five tons of timothy per acre is not an
unusual crop for these lands.
Fruitraising has been, almost entirely
neglected in Clatsop county, and thou
sands of dollars are annually sent away
by Astoria merchants for fruits that could
have been grown in the immediate vicin
ity of the city. Small fruits, berries and
vegetables of all descriptions attain per
fection both In size and quality, and hops
have done well wherever experiments in
growing them have been made. No better
field is now open to the orchardist than
that of growing berries and fruit.
AS A SUMMER RESORT
Astoria' Advantages Are Unequalcd
The Heavy- Tonrlst Travel.
HE Astoria & South Coast
Railway closely connects .As
toria with the well-known
and favorite seaside resorts,
extending for 20 mile3 along
the sea beach from Point Ad
ams to Tillamook head. Not
less than from 10,000 to 13,00l
excursionists visit the beach
every summer to enjoy the
delightful pleasures of sea
bathing, hunting and fishing
facilities afforded in the vicinity.
Grimes' hotel, the Seaside house and
Gearhart Park hotel, all located In close
proximity to the beach, are crowded with
guests during the season, while many fam
ilies pitch their tents and others have
erected substantial cottages for them
selves. The sandy beach is smooth as a
billiard table, and the water deepens so
gradually that with proper precaution
there is absolutely no danger.
RELIGIOUS A?D EDUCATIONAL.
The Schools and Churches of the City
by the Sea.
STORIA has four graded
schools, employing 23 teach
ers. The high school connect
ed with these I? noted for Its
efficiency. It has an excel
lent public free reading-room
in connection with a library
association containing hun
dreds of volumes of standard
works by the best authors,
which are being added to pe
riodically. The various se
cret and fraternal and benevolent societies
are well reprosented. There are 11 organ
ized churches, representing, as many dif
ferent religious denominations.
A well-organized chamber of commerca
has for 23 years existed in Astoria, ana
has been a powerful factor in securing
government aid to all the important pub
lic works that have tended to make tho
seaport of Astoria what It really 13 today,
the best and safest seaport on tho Paclfio