! ESTABLISHMENT OF
I Location Accepted by Government at Tongue Point
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By Bn Mur LunpmtB.
TIME was when the great waterway
of the Columbia river needed no
defense of ships and guns. The
. tribesmen , came to the magnificent
stream to fish for salmon. It was
their pathway to the interior, over
which the canoes voyaged to new
hunting grounds. Though the savages
may have complimented one another
with an occasional exchange of ar
rows, as-the dugouts slipped past, cer
tainly there was no fear of an enemy
that might come by sea. Only the
salmon, lusty and red for the spear,
swam over the bar and these were,
the gift of .the Manltou.
When Astor came, in 1811, even
when Captain Grays' good ship poked
her blunt nose Into the virgin harbor,
the new era opened. Thenceforward
the Columbia and the vast territory
that the river and its tributaries
drained became the property of civil- '
ization, destined to play an important
role in commerce and in the develop
ment of the American republic. And
the sea lane, the road . to deep salt
.water, was at once the avenue of
trade and the possible approach of an
enemy. The Columbia, from that dis
tant day to this, stood In need of de
fenses. That the emergency' never
arose does not belie the necessity,
which still exists. ..
Not Oregon alone, but the Pacific
northwest and all the coast country,'
may well be gratified at the recent
decision of the special board of ad
mirals of the navy department grant
ing to Tongue, Point and Cathlamet
bay, near Astoria, a site for a sub
marine and destroyer base and avia
tion plain, with harbor facilities for a
squadron of dreadnaughts. For the
jutting fist of solid rock that breaks
into the haroor a rifleshot east of the
city of Astoria is the logical site for
a defensive naval establishment a
guard at the portals of the great river
itself, pledging the safety and security
of the fertile lands and thriving cities
that lie behind it.
Site Lodk Favored.
Tongue Point is not a stranger to
tne bevy of strategic locations that
are included io the plan of Pacific
coast defense. Naval committees have
come and gone, each with a favorable
opinion of its advantages. Promises
have been made and encouraging re
ports have been filed. But, the
actual status of Tongue Point and
Cathlamet bay as the site for an im
portant naval base, a link in the
armor of coat protection, was never
definitely determined until November
of last year, when Admirals Parks,
McKean and Commander Hickson, who
visited the site some months prior to
the formulation of their report, recom
mended to Secretary Daniels that a
naval base be established at Astoria,
on the site offered by the local
committee.
The report of the board . recom
mended that the government acquire
all of Tongue Point and all of the
shore . line lying between Tongue
Point and John Day river and that a
minimum of 12 destroyers, six sub
marines and a squadron of naval air
craft be detailed to the new base. The
project also includes the dredging of
anchorage space for a division of
dreadnaughts, so that the mightiest
flghttnc arm of the Pacific fleet may
find haven near the base.
An initial appropriation of 91,600.-
j5Vx Side 6f
000 is recommended and an eventual
appropriation of $7,500,000 though it
is understood that Astoria must con
tribute the site. A price of . $100,000
had been agreed upon between B. F.
Stone, chairman of the -"Port commis
sion of Astoria and the owners of the
prospective naval base area;
The establishment of a naval base
at Tongue Point and Cathlamet bay
will not only afford the protection
that the mouth of the Columbia re
quires and the unbroken continuity of
a chain of coast defenses from Mex
ico to Puget sound, but it will have
more prosaic advantages for the port
of Astoria and the state of Oregon.
Such a naval base as is projected for
the Tongue Point site will necessitate
the stationing of 1000 to 1200 men at
the base, as a permanent force. Upon
the rocky knoll of the promontory,
guardian of the river, will rise a na
val city and at its foot will lie the
leashed submarines and destroyers,
waiting the word, to slip out to sea,
as fit for actual battle as for practice
cruises.
Old Bugaboo Vanished.
When the board of admirals report
ed favorably upon Tongue Point and
recommended that Secretary Daniels
include their findings in his report to
congress, they settled once and for all
the old bugaboo of the bar long
since non-existent, but kept alive as a
canard through mistaken or malicious
2
OFFICIAL INSPECTION BOARD REPORT.
From Special Board of Inspection of Naval Bases, etc, on the
Pacific coast.
To the Secretary of the Navy.
Subject Proposed submarine, destroyer and aviation base, Co
lumbia river.
