Willamette farmer., October 28, 1881, Image 1

VOL. XIII.
What Mr. Villard Bays.
On Saturday last Mr. Villard met tlio lead
ing merchants of Portland, members of the
Board of Trade and others, and in answer to
inquiries made gave the following plain and
comprehensive statement of his works and his
intentions, touching upon matters of chief in-
I terest relating to our commercial interests,
and putting some very plain truths beforo his
m hearers. Every word tf this is of such im-
portance to producers, who support com
merce, intkt we uauuub in justice tui wn ai,
and so place it verbatim before our readers.
The remarks of Capt. Gorringe especially ap
ply with great force to the subject of wheat
transportation, and will be read with much
interest.
Gentlewen of the Board of Trade: I need
not say that it is very gratifying to me te
meet the business men of Portland here to
day. The Board of Trade was kind enough,
on a former occasion, to express to mo in
more formal manner, tho kind sentiments
that obtain in this community toward me and
toward the enterprises that I represent. Let
me assure you that I fully reciprocato your
good feeling. I always had a strong attach
ment to your city. From tho time of my first
visit to this day I havo always taken great
pleasure in coming hero. I regret that I have
never had sufficiont time as yet to become ac
quainted with you all and to enjoy more tho
beauties of your city.
With your permission I will refer briefly to
the history of what myself and the parties
who have been associated with me for many
years furthering transportation enterprises
among you have so far accomplished. Many
f you may remember the time of my first
visit to Portland. It is a tittle over seven
years ago. I could then make only a very
brief stay. But what I saw then of tho re
'"sources of this State first originated in me the
eas as to its gradual material development,
and these ideas I have had now an opportu
nity to see as accomplished facts. You re
member that at that time great discredit had
been thrown upon the only transportation en
terprise in the form of a railroad in existence
jitCn this State, that is, the Oregon & California
".' Railroad Company, and, through that enter-
prise, upon the State.at large by the financial
ollapse of that company. That collapse was
a creat misfortune for your State, I found all
but insurmountable prejudices created against
verything identified with Oregon in conse
quence of this original failure of the Oregon k
California Railroad Company. Still I would
not permit myself to be absolutely discour
aged. I continued my efforts as opportunity
' offered in Germany, and subsequently in the
I Eastern States. I first succeeded in furnish-
ing you with iron steamers in place of the
m superannuated hulks that formed at that
time the only means of communication be
Htween you and tho outside world. Then I
5 eKiimrl tlm tv!inn fnr nvtpnrlinff nnn rtf tlin
two railroads that 1 found in existence at that
$timo in the State, and finally I formed the
combination of tho old Oregon Steam Naviga
tion Company and tho Oregon Steamship
Company. This combination furnished the
ltal basis for all we have been able to do for
'7 tho State in starting new enterprises and
ustnng tnem as rapiuiy as any enterprises 01
'a similar kind have ever been pushed toward
completion. It was the success of the Oregon
Railway & Navigation Company to which
myself and my associates have been indebted
for the frnition of every other effert we have
since been making. But for the high credit
that the large earnings of that company gave
bs in the east, we should never hare been able
to carry out the rest of my programme, which
as I remarked, I conceived many years ago,
and have now been enabled to.carry to its full
consummation.
t I do not know, really, whether you men of
' Portland understand what has already been
done and what is sure to be done for you in
the next few years. I was talking the other
day with a merchant here and incidentally
asked him whether he had any ikea how
much railroad mileage was to-day tributary to
the city of Portland. He said he had never
given the subject much reflection. And he
was utterly surprised when I told him that
owing to this combination of transportation
lines that I have been able to effect, there is
to-day nearly 1,000 miles of standard-gauge
,. road, and nearly 150 miles of narrow-gauge
road tributary to this city. This is but the
beginning of what there will be in a short
time. Within three year from to-day you
will find yonrselve here in Portland the fo
cus, the center, the very heart, so to tpeak,
' of a local system cf transportation lines, ag
gregating fully 2,000 miles of standard-gauge
road, Applause.) And not only that, but
Portland will be the Pacific terminus of a
system of railroad reaching from Chicago I
ay Chicago and Lake Superior through
MinneioU, Dakota, Montana, Waabingtou
strtaTWKSIt3K2J33E
Territory ami Oregon to the confines of your
city, Applause. A system representing n
total mileage of over 0,000 miles. Applause.
