6
THE MORNING OREGONIAX, THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 1920.
I FROM TOWN TO CITY IS REMARKABLE STORY OF ASTORIA PORT DEVELOPMENT
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Aggressive Commission, Backed by Citizens and Public Bodies, Makes Wonderful Showing in Construction of Modern Terminals, Docks, Elevator and Other Equipment Necessary to Fast-Growing Shipping Point l
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" Br James II. Olson. '
TRANSFORMED from a town built
on piling: to a city placed on a
solid foundation, tvith hard-sur-taced
.streets. Astoria, which, until a
few years ago, had shown, but slightly
more. progress than a village in Haiti,
has suddenly assumed the role of a
wide-awake community, with such a
Slowing promise of a brilliant future,
its citizens have formulated a sys
tematized campaigrn of development.
To appreciate the new era in As
toria, those who may have visited the
city in the old days will forget the
many buildings standing- over the
water, supported by piling; will for
get the rickety docks, of which but
few remain, and will forget the un
even planked streets which are no
more.
Today a visitor in Astoria may see
two wonderful, modern, fully equipped
docks, built by the port of Astoria, in
use 365 days of the year; a grain ele
vator of the latest type, and, although
completed but two years ago, has
handled capacity quantities of two
crops of wheat, and in addition may
see contractors and workers busily
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engaged in the construction of the
third dock for the port of Astoria, a
structure which, when completed; will
cost about $1,250,000.
The visitors may also see the great
er part of the city reclaimed, with
fills of former water-covered areas,
buildings standing on solid ground,
and the visitors will learn, if ques
tions are asked of the progressive
residents of this city by the sea, that
the small area still remainfhg under
water will be reclaimed before the
"end of 1920.
Further investigation reveals that
the port of Astoria, a body of five
business men working for the port
district without compensation, are di
rectly responsible for most of the
improvements that have been com
pleted in the city, and have planned a
comprehensive programme of im
provement that will require several
years for completion.
Official All Co-operatlnic.
Solidly behind the port of Astoria
stand the city officials, the county
officials, the officers and members of
the Astoria chamber of commerce and
other civic bodies in short, the entire
population of Astoria and Clatsop
county.
The present port commission is
composed of B. F. Stone, chairman;
George W. Sanborn, vice-president;
George W. Warren, secretary; F. Pat
ton, treasurer, and' Dr. Alfred C. Kin
ney. The manager and engineer, R.
R.- Bartlett, has been identified with
the commission during the entire time
of the remarkable achievements, and
much bt the credit for the successful
carrying out of the wishes of the port
commission go to this competent
man.
Since the installation of the present
commission the grain elevator and
tanks have been completed, capacity
of 1,250,000 bushels of bulk grain; a
beltline railroad, connected with the
Spokane, Portland & Seattle railroad,
extending around Young's bay, with
intention of circling the entire water
front of the port, has been con
structed. 1
The warehouse on pier No. 1 has
recently been extended 340x92 feet,
and at the southerly or land end a
commodious administration building
is virtually completed. Adjacent jto
the main shed on pier No. 1 the com
missioners have erected a six-story
flouring mill, connected with the first
elevator built, and also with the
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main elevator and grain tanks, raised
130 feet of the easterly end of the
warehouse on pier No. 1 to two sto
ries in height and erected in addition
130 by 42 feet, for the use of the flour
ing mill for. storage purposes. Prod
ucts of the mill will be passed through
a conveyor to the second story of the
extended warehouse, thence to cars,
trucks or steamers alongside the
wharf.' The capacity of the mill is
4000 barrels of flour in 24 hours.
Third Plew Looms.
The port has contracted with the
Foundation company for the cons
truction of pier No. 3, west of pier
No. 2, which members of the commis
sion say will be one of the largest
and most complete in the United
States. In addition the port has in
contemplation a drydock. with a ca
pacity of not less than 15,000 tons, to
be stationed in the basin between
piers 1 and 2. .
Another important project which
will add materially to the shipping in
terests of Astoria is a marine railway,
now under course of construction by
tho Astoria Marine Iron Works, in
connection with the United States
government. The marine railway,
when completed, will haul out ot the
water a 12.000 and possibly a 15,000
ton register steel ship. The railway
is being built on the westerly side
of Youngs bay.
