en
yfce ga.Utj sta.vtou.
ASTORIA. OREGON:
TKIDAYl FEB. 25. 1881
. C. IKELAXI Kdllor.
A Defence of tire Kailroads.
Tiik Astokian has always been
a. friend of railroad:, and reaching
Chicago, under the most adverse
circumstances, on fnmda' the Oth
-tlie editor became incensed at
the foolish fault-finding of huch
"stupids" as W. F. Storey, and
men of like ilk, who assume to be
Editors, and writes as follows, hav
ing1 just crossed three of the best
railroads in America, the Central
Pacific, Union Pacific, and Chicago
and Northwestern, passing through
all the rigors f winter: ".ludici
ous readers of certain newspapers
and uncertain alleged ditto must
have been greatly annoyed during
the last several weeks of extreme
cold weather, by daily diatribes
against the management of rail
vra3's on account of delays in the
.arrival of trains. These senseless
complaints are conceived in the
pettiest spirit and expressed in the
most frivolous manner. 'Three
Tiours late!' exclaims one so-called
-editor, day after day, referring to
the mails, we have fieard thai ex
pression before somewhere. And
the lightsome genius waxes quite
witty as he cheerfully proceeds to
demonish the whole railway and
postal service of the country.
'Actually,' he remarks, with crush
ing sarcasm, 'actually, a boy who
came into the editorial room not
long since and reported the mails
OTi time was kindly told to go
heme, take something hot, go to
bed, and try to break up a threat
ening fever.''
"Actually" this silly sophomoric
satire is gravely printed in the
large t3pe reserved for the leading
editorials of a once-dignified daily!
And the same feather-brained
writer is actually allowed to urge
-congress to abolish the "fast mail"
and to demand the infliction of
severe penalties upon the railway
wianagers for failures to make
time, in this unusually inclement
season, as if they did not have
trouble and anxiety enough in so
running the trains as 'to avoid the
occurrence of frightful accidents!
The brains of the alleged news
paper from which we have thus
jquoted are to be found somewhere
below its head, if one must judge
by its treatment of the railways
in this emergency. In the local
department we find the fact stated
that "last night was the coldest of
the season." One of its reporters
has sense enough to see that "the
present extreme cold weather is
having its usual effect of cracking
car-wheels," and candor enough to
admit that "fortunately tiese acci
dents have been discovered in time
(o prevent any serious results."
The humble reporter is also fair
miKded enough to suggest that,
"considering the danger from this
source, the traveling pwWfc can
forgive the roads for making such
poor time," and discretion enough
to remind impatient passengers
that "slow and safe travel is infi
nitely better than rapid and dang
erous transit." But the addle-
pated so-called editor, regardless
of these circumstances and as if to
sharpen the contrast between his
subordinate's sober judgment and
his own utter lack of it, in the
same issue repeats the parrot-like
editorial scolding about the un
avoidable delay. "The fast mail
from New York now runs regular
ly three hours late," shrieks the
nominal editor; and then, with
withering irony, be allows that "it
is a great advantage to be able to
tell from day to day just how main
hours behind time a fast mail is
sure to be."
The Rochester Union puts forth
a, very sensible and timely remon
strance against all this unjust and
thoughtless fault-finding. "It is
ver' easy to sit in a cosy corner,"
it savs pointedly, "with the ther
mometer indicating zero outside,
and thus criticise the running of
trains; but it is quite another thing
to run them." The Union probab-
lvhas in mind sundry conceited
contemporaries who assume an
ability to lay down the law upon
all matters of possible human ac
nuireinenr. when it savs:
.. ,,, , ,
Jt probably never occurred to those j
critics that there is a difference be-1
tween the temperature and temper of
the metal that forms rails, and wheels, i
etc., when the mercury indicates 100 1
and when it shows down to 0; that j
the snows and storms of midwinter!
are unknown in midsummer; and that!