1. - The board Is in full agreement with the report of the Helm
commission as to necessity for the location of a submarine, destroyer
and aviation base between Puget sound and San Francisco, and Is in
further agreement with the commission In Its selection of the
Tongue Point site at Astoria, Oregon, and the best site both
strategically and tactically. The board recommends the site In the
locality chosen, but that a larger area. Including all the shore front
between the railroad and the pierhead line extending from the west
ern point where Tongue Point peninsula joins the mainland around
and Including Tongue Point and along the shore line to the mouth
of John Day river. Is essential.
2. The board recommends that this area be secured at the
earliest date practicable, either by gift or purchase; that its devel
opment to a capacity for the successful maintenance and operation
of a minimum of 12 submarines, six destroyers and the necessary
aircraft for the patrol of the waters in the vicinity of the mouth of
the Columbia river be proceeded, with at once; that the project be
planned to be completed within three years, and that the plans be
so made as to permit of the operation of double the force recom
mended above in time of emergency.
3. It is further recommended that the navy department take up
with the war department the desirability of the dredging of the
necessary channel and anchor ground in the vicinity of this pro
posed base to permit a safe entrance and anchorage of at least a
division of dreadnoughts. This' anchorage and channel develop
ment will not only be of great service to the fleet, but will be of
greater aid to commerce and will permit and provide for the full
use of the fine harbor facilities, built and building at Astoria. It is
the opinion of the board that the problem of the Columbia river bar
has been satisfactorily solved, there now being a depth of 42 feet
over the bar, and the board Is also of the opinion that it will be
only a short time until a minimum of 50 feet will be obtained, thus
making this a practicable port in any'weather.
4. It is recommended that an appropriation of a million and a
half be obtained from the present congress, with authorization of
the completion project not to exceed five million, to be completed
within three years.
6. Although not, strictly speaking, a part of this report, the
board calls attention of the department to the desirability, primarily
from a commercial point of view, but also from the navy point of
view, of the continued development of the Columbia river and the
Willamette river as far as Portland, Oregon.
C W. PARKS. Rear-Admiral. (CEC). U. S. Navy,
Chief, Bureau Yards and Docks.
J. S. McKEAN. Rear-Admiral, U. S. Navy,
Asst. Chief of Naval Operations.
J. C HILTON. Commander, (SC) U. S. Navy.
Supplies and Accounts.
NAVAL BASE WILL BE PROTECTION TO WHOLE NORTHWEST
and Cathlamet Bay Declared
....... ;:.;- ..-.. .-!-. ., ....
Tongue Foint Showing Base
gossip. For the finding of these ex
pert navigators, as well as the proof
furnished by the recent entrance of
the fleet, demonstrates that the en
trance to the Columbia is a broad sea
highway, deep enough to float with
safety and a comfortable margin the
largest vessels that swim the seas. .
And the naval base at Tongue Point
site was a dictated necessslty. Along
the Pacific coast from San Francisco
to the Straits of Fuca the only harbor
of deep-draft vessers is the Columbia.
There is but one break through the
Cascade and Sierra Nevada ranges
from British Columbia to southern
California. And through that break
flows the tremendous current of the
Columbia, constantly augmented by
its tributaries. It is the most acces
sible route to the Columbia basin and
the intermediate region between the
Cascades and the Rocky mountains.
The Columbia river is navigable for
deep-draft vessels to Portland, a dis
tance of approximately 100 miles, and
for light-draft vessels the river road
lies open for a distance of 200 miles
above Portland. The Columbia basin
is the only point on the Pacific coast
that possesses an extensive system of
inland waterways, available for com
mercial uses, or for the distribution of
troops for protective or offensive pur
poses. "This route is the most vulnerable
for a hostile approach upon the in-
THE MORNING OREGONIAN,
to Be Ideal for Purposes
VV
Site.
terlor," declares B. F. Stone, chair
man of the port commission of As
toria. "It is the most vulnerable to be
found upon the Pacific coast. It is
the highway of approach to the great
est interior producing region of the
Pacific coast. Whatever protection
the navy Is to afford the country ar
gues for giving consideration to this
entrance, and the decision of the board
is a happy one.
"This is a region advancing In popu
lation so rapidly that it registers 100
per cent - Increase every decade, ac
cording to census figures. More trans,
continental railroads converge on the
Columbia basin to approach the Pa
cific coast than can be found oh any
other part , of the western slope. It
offers the only natural ingress and
egress from the interior of the United
States.