When the port commission decided
upon its extended programme the
dredge Natoma was purchased in San
Francisco in 1917 and brought to As
toria without mishap at an aggregate
cost of approximately $100,000. Dur
ing the last year the commission
dredged Skipanon creek to a depth
of 20 feet at mean low tide, thus
making it possible for steam schoon
ers to land lumber at the mill sit
uated at the head of the creek.
One of the features of the port of
Astoria and the shippinc facilities
found therein is the ample supply of
water at all tides and times. Statis
tics compiled by government officials
show that 30 feet of water at mean
low tide exists at all points adjacent
to piers Nos. 1 anl 2 and In the basin
between these two piers. At all points
adjacent to pier No. S the water will,
when the pier is completed, have a
depth of 40 feet at mean low tide.
Fleet Is Accommodated.
The depth of water in the basin be
tween piers Nos. 1 and 2 was best
demonstrated a few months ago when
ships of the Pacific fleet called in the
Columbia river. At this timo the
cruiser North Carolina and the dread
naughts Arkansas and Vermont were
assigned to visit Astoria. The Ver
mont, a yessel of huge proportions,
was docked alongside of pier No. 1,
in the basin, in less than 40 minutes,
without difficulty. The fact that this
ship had a draught of 27 feet and ex
perienced no difficulty in docking in
the basin against pier No. 1 is taken
as conclusive proof by mariners that
Astoria has ample water at all tides
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to accommodate all vessels of the Pa
cific fleet.
The port of Astoria exists under
the laws of the state passed in 1909
and is entitled to issue bonds, with
out submisssion to the people, to 10
per cent of the assessed state an
county valuation, which In 1918 was
$38,199,597.37. The commissioners are
also empowered under the law to in
clude in the budget of the county
each year 1 per cent of'the taxable
value for port purposes and in addi
tion an amount equal to interest on
bonds and, when necessary, retire
ment of bonds. The total Issue of
bonds up to the present time aggre
gates $2,625,000, with interest at 5 per
cent. The last bonds were sold at
upwards of 99.
The port docks are exceptionally
well equipped to handle sacked or
bulk wheat and every description of
freight. For instance, three locomo
tive cranes are in operation on piers
Nos. 1 and 2. of 50, 40 and 25 tons' ca
pacity, and in addition, a stationary
crane of capacity of 25 tons is in op
eration. Kight conveyors for load
ing sacked wheat and flour are also
Included ' in the equipment. Durlnit
the first six months of 1919 the port
of Astoria handled a total of 1163
cars, aggregating 39.406 tons, and an
inspection of the property of the port
makes it evident that expense has
not been considered as to providing
competent equipment.
Iort Holdings Large.
The port of Astoria has holdings
at this time aggregating 304 acres, a
frontage of 8940 feet. The city of
Astoria has expended $692,780 for sea
walls and street improvements.
The first cargo of bulk wheat leav
ing the Columbia river was loaded
by the port of Astoria on July 23,
1919, bn the steamer West Islay. This
was loaded aboard the ship at an
average speed of 25"0 tons per hour
and the capacity and speed has since
been increased to 350 tons per hour.
With the port commission showing
Its faith in Astoria as a harbor, it is
but natural that other Interests are
awakening to the development of the
lower Columbia river district. Re
cently announcement was made of the
purchase by a syndicate of wealthy
tlmbermen of a large tract on which
an export sawmill Is to be construct
ed. Plans for this indicate that it is
to be one of the largest and most
complete in the United States.
Plans are under way by the state
highway commission to widen and
liard-surfaco the roadway between
Astoria and Seaside. In this work
the port commission will aid.
Urneral Buaineaa Improves.
Business houses in Astoria are fast
reaping the benefits of the enlarged
city and have been forced, to expand
quarters and increase stocks to keep
pace with the growth of the city.
New industries are locating in Asto
ria, large mercantile firms are finding
it of benefit to locate branch houses
there and because of the congestion
resulting from this sudden growth,
construction of new homes Is being
rushed In all parts of the city. At
present It is almost impossible to lo
cate a home, but the housing question
will probably be solved to some ex
tent as soon as the homes under con
struction are completed.
Astoria begins the new year with
the satisfaction of holding the record
for progress during 1919 which is not
equaled by any city of similar size
in the west and was not duplicated by
many cities far greater in size, and
with the firm resolution that progress
there has but started and that the
year 1920 and future years will see
even greater expansion, for Astoria
is building for the future and not
merely for the present.