wmiem..iuytnegi-ouiiaise!asticaim;we are urGl lhat lhc cliaiiwcls i
tves to tne pressure oi me gnuing ,
tram, thus contributing to its sufoty, of Columbia river bar are
in January it is as solid aud unyiold- gradually working back to a depth
&-f'J'2iai1IStd;"d' ? a-.ai"ed ,ay y,a
strain, and so endangering fife and I ago, and that there is a prospect
property. Railroad speed is very de-; 0f trie i,ilr afTordiii"- vessels of the
sirable, but ftfet shunld always go . . r
before it. The railroad managers largest class and deepest draft to
generally understand their business ! arrive ami depart with perfect
better than even the wisest of news-' fetv. Following is the dispatch:
paper critics, and they should be eu- - - '
couraged rather than discouraged in I n aimx;t., hob. 22. The
making safety the first condition of ; senate to-day received from the
running their trains during this trying j secretary of war in response to
weather. ( Slater's resolution, a copy of the
Very true and just are these j report of Coi. Gillespie upon the
seasonable observations, as every i proposed improvement of the bar
candid and intelligent traveler- the mouth of the Columbia
must acknowledge. Hallway super- r!v,!r' together with the conclu
. 4 , . "i Jsions of a board of engineers
interments, engineers, and coh-iv , A ,, x-
' s , i ; Headed bv Oeneral .Newton, to
doctors are harassed almost to whom this report was referred,
death with the continued strain of j The board reports adversely to
a fearful responsibility, especially j Col. Giilospie's report, which "con
juring protracted periods of ex- j templates an ultimate expenditure
. .. ,, , , - of several millions of dollars for
ceptionally cold and boisterous I fte purD)Sp -lHllicatcc. Thev an;
weather such as we have had al- j Qf the opinion, after examining all
ready in this long and dreary win-, available data from the year 1 70S
ter. " All hands prefer to run on llovrn to the present time that the
i . vi. -fv. channels at the mouth of the Co-
time, when it is reasonably safe to , .. ,. , , , .
, ., , , , . luinbia are working back to their
do so, if only for their own ease ( J10rnml comlilJoiu and that ;my
suid comfort. Detentions add vast- effort to aid this process of nature
ly to their labors and sorroics,
which do not soon pass away.
They are painfully aware of the
constant deadly peril which must
be incurred as the price of a high
rate of speed when frost and snow
and sleet and tempest com
bine to thwart all efforts
to make regular time and un
broken connections. Tlieydo their
best to fidftl the company obliga
tions in carrying passengers and
the mails, without taking those
dreadful hazards which are in
volved in the fastest possible run
ning. The safe arrival of eyes
train lifts a heavy load from their
minds. If accidents occur owing
to any apparent recklessness on
their part the press is swift to con
demn them, unheard and without
mercy. Railway managers should
always be held to the strictest ac
countability for injuries to persons
and property; but this heedless
and idiotic editorial howling for
fast time, in spite of all obstruc
tions and dangers caused by the
unparalleled severity of this weath
er, is exasperating to the iast
degree, and must We suppressed
by some means or other. If the
force of public derision is not
sufficient, the fool-killer must be
called in. . '. i.
About 5000 stars are visible to
the naked eye. There are 1S,000,
000 stars in the Milkey Way. Even
the stars that we call fixed are in
x'onstant motion. Arcturus moves
through space three times as fast
as the earth, but it takes a hundred
3Tears to move the eighth part of
the diameter of the moon. There
is no indications of air or water on
the moon. It has twenty eight
mountains higherhan MountBlanc,
that monarch of mountains in
Europe. The mowns day is twenty
nine and a one-half times as long
as ours. The sun shines contin
ually for fifteen days, making a
temprature like boiling water.
A ladr who has raised a larire
number of hens says that, after
vainly trying the recommended
remedies for lice, she has hit upon
the plan of giving them once or
twice a week a large loaf made of
Graham flour, in which a handful
of sulphur has been mixed. The
hens like it and are freed from
lice and kept healthy through the
season.
33f y that it Kwo ue for them
to advert im chat they have been in the
Hare in uttine all their live-, ami
-verylHMlv Know thein. Swell people
HtiM lo foniefr to take in c iiiderfttiott
that our country i increaing in popu
lation nearly -Hi jHrr cent, ewry ten vears
aud ik iMNtt4r how old the phiee may be.
there are const nt chaise-; taking pface;
Hiie move lo rtlRT mirts.ad -transer.s
fill their place-. In thN age -of the
world. unle the uame of business
linn i kej yntantl y before Ue public,
some new arm may 4art up, and. by
liberal advetti'Mng. in a very slwrt time
take the jdaee of the older one, and the
latter rust oat. as it wre.ami be forgot
J oioiis advertising.
t4vi JYfc via AYhr Li' wAMa lit? m1(
THE COLUMBIA BAR.
soon to BF.roitr.THE lkum.m: c.itk
WAV OF THK WORLU.