1 say this to you with tho utmost positive
ncss, because I know we havo the capital to
create these two systems, local and transcon
tinental, and it is only a question of time and
wise expenditure of money. Now, the ques
tion has naturally suggested itself to me, dur
ing my present stay, is this city of Portland
prepared for what is before it ? Is it prepared
for this enormous material development
which is suro to follow the creation of these
systems of railway,Iocal and transcontinental?
And I say to you, with tho utmost fraukness,
that I do not think that the city is as fully
prepared as it ought to be. In tho first place,
I find among you a certain petty spirit in
in looking at the effect which the construction
of this or that line may havo upon particular
branches of business here upon the methods
of doing business upon this Pacific Coast. I
find a narrow-minded apprehension among
sonic of you that it would bo better, at least
in certain directions, to continue tho prestnt
isolation of Portland. Now, I take tho high
and broad ground, that any transportation
line, whether directly connecting Portland
with any other portion of tho country, or
doing it merely indirectly, which will result
in the development of the material resources
of this State and the adjoining territory,
cannotjbe anything but a great boon to you
all. Some of you have told me that it would
be better for Portland not to have a direct
railroad connection with Puget Sound. Others
have told me that it would hurt Portland to
have a direct communication with San Fran
cisco. Now, I say this is a very narrow view
to take. You have here the accumulated
experience, knowledge of the country, and
capital gained during the thirty years of your
existence as a town. You havo an enormous
advantage over every other locality, on Puget
Sound or anywhere else. And it seems to me
that it would bo tho easiest thing
in the world to maintain your commercial
supremacy hereafter as you have main
tained it hitherto, notwithstanding tho
construction of any lino that may open access
to other towns within the State or the ad
joining territory. I havo been making some
addresses at different Puget Sound towns.
Perhaps yon have read somo of them. I took
the ground in them that it was our duty as
transportation companies in tho first place to
seek all tho paying business we could find ;
and, in tho second place each locality as far
as practicable on the samo footing as regards
trausportatien rates and facilities. As far as
my ooservation has gone I caunot seo any rea
son why any Portland merchant would ob
ject to wheat being shipped from any port on
Puget Sound instead of being shipped down
the Columbia. If it is true, as it is claimed,
that whe.it can be shipped cheaper from Pu
get Sound than down the Columbia it is so
much more money in the pocket of tho mer
chant who ships it. Now, as I told the people
of the Puget Sound towns they ore not pro
pared to engage in tho wheat shipping
business. They have no warehouse! ; neither
have they storage facilities of any description;
nor have they capital to move the wheat. You
have all these advantages and you cau create
them in the Puget Sound towns. I do not
see why large shipping houses hero should not
engage in tho wheat Bhippinr business by way
Puget Sound. That would be the proper way
of averting what I considor an imaginary
danger to Portland but what somo of you
consider a real one.
Take possession of 'Puget Sound towns, or
such of them as arc best adapted to shipping
grain or other products of the country. Do
your shipping at Puget Sound when it is dilli
cult to gee tonnHge down the river, as at pres
ent. There has been no discrimination hereto
fore in favor of Portland as against Puget
Sound, and I can assure you that none need
be expected in the future. Wo must carry
the products of the country out of the country.