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! OREGON AMERICA'S BANNER SHIPBUILDING DISTRICT, WITH PROUD WAR RECORD !
Centered at Portland, Plants Engaged in Emergency Industry Throughout State Turned Out 96 Steel and 116 Wooden Vessels, Winning Praise and Numerous High Prizes From United StatesFleet Corporation Officials
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By Fred M. White.
SECOND to none in steel ship con
struction and far surpassing all
others in the building of wooden
ships, the Oregon district in 1919
practically finished its emergency
war-time shipbuilding and entered
upon its peace-time DUilding for priv
ate interests.
From the beginning of the war to
December 31, 1919, there were com
pleted lu the Oregon district, cen
tered at Portland. 96 steel and' 116
wooden easels. For total number of
ships produced, for number of ships
per way, for ships completed per unit
number of employes, for speed in
launching and equipping vessels, the
Oregon district holds all records.
. Official reports and charts from the
home office of the emergency fleet
corporation in Philadelphia give Ore
gon and Portland the leadership la
ship construction efficiency. Perhaps
the enviable record of the state is
due to the climate that allows 24
working hours 366 days a year, per
haps to the ability of the men at the
head of things in the shipyards and
in the shipping board office, perhaps
to energy in the western air and a
desire on the part of every individual
workman to do his level best, and
perhaps to a combination of all these
factors, but there are the results.
Nortkwni Steel Company Pioneer.
Pioneer among the steel shipbuild
ing yards of Oregon was the North-'
west . Steel company. Originally a
structural steel plant, the establish
ment was converted into a shipyard
in the spring of 1916. The construc
tion of 8800-ton steel ships for priv
ate interests had Just gained a good
start when the war began and the
emergency fleet corporation was
created. But one vessel was sold to
private interests before the shipping
board commandeered all hulls on the
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ways. The steamer War Baron was
sold to the Cunard line and a few
months later was sunk by a subma
rine or mine in the English channel.
As work progressed in the yard, ef
ficiency increased until at the peak of
production and thereafter completed
ships were turned out at the rate of
one every two weeks. The 36th and
last government vessel, the steamer
West Jaffrey, was delivered early in
November, 1919. Since that time three
steel ships have been built on private
account.
The Albina Engine & Machine
works, for many years Portland's
principal marine repair plant, began
in December, 1916, the construction
of a shipyard of five ways for the
building of steel ships on a Nor
wegian contract. The entire output
of the yard, however, numbering 17
ships, was commandeered and con
tracted for by the government. After
the delivery of the seventeenth Bhip,
the yard was dismantled and its
equipment sold. The company now
confines its activities to its original
business of marine repairs.
"Columbia" Makes Record.
The Columbia . River Shipbuilding
corporation, established in February,
1917, was located next door to the
Northwest Steel company and was
second only to that plant in produc
tion. Thirty ships were built by the
Columbia River company for the gov
ernment, and two for private inter
ests. Entering the steel shipbuilding
field rather late in the campaign, the
G. M. Standifer Construction corpora
tion established at Vancouver, Wash.,
one of the most completely-equipped
yards in the United States. Ten con
tracts were secured from the emer
gency fleet corporation, and of these,
two remained to be completed with
the opening of the new year. Be
sides its government work, this plant
has also laid keels for three vessels
to be built on private account and is
the only one of the steel yards in this
district now operating. , The largest
type of vessels build in this district
of 9600 deadweight tons are those
built by the Standifer company. Ships
built by the Northwest Steel and Co
lumbia River plants were all of the
8800-ton class, and those of the Al
bina Engine & Machine works of 3800
deadweight tons.
When It became evident early in
the government's shipbuilding, pro
gramme that the combined capacity
of all the steel mills of the country
was inadequate to compensate for
the ravages of German submarines,
the fleet corporation acted promptly
om the obvious solution of the prob
lem ships of wood. Contracts were
issued for the construction on every
seaboard of the nation of a vast fleet
of small wooden vessels that could
be put together cheaply, quickly and
in unlimited numbers.
Wood Ships Are BnUt.
It was only natural that the great
est achievement in wooden shipbuild
ing should be accomplished in Ore
gon, the fountain-head of the timber
supply, and in Portland, the center
of the lumber industry. As a district
Oregon captured all wooden shipbuild
ing records, and one of the Portland
plants, that of the Grant Smith
Porter Shipbuilding company, took
first place among the wooden ship
yards of the United States. Had not
the armistice stopped the war, and
the subsequent cancellation of gov
ernment contracts stopped wooden
shipbuilding, Oregon would have at
tained still greater fame.