Advantages Are Shown.
"It Is tne nearest point to Yoko
hama, having a sailing distance ad
vantage over Seattle of 294 miles, and
over San Francisco of 423 miles, for
the round trip. In the Columbia river
basin is every resource necessary for
the maintenance of an army or a navy,
easily assembled on a down-grade
haul by river, rail or highway.
"The accessibility from the see of
the Columbia harbor is indicated by
the fact that the coast line of Oregon
and part of Washington forms a
straight north-and-south line, and
there are no islands or reefs In the
open roadstead of the ocean. Only one
half hour's sailing time from this open
roadstead is required to reach the in.
side harbor.
"An examination of' the -general
chart of the coast shows the regular,
lty of the curves of equal depth at the
approaches of the mouth of the Co
lumbia river the soundings Increas
ing at the rate of 30 feet per mile,
reaching. 300 feet when 11 miles
west of the entrance. The general
chart, as well as the most detailed
coast survey chart of the entrance,
ehow the approaches and the vicinity
of the entrance to be free from sunk
en rocks or other hidden obstructions,
which, with the uniform slope of the
ocean bed. permit vessels to stand
close in when seeking to enter the
harbor. The crossing at the mouth of
the Columbia is very short, and the
wide and deep water areas on either
side of the main channel are import
ant factors in the accessibility and
safe navigation of the river.
"The harbor entrance has a depth
of water of 40 feet in a channel some
3000 feet wide at mean low tide, and
tt Is a well known fact today that
access to the Columbia river is no
more difficult than passage through
the Oolden Gate at San Francisco.
Inside the entrance there is a deep,
wide and well-defined channel leading
to a. large area of protected anchor
age. Harbor Location Ideal. .
"The harbor of Astoria is one of
five deep water harbors on the entire
Pacific coast. . Its position is ideal
in reference to river, rail or ocean
transportation, it connects directly
with the Pacific ocean, and is pro
tected from the ocean swell by ade
quate jetties protecting the entrance
to the north and south channel en
trance. "There is about 12 square miles of
anchorage ground with a depth of
-water from 24 to 30 feet, and eight
square miles from 30 to 70 feet in
depth, taken at mean low tide. The
THURSDAY, JANUARY
of Defense $100,000 Is
JI
water is fresh, eliminating the rav
ages of the toredo. In connection
with" timber construction this is a
distinct advantage to a port harbor
ing offshore vessels; the harbor is
always free from ice; the average
tlderange is eight feet five inches.
No fluctuation or rise and fall of the
water on account of freshets in the
river is noticeable, on account of the
large area of the harbor and its
proximity to the ocean.
"The presence of a long line of out
side jetties pbliges an attacking fleet
to steam directly in from the west,
thus enabling the coast defense guns
to converge their fire on a definite
spot; the channel has an even flow
and regular depth which greatly fa
cilitates the planting of a veritable
network of mines; the great depth
which exists in the harbor would
PORTLAND CLIMATE DECLARED
Weather Bureau Records Show City
1 fall
Br Edward 1 Wells.
Meteorologist. U. 8. Weather Bnrrmu.
T"E climate of Portland is charac
1. terized by mild, moist winters,
cool, bright summers and .absence of
high winds and destructive storms.
Some of these characteristics are well
known In fact, have been given un
due prominence; others have not been
so widely advertised.
Portland has the reputation of being
a place of very heavy rainfall, with
few pleasant days in the rainy sea
son. This reputation is not justified
by the official records of the weather
bureau. The average annual rainfall
is 45.13 Inches; this is about the same
as that at New York city or Spring
field, Mo. It is more than four Inches
less than the average for Atlanta,
Ga., Knoxvllle. Tenn.. or Little Rock.
Ark., and more than 12 inches less
than the average for New Orleans. La.
While there are many rainy days in
winter, there has not been a calendar
month since official records were be
gun in 1871. without several days of
fair weather. In January, for -example,
the average number of days with
0.01 inch or more of rain is 20, while
the average number of days with 0.25
inch or more is only eight. In July
the average number of days with 0.01
inch or more is four.
Sunshine in Plenty.
Taking the year as a whole, Port
land has an average of 2tl53 hours of
sunshine, or 5 hours and 37 minutes
per day; this is somewhat greater
than the average recorded In the
Puget sound country, or in parts of
the lake region and upper Ohio valley.