It is our interest as transportation companies
to do so, and it is the greatest benefit that we
can possibly confer upon this whole region,
that we should facilitate in every possible
way tho shipment of its products. If wheat
cannot be taken down the Columbia, let it go
to Puget Sound, thus keeping money in circu
lation, and let those who (are entitled to the
proceeds of their labor receive theinas quickly
as possible. This is the ground I take. Ap
plause. I am satisfied that it is within your
power as shipping merchants to take posses
sion of the grain trade at Puget Sound. And
I feel sure that after we complete our railroad
connections w ith the Sound, as we propose to
during the next year by putting in the link
between Portland and Kalama, and you see
that grain can be carried from the Willamette
valley and from the whole region east of the
Mountains to I'i'get Sound without breaking
bulk, you will avail yourself of the new
facilities thus afforded. I do not see the dif
ference between loading ships at Poitltnd and
at Puget Sound as far as the particular ad
vantages to the shipping houses are concerned.
They can have warehouses there; they can
collect their warfage there as we 1 as here.
Our great object mutt be, at I stated, to open
as many channels of transportation as we cau
create, and to let commerce flow through
ttieui as freely ai possible.
You may be interested to know whst our'
programme of operations is for the immediate
future. Applause. I mean with reference
to the construction of railroad lines, and cre
ating terminal facilities here amongst you,
and in rc'atraa to the other enterprises of
which I spoke in my inUrviewwith your com
mittee the other day. As alrradv meoth uej,
we shall pat in the connecting link between
:-f.'if .-,'. r-
PORTLAND, OREGON,
here and Puget Sound by having the lin
from Portland to Kalama constructed, if pos
sible, within tho "next twelie months.
Surveys, as far as made, show that
tho lino on the south bank of tho river is
far preferable to that on tho north bank, and
tho former line will, therefore be adopted. It
is not settled whether it will enter the city
directly or bo carried across tho river to East
Portland, and then to a connection with the
system of the Oregon Railway k Navigation
Company, tho necessary survoys not having
yet been fully completed. But you may take
it for granted that you will have within
twelve months from to-day an unbroken rail
road line from Portland to Tacoma and to
Seattle. We expect to put in an extension of
tho Washington Territory branch from somo
point south of Tacoma to Seatile. The Col
umbia river will not bo bridged at present at
Kalama, but transfer boats will be used
there; and if we do not bridge tho Willam
river hero immediately, tho wholo business
can be transacted without breaking bulk by
means ot transfer boat! carrying eutiro pas
senger ami freight trains.
Tho proposed Oregon Railway & Naviga
tion Company's system of roads in Eastern Ore
gon aud Washington Torritory wo cxpectalso
to complete next year. Your newspapers
havo kept you well postod as to tho extent
and character of that system. Suffice it to
say, therefore, that it will reach altogether a
mileage of over 700 miles, of which about 230
in lies aro to-day in operation, and of which
1.00 miles moro will be in operation within
three or four mouths the -last including the
lino from The Dalles to your city, and the re
mainder will be taken iu hand and carried
through to completion next ryear. All the
necessary purchases of rails, locomotives and
rolling-stock generally, have been made. I
will state in this connection that wo expect to
load next year between fifty and sixty ships
in New York and Philadelphia with railroad
material for the Oregon Railway k Navigation
Company aud the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company. These slims may come here but
they may also go to Tacoma. The Northern
Pacific Railroad Company shipped a cargo on
the ship Dakota to Tacoma at tho rate of 8- CO
less per ton than tho rate the Oregon Railway
k Navigation Company had to pay in sending
railroad material to Portland. Whenitcomes
to shipping 0,000, 00,000, 70,000 or 8Q.000
tons, of course snch a difference is a very
essential item. And you would consider us
very poor business managers if we did not
avail ourselves of the difference by sending
our ships to Tacoma in preference te sending
them here.
The Northern Pacific lines will bo pushed
forward with the utmost energy during the
coming year. The gap between the two ends,
that is, between the Yellowstone valley and
the Clark's fork of tho Columbia river, is to
day reduced to less than 800 miles. We are
very confident of being able to build 300 miles
from this sido eastward, and about the same
milcago from the other side westward during
the coming year, so that there will be a gap of
not much over 170 miles left. Applause.