Portland has always been more or
less of a wood shipbuilding center. In
fact, this industry was one of the first
to be established here when the white
men moved in and took the land. The
demand brought about by the war for
"ships and more ships" merely ex
panded and speeded up an industry
that had been plugging along slowly
and methodically for 50 years.
Under the sitmulus of the emerg
ency demand and the unheard-of
prices for wooden tonnage, practically
every builder of wooden ships in the
district acquired new land, erected
new ways and prepared to expand his
activities on his own account. When
the emergency fleet corporation was
ready to let contracts for wooden
ships, it found five yards at Portland
and one at Astoria ready to snap them
up. Seven more wood yards sprang
up almost overnight and were
awarded government contracts. Au
gust, 1917, saw first emergency fleet
keels laid in five plants. These were
the Supple-Ballin, Grant Smith-Porter
and Standifer yards in Portland, the
McEachern yard at Astoria, and
the St. Helens Shipbuilding com
pany's plant at St. Helens.' The Coast
Shlpbuldlng confpany in south Port
land, the Standifer wood yard at Van
couver, and the Sommarstrom, yard
at Columbia City laid their first keels
the next month, and in November the
Rodgers yard at Astoria began oper
ations. The Kiernan & Kern plant In
Portland, the Wilson plant at Astoria,
and the Feeney A Bremer yard at Tll-
WONDERFUL DEVELOPMENT
I OF ASTORIA IN BRIEF.
Two thoroughly modern, fully-
equipped docks have been built.
1 A third dock is being con-
' etructed at a cost of $1,250,000.
2 A grain elevator of latest de-
sign is in full operation.
Fills have replaced much of
1 old-time water front piling
scenes.
1 A six-story flouring mill has
been constructed.
Marine railway to handle large
s vessels is in course of construc-
tlon. .
Drydock facilities will be
available in due time, according
1 to present plans of the port
commission.
I Complete terminal accommo-
datlons have been established.
All lines of general business
have increased accordingly.
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lamook followed along in short order.
The Peninsula shipbuilding company
of Portland had anticipated the de
mand for wooden tonnage, and when
the emergency fleet corporation came
Into existence, it found two vessels on
the ways, which it commandeered. -
Banner Yard Described.
The Grant Smith-Porter Shipbuild
ing company, the banner yard of the
banner district, was located at the
foot of Baltimore street in the St.
Johns district of Portland. Prior to
June 1. 1917, when the first actual
work was done toward preparing the
site, a portion of the territory later
occupied by the Immense shipyard wae
in use by the St. Johns Shipbuilding
company. This concern was using
about three acres on which there were
five small frame buildings, a plank
platform and facilities for making re
pairs to river steamboats.
When the Grant Smith-Porter com
pany took charge, eight ship-ways in
two groups of four each were rushed
to completion. Wooden vessels of the
Hough and Ferris types were turned
out with great speed and efficiency.
At the peak of this yard's production,
during the two-week period ended
September 30, 1918, 6074 men were
employed. The yard's record vessel
was launched after only one month
and 27 days on the ways. To January
1, 1919, 25 wooden steamships had
been delivered complete, and the c6m
pany's government programme of 30
steamships, one barge and one hull
was ended last July. Since that time,
the former shipbuilding plant has
been used as a concentration yard by
the supply and sales division of the
emergency fleet corporation, which
has charge of the disposal of all sur
plus material left over upon the com
pletion of the wooden shipbuilding
programme.
Of the 116 wooden vessels con
tracted for by the government In the
Oregon district, all have been deliv
ered except two in the plant of the
Peninsula Shipbuilding company, two
at the Hodgers yard and one each at
the Coast and Wilson yards. Totals
for completed work by the various
yards are as follows: Grant Smith
Porter, 30 steamships, one barge and
one hull; Supple-Ballin, 11 steam
ships; Coast Shipbuilding company, 7
steamships; . Peninsula Shipbuilding
company, 7 steamships; G. M. Standi
fer Construction corporation (both
wood yards) 14 steamships and 5
hulls; Sommarstrom Shipbuilding
company, 5 steamships and 1 barge;
St. Helens Shipbuilding company. 3
steamships. 1 barge and 1 hull; Mc
Eachern Ship company, 8 steamships
and 3 barges; Wilson Shipbuilding
company, 4 steamships, 1 barge end 1
hull; George Rodgers Shipbuilding
company, ' 2 . steamships; Feeney &
Bremer, 1 hull.