There are few places, except in the
arid and semi-arid regions, that have
more sunshine in summer than Port
land; the average for the three sum
mer months s 874 hours, or 9 hours
and 30 minutes per day. New York
city has 789 hours; Washington, D. C.
846 hours; New Orleans, JLa., 655
hours; Mllwaukee.Wls., 555 hours; Se
attle, Wash., 860 hours; San Diego,
CaL. 860 hours. In July and August,
taken together, Portland has more
sunshine than Denver or San Fran
cisco, and in July has more than San-'
ta Fe. N. M.
" Comparison of Portland's tempera
ture with that of eastern cities is dif
ficult, because of the difference in
1, 1920,
Recommended for Immediate Use Astoria Gives Site
Tongue
make the operation of submarines an
assured success; the promontories in
the Inside harbor which project from
the shore, afford safe refuge for ves
sels and Ideal bases for harbor de
fense guns.
"The entrance to the Columbia river
can be made as impregnable as Gib
raltar or the Dardanelles. Its land
defenses can be cheaply developed and
made highly effective. One of the
forts located there now has an ad
vanced position on a headland pro
jecting Into the Pacific, which gives
it an advantage in gun range of
nearly 6000 yards. In addition" there
are two other coast defense forts
strategically located so they can be
made highly effective. The hills at
the mouth of the Columbia are well
screened by forest, affording a
splendid mask for batteries. Railroad
and Vicinity Have Equable Conditions, With Plenty of Sunshine
Not as Heavy as Generally Believed.
the character of the seasons. The day. In the last 20 years there has
normal annual temperature at Port- been snow enough to be measured at
land is 62.4 degrees, which is about that hour on about five days each
the same as that at Indianapolis, winter.
Ind.. and compares closely with that Portland has sufficient breeze to
at Nantes. France. carry away the city smoke, but is
This does not mean, however, that protected from high winds by the sur
the temperature throughout the year rounding hills. The average wind
is like that at Indianapolis; in Jan- movement is 6 miles an hour; at other
uary the normal temperature at Port- well-known places the average move
land is 39 degrees, which is 11 de- ment is as follows: Seattle, 7; Omaha,
grees higher than the January normal 9: Minneapolis, 11; Chicago, 16; New
for Indianapolis, while in July the Orleans. 8.
normal temperature at Portland is 66 The most unpleasant wind In Port
degrees, which is 10 degrees lower land is from the east or northeast,
than the July normal for Indianapolis. This wind Is dry. and is cold In win
The January temperature at Portland ter and warm in summer, but its dura
is about the same as that at Memohls. tlon and force are commonly over-
Tenn.. or Roswell. N. M. while the
July temperature compares close with
that experienced at Duluth, Minn., or
Winnipeg. Man.
In an average summer there are five
days with maximum temperature of wind blew from the east or northeast
90 degrees or higher, and In an aver- less than 4 per cent of the time, with
age winter . there are 31 days with an average velocity of four miles an
minimum temperature of 12 degrees hour.
or lower. Tornadoes are unknown in this sec
Snow can always be seen from Port- tion; severe hailstorms do not occur;
land, on the neighboring mountains, light hail is recorded about once in
Old residents are surprised to learn three months. Thunder Is heard about
that the records show an average an- once in three or four months,
nual snowfall of 15 inches, for the Detailed information relative to any
snow that falls usually melts almost particular phase of the climate at
at once. The weather bureau makes Portland will be furnished upon appli
ita official measurement of the depth cation to the weather bureau office,
of snow on the ground at 5 P. M. each 221 Custom House.
vumnMiimunnmmiimniuriiMifmMHMiMmiimiiiimwummtiuiiwNm
! TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS UP
S -
E - 5
I Movement of 1920 Wheat Crop Concerns Those Engaged in Business. I
I Prospects Are Bright.
THE United States grain corpora
tion's activities this year have
been only as In regards to wheat.
Of the 19,664.000 bushels of the gov
ernment estimate of the wheat crop
for Oregon, there has been delivered
in the warehouses to date approxi
mately 16,000,000 bushels, against a
total last year at this time of 13.