A New and Speedy Method of Im-
proving the Bar.
ttaslnrrr'. Krjmri Suiuiiiitrd by
I lie
Secretary of Wjir lo llir Semite.
By x dipateh from AV:uhiiigton I
would be unnece-ssary if not detri
mental.
The channels are gradually work
ing back to their normal condition,
it is true; this fact has been shown
by experienced men who have
taken an active interest in the
matter the past few years. The
report refers to the condition of
the bar in the year 1798, nearly a
century ago. To let the process
of nature accomplish the desired
result would probably takeanother
century. However, we would sug
gest that something might be done
to aid in bringing this project to
completion as speedily as possible.
To accomplish this, would it not
be a.? well to ask congress for a
small appropriation, :ay not ex
ceeding 1,000, to be expended in
the renowned Hamburg tea and
placed in the river on a strong ebb
tide. This would probably force
a passage through and clean out
all obstructions, immediately form
ing a channel that would admit the
largest Tessels to enter with per
fect safety. It is now oTer a cen
tury ago that a liberal distribution
of tea on the troubled waters of
Boston harbor aved the couatry
from an enormous taxation, and
this might save the people of Ore
gon from a heavy tax for improve
ment of the bar, which would
ultimately be the result.
23TA1I subscribers to Thk Astokiax
are very re)cclfull invited to act as
agents for the naper. We know that
th-e lnu-st be many people who would
ta..e the paper "at ?.ight,if asked by
some friend to do so. We need your as
sistance, and will cheerfully pay for it.
We will send the paper one full year to
any six per-ons you may name for the
sum of Hilt 00. Thus you can act as
agent for us and make a profit for Your
self. Cannerymen would gam much by
leaving us their orders for incidental
printing now.to be done leisurely dur
ing the winter months saving time
and money, and avoiding the risks of
a spring rush of work.
.VEW TO-DAY.
Noticed
ALL PARTIES AREHEKEBV NOTIFIED
ne: to credit any patties orderiiii; in the
name of the Meanicr Quickstep, iiiiles :ie-
coHipaniedhy an order from the undersigned
All account due -trauKT (JirickNten mu-.t bo
paid to Oro. W. HuiHfortouie. as no other
juiruVs are jutfotrfrcd lo collect said bill
17-lw j I .lOSEl'II HIMK.
Tast'Call. "
1Q TAX TAYEItS OF SCHOOL Hhirh-t
. No. 1 : Ymi arc hcreltv HoUtted tiitit the
TalHt ill remain in ihj luunN until the Ttli
4 March. All unpaid lxxc hi timt dav will
he returned to tin- County Clerk as delin
quent, mm! Crt Will wcnie.
Ity Miller ot the Hnunl of Director.
W-td .1. O. lirsTI.EK. ClerK.
Annual School Meeting Notice.
AN ANNUAL MKimNc; OF THK h-jd
.Kerx 4 x-U-A l)nrt No. will Ik
hekl at the M-hool tHMi-.m M;un Mr-el. in
A4iru. Clalflj' runiy. ln-tsmi. on MtHidav
vnlna. Marcli 7. li. su 1 u'chx k e. m..
for tin puric f tc;inuiHH IHreitr fr
Hint; cm. and ihic Vrk for ihh- jcar.
A1m lo Wy Atav ii (uitrMn a -cnol fi- Um
cuinf?fr in v;iii df-ancf . aul aK a ta
lo pay iulvn-4 and incidental cvpenvs of
aia UHtrfct. and to lnuiat irh oMmt Ihisj
ns;isnia pnHirly cuum lcforc lin-iiicvl-it.
By rdcr tf the Hoard of Din'etors.
J.CLIIl'.STLKK.CIcrk.
Axona. Fch. 33, 1M. i-td
School Taxes.
A LT. TANKS DtF JCHOOL DI.sntlCT
- No. In Ctafc-vp tiiittMty, 4tne new district)
must be M before Feltnwrr isth. to avoid
oxponfe. A. G. SI'EXAirTH,
C-td Crk IMytrict No. If.
MISCELLANEOUS
G.VSl. HUME
Wholesale and Retail Dealer
IX
GROCERIES,
PROVISIONS, LUMBER.