Whether we Bhall be able to still further re
duce thii gap in the next year will depend up
on the result of investigations now making in
to the practicability of working at the two
very large aud difficult tunnels, one through
tho main Rocky mountain range, and ono
through the so called Belt range, that wo
shall have to overcome. If we can work at
these tunnels from different points next year,
we may do still better. But, at any rate, you
can absolutely rely upon the entire completion
of tho main line of the Northern Pacific in the
courso of18S3. lApplausc As I havo al
ready stated, in a inoro general way, the
means to carry on all our enterprises are in
hand. Tlis is especially true of the Northern
Pacific. This company has guaranteed to it
all tho capital it needs; that is, all tho capital
required to build it as a main line to Aius
worth, tho point of junction with tho system
of the Oregon Railway and Navigation Com
pany. Beforo dismissing this part of the subject, it
might interest you to hear that tho Orei-on
and California railroad will be extended event
ually south to connect with the California
and Oregon road. Everything is yet, however,
in an unsettled coudit ion. We have located a
line from Roseburg south to Canyonville, and
contracts for the heavier part f the work will
soon be given out. Surveys show that wo will
have much difficulty in getting over the Cow
creek hills, south of Canyonville, but the road
will be built as .soon as money aud men can
accomplish it. The engineer in charge of the
line southward has gone to meet the engineer
in charge of the line northward from Califor
nia. They will have a conference aud decide
on a permanent route.
I suppose that I am right in assuming that
you are all familiar with the contcit that as
waged last Winter between the interests rep
resented by me and those represented by the
then management of the Northern Pacific lor
the control of that company. I think I am
fully justified in saying that the loug, weary
and daiigeroux battle that I then fought I have
fought for your benefit as' much as that ol the
companies 1 represent. Applause. Thero
was a determined eflort resolved upon by the
former management of the Northern Pacific to
disregard the Columbia river, to disregard the
great commerce of this city, ind to make di
rect for Puget Sound, in pursuit of the old
unsuccessful policy of building up a city
there, rival to Portland. I have never for a
moment believed that such a pirn woul I be
practicable. I do not believe tnat any effort
to kill Portland, to to speak, and build up a
rival city on Puget Souud cau ever succeed.
Applause. I mean that I'orhud will alwavs
.remain the commercial emporium of the
uuurhi. mere may, nuwysver, otuer IOWU
spring up and grow to considerable impor
tance. But )ou have such a gr at nart, tak
ing into account ynur geographical posit ou
and secured advantages that, a 1 stated, you
are bcund to be the centre, the focus, of an
immense railroad system What has already
ben accomplished tan never be undone by
any human power. Applause. It is the old
i J
'( a
;,t -,v. .v.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER
fto'y'of building up some place along the: At
lantic coast to compete with Now York City ;
or some port on the New England coast as n
rival to the city of Boston. And, where there
is such a concentration of intelligence, enter
prise and capital, nnd such an accumulation
of established commercial interests as there
are hcic to-day, there is bound to bo, logical
ly, a concentration of transportation inter
ests, and tho two, strengthening each other's
position, are bound to obtain a foundation
that cannot bo shaken, as I said, by any hu
man power. In saying that tho battle I fought
lost Winter was fought largely for your inter
est, I do not claim of yon any thanks for my
ellbrt. Of course, our main motives were to
our investments iu tho Oregon Railway and
Navigation Company to protect and make
them moro lucrative. At the same time, what
we did last Winter and what we aro doing
now, bring to your doors the great business
that will be created by tho railroad systems
that I describe, and this at an expense of tens
of millions of dollars without tho cost of a sin
gle penny to you. Iu this respect you aro
moro favored than almost any other American
cities, all of which had to make great pe
cuniary sacrifices to secure such transporta
tion business as you will secure without any
sacrifices.