000.000. On account of the car shortage and
thereby lack of transportation facili
ties the larger part of this still re
mains in the Interior country ware
houses. After making due allow
ances for lower grades, country
nHttumuHtrmtuaHitwimtHiiHiimuimwiiinnr
Feint from ihe West.
trackage already laid practically to
coast line, and paralleling the coast
for approximately 14 miles, affords
opportunity for effective operation of
heavy mounted artillery against
enemy fleets."
Arguments presented by the port
commissions of Astoria and Portland,
and which were instrumental In com
pulling the. favorable report of the
board to Secretary Daniels, also set
forth admirable port facilities, as
follows:
Astoria This port has constructed
and in operation well located, modern
public docksk directly connected with
rail transportation and capable of
accommodating at one time four to
five large ocean carriers. In addition
there are several commercial docks
available for deep-draft vessels.
Portland The city has already de
IMMENSE ASSET
-Rain- I
estimated. In the winter of 1918-1919
the wind blew from the east or north-
east about 17 per cent of tne time.
the average velocity being five miles
an hour. In the summer of 1919 the
handling charges and freight, it is
safe to say that on the average it
should at least net the grower $2
per bushel.
On the 16.000,000 bushels delivered
to date it means a total of $32,000,000.
Added to this, the amounts received
on the other crops, including barley
and corn, and the values of these
crops that have been fed to stock; a
conservative estimate of all the grain
raised In the state of Oregon this
year would be $50,000,000.
When we consider the limited
amount of land under cultivation as
compared with the total area of the
With No Outside Aid
MMHiraiuiiuiMiimuiiiM iimm ;
veloped by. private interests, a river
frontage about 41,i miles in length,,
which is now being used by vessels
ra.nirlncr from tl-iA ttmnll rlvr h ra t
and coasters up to the large ocean- '
going steamers, and the municipality :
has expended, nearly $2,600,000 in
providing most modern docks,"
equipped to handle cargoes quickly
and economically.
Portland has two drydocks. The
Port of Portland has a sectional float- "
ing drydock with capacity for lift-J
lng ships weighing 10,000 tons. Its
length is 468 feet, inside width 62
feet, and depth over keel and blocks
25 feet. The Oregon Drydock com
pany operates a one-piece floating ,
dock having a length of 340 feet
width of 60 feet, and depth over keel
blocks of 18 feet, and 3500 tons dead
weight lifting capacity.
state, it demonstrates the possibili
ties In the opening up of central Ore
gon with railroad transportation and
me clearing up ui our logseu-OLi :
lands.
Through the careful selection of-
climatic conditions through the dif-i
ferent sections of the state, the wheat :
produced of recent years has shown
a slow, but steady increase.
During the past three yearsthe"
grain corporation's guaranteed price
has for the most part, been a sta
bilizer or regulator of prices. With '
I PORTLAND OFFICIAL Bl'ILD.
I i PERMITS. BY YEARS.
S Year. Permits. Valuation.
1905 2.318 $ 4.1S3.3KS
S 1906 3.166 6,902.032
1907 3.S90 9.446.982
. 1908 4.849 10.405. 15-1
3 1909 4.739 13.4S1.38H
1910 6.523 20.886,202
1911 7.6S7 19.152.370
1912 8.224 14.652.071
1 1913 6.710 12.956.915
S 1914 5.959 8.334.075
i 1916 4.623 4.S95.345
S 1916 4.467 6,301.360
1917 3.261 3.752.125
'1918 5,707 6,172.154
I 1919 9,239 9,977,501
3
"December total estimated.
the exit of the government's regula
tions this coming May, the price for
the 1920 crop will of necessity have
to be based on world-wide conditions
and transportation facilities, and con-,
ditions will be no small factor in
determining the average price to be
obtained.
Unless the United States and Canada
should raise an abnormal crop, the
indications are that we are going to
see at least a fair price, ranging from
$1.50 to perhaps $2 per bushel for
wheat, regardless of what can be
done by all the wheat producing sec-,
tions, with the elimination of Russia
as a source of supply, there un
doubtedly will be a good, healthy- de
mand for the surplus from the grain
producing sections, for at the best it
will be sometime, even under the most
favorable political conditions, before
Russia can again enter as a compet
itor in the world's markets.
Hence, about the only obstacle that
stands in the way of a good, fair
price is transportation facilities and
the ability of the importers and the
consuming countries to find the
wherewithal to make payments.
No doubt these problems will have
been worked out during the sprins
and summer.