Barges Replace Snips.
The barges and hulls shown in the
above list are the result of the cancel
lation by the emergency fleet cor
poration of contracts for steamships
while the vessels were on the ways
or already In the water. The craft
were accordingly finished by their
builders as barges, or were left sim
ply as hulls, lacking only the instal
lation of machinery and equipment to
convert them into steamers or motor
ships ready for sea. A strong demand
for these unfinished ships was cre
ated 'by the action of the shipping
board In offering them for sale at
the flat rate "of $75,000 apiece. Three
such craft in the California moorage
ground of the fleet corporation were
sold to private Interests after being
rigged as barkentines, and two were
purchased in Portland with machin
ery with which to complete them as
steamships. The government has
launched upon an immense selling
programme to clear up its surplus
stocks, and the supply and sales di
vision of the fleet corporation con
fidently expects to dispose of all left
over hulls and barges within a short
time.
The Foundation company, operated
for and by the French government,
established a .wood shipbuilding yard
of eight open ways in north Portland
in the early stages of the war. The
programme of the yard, comprising
20 wooden sailing vessels, was com
pleted and the plant was dismantled
before the beginning of 1919.
Thus, the dawn of 1920 sees Uncle
Sam practically retired from the busi
ness of shipbuilding, at least as far
as Oregon Is concerned. The industry
may be truly said to have reverted to
its pre-war, or rather post-war
status.
To what extent Portland will con
tinue to build ships is largely prob
lematical, though there is every rea
son for optimism, especially for the
builders of wooden ships. The tim
ber for the ships is here, the skilled
workmen are here and there is a
healthy demand for wooden ships
not for general cargo carriers as de
signed by the emergency fleet cor
poration to meet the war emergency,
but for wooden motorships or sail
ing vessels suitable for the Pacific
lumber trade.
No' announcement of the acceptance
of private contracts had been made
by any Oregon shipbuilder in De
cember, but those cIobo to the oper
ators whisper that as soon as a
slightly more stable situation pre
vails In the labor market and the
danger of strikes is' lessened, the
building of wooden ships will start
again with a boom. Several or the
companies operating wood shipyards
are reported to have already accepted
contracts and placed them away in
the company safe for reference in
the near future.
The construction of ten steel ships
on private account by the yards of
the Oregon district after they had
completed their government work is
ample evidence that steel ships can
be built profitably in Portland, In
spite of the high transcontinental
freight rates on shipbuilding steel
and the absence of production of
steel in this vicinity. No sooner were
the last emergency fleet hulls in the
water than the Northwest Steel com
pany, Columbia River Shipbuilding
corporation and G. M. Standifer Con
struction corporation laid down keels
on their own account. One privately
built hull, half completed on the ways
of the Northwest Steel company, waa
purchased by the Union Sulphur com
pany of New York, named the J. R.
Gordon, and as soon as completed
placed In the sulphur-carrying trade
between the Gulf of Mexico and
Europe.
Contracts for nine steel ships were
placed here by the Green Star Steam
ship company of New xork. Two were
awarded to the Northwest Steel, two
to the Columbia river plant and five
to the Standifer company. The Green
Star ships built by the South Portland
plants have been turned over to the
line for operation. Construction is un
der way on three Green Star ships
in the Standifer yards and two more
ships for this line are to be started
there as soon as ways are left vacant.
Steel Yarda May Reopen.
Reason to believe that the South
Portland yards will reopen before long
is found in the fact that no step has
been taken to dismantle the yards and
that the operators admit that they
have no intention of dismantling.
To quote the words of Joseph R.
Bowles, president of the Northwest
Steel company, "the freight rate on
steel is pretty high, but we can stand
it. The chief obstacle to continued
operation is the unsettled condition
of labor throughout the country. No
operator can build Bhips with the sit
uation so unsettled that he cannot
count on having men and materials
available."
The obverse of this proposition is
that with a settled and peaceful labor
market, with steel mills, coal mines
and railroads and running on sched
ule, steel shipbuilding in Portland
and throughout the Pacific coast will
be not only possible, but profitable.
Therefore It Is to be expected.
The ill wind of war blew Portland
a new and permanent Industry.