All this that has been done for you, nnd is
being done for you, entitles mo, at least, to
call your attention to certain things that you
ought to do m our interest aa well as in your
own. Aud here I como to ono of tho points
that Mayor Thompson was good enough to
suggest to me; namely, tho question of the
river improvements. I am not very thorough
ly posted on tho requirements in that respect.
1 do not preteud to havo a decided judgment
as to what should be done, but I shall bo glad
for whatever ellbrt may be made. I am assur
ed from .nil quarters that the work which
ought to bo done can be accomplished at com
paratively small expense. I say, therefore, let
it be done. And I can assure yon of the readi
ness of myself personally and f all tho com
panies that I represent to do all in our power
to help any effort that may be instituted by
you as a-hpird of trade, or as business men of
iortr&iaClici'alh- Wo shall utTord you every
kind of'asaistance, and I shall go so far as to
say that wo shall help you with money, if
necessary, x wuuiu suggest, ii yuu win per
mit me, that your boaru appoint a committee
from nmong tne mcmbcrB most laminar witn
the subject to co-operate with tho officials ot
our companies in devising some practical plan
that can be cairied into early execution. I
have asked our friend, Captain Gorringe, to
attend this couferenco for tho purpose of giv
ing you the benefit of the investigations he
has mado into the subject. As I see he is pres
ent, he will, perhaps, favor us with his views.
There aro two additional points upon which
I promised to give you some information. In
tho first place, in regard to the terminal facil
ities we propose to create in tho city ; and, in
the second place, concerning the other indus
trial enterprises we havo under contemplation.
We have a very different problem to deal
with, that is, of uniting, if practicablo, tho
lines of three different companies, coming from
three different directions, at one terminus.
Wo have not como to any absolutely defiuito
conclusions as yet, but I feel quito sure that
wo shall continuo to improve tho property in
South Portland and eventually make it our
terminal passenger and height station.
Whether we make it there or anywhere else
(please bear in mind that I do not w ish to con
ey the idea that there is any intention of
placing it anywhero else,) there aro certain
questions to bo considered, as, for instance,
the location of the bridge over which all these
companies will havo to run their trains. That
miufitfcct our plans. But no matter where
tf' termiual passenger and freight station
may be erected, wo propose to make it an or
nament to j our city and an ornament to tho
wholo country, regardless of cost. Applause.
We propose to build not only for present use,
but lor tho use of coming generations. Ap
plause. We shall erect ornamental structures
on a permanent plan ; that is, structures that
arc not likely to bo superseded for many years
to come, and structures iu harmony with the
most approved artistic taste. It will take con
siderable time to carry out our plans iu this
respect. It may take years; but you will see
thj work going on under your own eyes, ami,
therefore, you will know that it is to be done.
Now, as regards the other enterprises that
we have under contemplation, I mentioned to
the committee of tho board of trade who
waited upon mo on our arrival, that we
thought ot erecting a dry dock here and of es
tablishing largo iron works. I am happy to
say that the erectiou of a dry dock is decided
upon. Applause. I have looked into the
in X-fr, ami I think in our own interest as
ow-iicM of so many steamships on this coast, it
will be an advantageous investment. Wu do
not expect at first to get much business from
the eeueral sailing trade, but it will como in
due course of time. We think by having a
dry dock here we can save to ourselves the
exorbitant cuaigvs no are uuugeu to pay in
San Prancisco. ilio lion works 1 leel suro
will be established. Applause. The details
of the project are not yot fully matured. But
it stand to reason that with the enormous
transportation interests that we are develop
ing here, we need our own facilities in this
couutry for rolling rails, for manufacturing
every kind of iron that we may require as
railroad, steamship and steamboat companies.
Wo must have facilities in addition to build
can, and also locomotives in duo courso of
time, lu outer words, witu a viow to ccou
ninv. we must render ourselves aa indetxed
ent as uosiible of Eastern manufacture. And
ue mean to do so as early as practicable. Of
count, the establishment of iron works, such
as wo contemplate, will be a great benefit to
your city. It will bring a large additional la
boring population here I hope of the yery
best kind applause. Aud I hope the estab
liihment of these industrial enterprises will
be but the beginning of the establulnnest of
others,
KtMiKKH Or CAPTAIN II. II, OOKBIXUIE.
There are six bais in the river between here
28, 1881.
Astoria, which need to bo deepened. It is oasy
to compute how many cubic yards of earth
must bo removed to givo the same depth over
tho river bars that there is over tho sea bar at
tho mouth of tho Columbia. The cost of re
moving the requisite amount to scctiro n chan
nel 100 feet wide aud 2." feet in depth is also
easily arrived at. I estimate tho amount to bo
removed annually at less than 100,000 cubic
yards; nnd to do this work effectively, I think
an immediate expenditure ot b-UU,UUU lor
dredgers and an annual expenditure of $50,000
is a liberal estimate. It is only for four
months of the year that it would bo necessary
to maintain tho requisite depth in tho river
chauuels by artificial means. Iu order to do
this, I think that two dredgers would bo
needed; and I havo estimated for two of ordi
nary capacity, or ono powerful sea dredger,
capablo of being used on tho sea bar in ordi
nary woither. I do not bclievo in contracting
river channels in order to deepen them by tho
scouring of tho current. This system has been
tried repeatedly, ami has always failed in tho
end to attain the results aimed at. Every
river brings down a certain amount of silt aud
deposits it somewhere If you prevent tho
deposit by artificial means where natural con
ditions iuvito it, tho silt will accumulate else
where, generally where it is not so easily dis
posed of, and thus mako matters worse. Tho
inevitable resuls is tho demand for more con
traction of tho natural water way at an ulti-
mato cost out of nil proportion to tho results,
and generally with disastrous consequences.
Many European rivers havo been so contract
ed, and we read of destructive floods recurring
at frequent intervals. These floods never oc
cur in rivers that have not had the natural
water ways artificially contracted. Notable
instances of tho failure of this system are the
mouths of tho Rhono nnd the Mississippi.
After spending many millions in constructing
jetties to confine tho current to a narrow
channel and cause it to scour out tne bar at
tho mouth of the Rhone, the French govern
ment abandoned the svstom nnd cut a ship
canal from the gulf of Foz to the river above
the mouth. As near as I can remember the
mouth nf tho' river was artificiallv nrolonced
seaward nearly three miles, but the bar kept
lormillg just uutmuu Ul tue jetbius, uuu n-iuiiii
a few months after each prolongation there
was another bar as bad as tlio last.
A similar process is going on at the mouth
of tho Mississippi, where tho Eads' jetties
have beep bunt. II these are not prolonged,
or tlio channel dredged, tho dentil of water
will very soon be just what it was beforo the
jetties were constructed, mo Mediterranean
entrance of tho Suez canal is an illustration of
what can bo done with soa dredgers. Tho silt
brought down by tho Nilo and swopt eastward
by the coast cuirent i-J arrested by tho break
water at Pert Said and deposited in tho en
tranco to the canal, which would be closed to
large vessels iu six months but for continuous
dredging operations. Tho capacity of theso
dredgers is three hundred tons n day, and I
have seen them working whilo tho sea was
very rough, and frequently breakiug all
around them. Ono of these dredgers on tho
Columbia bar would maintain a channel thitty
feet in depth, and if Frenchmen can mako
them and use them I am sure Americans can.
There aro many other dredgers designed ex
pressly for work in the open ten, nndcnpab'u
of making a voyago around the world. Thu
question is not cau a suitable dredger be had
to work on tho Columbia bar iu moderate
weither, but is it better to deepen tho bar by
dredging or by contracting tho channel? Con
tracting a channel to deepen a bar assumes
that tho difficulty to be overcome will adapt
itself to your convenience. Providing, ade
quate dredger power for any emergency means
that you propose to pursue tho difficulty to
wherever it develops.
Another ciucstiou for you to consider is
which is tho cheapest, to pay freight on your
products to Puget Sound for shipment, or
maintain dredging operations in the Columbia
river, so that the 'shipment may bo made at
Portland? It does not require much investi
gation to convince any ono that you can but
ter afford to build aud maintain twenty dredg
ers, than to lose the advantages of ilimt ship
mi'iitx. Shipping points, where merchandise is
transferred from land to sea and the reverse,
are. selected for the convenience of tho pro-
ducer, not tho carrier. Four fifths of tho
most important shipping points of tho world
are notoriously inconvenient and dangerous
of access for ships, lhuy have been artillcialiy
created and improved at enormous cost by
the merchants, and others who profit by tho
exchange, not from philanthropic motives or
iu a sentimental spirit, but for their own con
venience or advantage. Tho majority of har
bor improvement in the world have been ef
fected by private enterprise, ami many
that have been carried on by governments,
have been unnecessary for commerce. My
advice to you is i don't wait for the govern
ment to deepen the river channels. You
havo had some experience in what that mcam.
You hvae been waiting all this summer and
tho bars have never been ai bad as they aro
now. Tho government is not as much inter
cuted in tho subject as you are, and it would
bo unreasonable to 'expect it to be.
Capt. Gorringe then, at Mr. Villarda re
quest, (Made the following statement :
Mr Villard called my attention several
months ago to thu largo surplus of grain that
was acnmulating on tho Pacific! oja t, owing
to the inadequate facilities for moving It to
European markets, and suggested to mo to
devise some method of getting it to Europe
at a cost within the ditlereuce of price be
tween Purtland and Liverpool. This illllcr-
ence may be safely estimated at $ Per ton,
out of which must come the profit ol dealers,
insurance and all other clurges besides
freight. Grain has hitherto been shipped to
Ejnpe by sailing vessels that average U0
iUv cm til. vovaL'o. and bv way of Sau Fran
cisco. After estimating I ho cost of running
two lines of steamers, oua on the Atlantic
and one on the Pacific, aud tho cost of trans
.hlnmeut at the isthmus, we offered the Pun
ami railway f)2 CO per too for the use of their
NO. 37.
road and motive power for the transporting of
tho wheat overtho isthmus. All transporting
expenses from ship to cars nnd from cars to
ship to bo borne bv us. No arrangement
could bo effected with them on any basis. I
then estimated tho cost of moving the grain
by steamer via Magellan strait. uuU I bclievo
it cau bo done at a profit if very largj steam
ers aro constructed expressly for tho trade.
The ratio of operating expenses of steamers ia
in nivcrsu prunortum. to uieir carrying capao
ity. That is it costs less to carry 5000 tons
in ono steamer than in two. No marine arch
itect can construct an ocean steamer for such
a voyago to carry (5000 tons of wheat and 1200
tons ui coai ami uraw ouiy uiicen lect, whicu
is tho depth of tho channel at present over
two of the river bars. And the first thine to
posure of is that tho channels will be deepen
ed to twenty feet.
At this dratt or less the steamers T have dn.
signod can carry enough to movo tho wheat
with profit at lower rates than you aro now
p&yi.ig sailing ships. I promise to run ten
steamers, making twcnty.fivo voyages, and
movo 123,000 tons of wheat in a year. Tho
outward freights will amount to very little
aud emigrants must bo relied upon to pay the
expenses of tho outward voyago. Tho rail
way nnd land companies in Oregon would com
bine with the steamship companies to estab
lish emigrant agenciosin Europe, disseminate
information and secure tho requisite number;
and, as an inducement to families, tho steam
shin comnauv would hriiiL'All hmtmlinlil imnit.
and cHeots frco of charge. Tuo rate for each
adult would be fixed nt $S0, which is about
halt what it costs an emigrant to get to Ore
gon from Europe over existing mutes.
in answer to a iiucstion couecrnim; fuel for
the steamers, proposed by ono of tho gentlo
men present, Capt Gorringe said ho had do.
signed a steamer to carry oOOO tons of wneat
and 1500 tons of coal. She would load at
Liverpool, deposit half in the staits of Magel
lan and have tho bunkers full when she ar
rives in Portland. On her return voyage sho
would take coal in Mngcllcu straits aud, if
iwoeeeary, touoh nt Bt. Vlncohfa, where coal
is nearly as chuep as in Liverpool.
In answer to another inquiry as to tho rate
of freight ho ruled on getting, Capt. Gorringe
said sixty shillings per ton, although tho
average rato up to date from Portland to Eu
rope lias been about seventy-three shillings,
by sailing ships,
In answer to tho question, What would bo
dono with tho wheat? Capt Oorringo said
that was the business of tho shipper, llo
was only looking to moveing it. Ho was as
sured of full cargoes bv tho fact that tlio
surplus shippod and awaiting shipment this
year exceeds 1)00,000 tons, and that tlio con,
tiuental demand is incrrusinir. An aircnt of
tho Credit Foncicr had assured him that ovcry
pound of wheat Lrouoht to Finnoo would
command ready salo at market rates.
MIt. VII.I.-UtD AIrilOVES(.'Al'T. COUICI.NIIk'm l'HO-
JKCT.
At the close of Capt. Gorriugo's remarks
Mr. Villard said ; Respecting tlio proposed
lino of steamships, I havo declared to the
parties with whom negotiations are pending
the readiness of our companies to guarantee
! percent, interest on tho capital to be invest
e 1, Of courre, wo can well afford to do this.
I wo can secure an expeditious shipment of
wheat hence to Liirnpcan ports, it will greatly
facilitate our handling tho mass of wheat
that rushes upon us at such short notice, and
so voluminously that wo cannot possibly
handle it now. Of courso tho cuibarassmoiits
will be greater hereafter.
i:lUM'.l AT KIM.
The Ili'lllsli Slilp .larnllmc Inlou Humeri
AH lliimln Hmed.
Tho bark Emma T, Ciowcll arrived at As
toria on Monday, having on boaid Capt. John
Etliott and the officers and crow of the British
ship Maratime Union, 1,500 ton, which was
burned at sea. The following particular in
regard to the disaster were furnished tho As
torlan by tho captain:
Wo nailed from Hull on the Kith of last
May with a cargo of gas coal for San Fran
cisco. My ship wa4 a wooden one, aud wo
had a full hold. Had fair weather till wu got
around the capo. In latitude 20'' north, 1 be
gan to notice a smell of gas snd discovered
smoko coming up through thu ventilators. It
was very hot and tho runikc and smell in
creased until it was almost unbearable. In
20 CO' north wo sighted tho American bark
Kinma Crowd! and hoisted our ensign, union
down. She hove to, ami put off a boat with
Captain Perry aboard. By this time the
smoke, sulphur and flamo was bursting up
through the deck aud after a brief consulta
tion with tho officer and crew wo deemed it
host to leave the vessel, ns the fire was gain
ing headway every moment. Wu put a few
supplies into our b)at and tho wholo crew, 23
in number, including myself, went on bond
the Emma Crowell. Wo hail no moro than
got on board Cantiin Perry' vessel than my
ship burst into flames and burned like a me
teor while we were in siejit.
The ill.fa'cd ves'el wai owned by Nevius
Walsh, of Liverpool. Shu was consigned to
ltd.icr k Meyer, Sau Francisco. Captain
Elliott nnd part of his crew arrived in this
city yesterday. Ho will go overland to Now
York and take shipping for home.
ltnunifity. On Monday night tho clothing
establishment of L. Haines, on Commercial
street, Salem, wu entered by burglsrs, aud
about $300 worth of cloths and clothing taken,
The burglar effected an entrance to the store
through a back window. Tim efficient night
watchmen will have ti keep a elosn look out
for these uiht rover, ay the Sluluman,
and take some of them 'no out of the c-'hl,,"
and nl ice tliein where thrv will be fed and
clothed at the uijmuu of the cooiaty or BtaU
i (or awhile.