ETC.. ETC., ETC.,
TIN PLATE
BLOCK TIN, PIG LEAD,
SEAMING COPPERS,
SOLDERING COPPERS,
SALMON TWINE,
COTTON TWINE,
NET LINES,
MANILLA ROPE,
SAIL CLOTH,
ANCHORS,
OARS, FLOAT?,
MAUI.S, HANDLES,
MURIATIC ACID,
LACQUER, VAKN1SH,
TURPENTINE, BENZINE,
COAL OIL,
GUM BOOTS, RICE, ETC., ETC.,
IN QUANTITIES TO SUIT.
ASTORIA, - - OREGON.
MRS. DERBY
is
SELLING HER ENTIRE STOCK
OH
MILLINERY GOODS
AT COST.
Dr. Warner's Health
CORSET
iCuii only Ik? jHircliased in
.Worm at
.11 RS. DKRBY'S.
MaHii-Hall Hnildinj;. cor
ner of Main and Sqiiemcxihi
streets-.
Barbour's
IRISH FLAX THREADS
Salmon Net Twine.
Cotton Seine Twine,
Cork and Lead Lines,
Cotton Netting, all sizes.
Seines Made to Order,
Flax and Cotton Twine,
Fishing Tackle, etc.
barbourTrothers,
11 Market Street. San Fraartaco
HENRY DOYLE & Co.. Manager.
Chas. Stevens & Son
CITY BOOK STORE.
BROWN'S BUILDING
opposite the
BELL TOWER,
In room lately occupied by
Schiueers Confectionery.
Largest anil Best Assortment
Of novelties in the stationary line UMtallj
found in a first-class book store. consUtinp of
BOOKS. FINE STATIONERY.
GOI.l) PEN ROODS, ALUU.MS.
CHROMOS. FRAMES.
STEREOSCOPES. DIARIES.
All of nliich will be sold at prices which
DEFY COMPETITION.
P. S. The latest Eastern and California
periodicals constantly on hand.
CHAS.STEVENS & SON.
WILLIAM EDGAR,
Corner Main and Cbenamu; Streets,
ASTORIA OREGON.
UKALKC in
CIGARS AND TOBACCO,
AND THE GENUINE W0STENH0LM
and other English Cutlery.
FAIRCHILD'S GOLD PENS
Genuine Heershaum Pipes, etc.
A fine stork of
Watches and Jewelry. 3Iu7.zie and
Hreech Loading Shot dlims and
Utiles. Revolver. I'Utols.
and Aiiiiunuition.
.11 A It I XK
;iassks.
AL-O A K1K
AsMirtment of Hue si'ECT ( I.KS hihI KYK
civsses.
SHIPPING TAGS
ST QUALITY. IV I LI
,rpiiE BEST DUALITY. WILL BE SOLD
!X by tne nHnurcd. or by t
plain, to suit customer?, at
Thij
the hwnured. or by the box, printed or
Astor'ax ofice.
r4T?;
fa
m
THE DAILT AND WEEKLY
ASTOaiAl
' . I-:
I I . Jin j I
"D ESPECTKD AND COMMENDED BY ALL FOR ITS
Impartiality, Ability, Fairness and Reliability.
THE PAPER FOR THE COMMERCIAL MAN,
FOR THE FARMER, FOR THE MECHANIC,
FOR THE MERCHANT, FOR EVERY PERSON.
TEK.1IS: BY JIAIL.
(I'OSTACK KltKB TO AM. Sl.'HCl:li:V.l:s..i
DAILY. ONE COPY ONE YEAR .eg 00
DAILY. ONE COPY FOUR MONTHS ' "3 00
"WEEKLY, ONE COPY ONE YEAR IN ADVANCE 2 00
WEEKLY, ONE COPY FOUR MONTHS 1 00
eir Postmasters are authorized to act a-s asients for The Am-okiax
THE ASTORIAN
STEAM PRINTING HOUSE
HAS THE
FASTEST AATJ) JiXST PRESSES,
AND TYPE OF THE DATES! STYLES.
a'tr We purchase Paper. Cards Ink. and other materials of the manufacturers
' AT LOWEST E.1VIXC; RATES.
...! .... 1. ...... r.. ..rir...l ... .. . .. 1 ....... ...
Aim .in iiirn-nnr uuuiii iw irtc, vtf ;u;i) no. uie ucM articles, wiilli' cnap'iu,r
Cards, Envelopes, Circulars, Bill Heads and Letter Heads.
THE EVERY DAY WANTS OF THE COUNTING ROOM AND THE
WORK SHOP ARE SUPPLIED AT PRICES WHICH CAN-
NOT BUT GIVE SATISFACTION TO ALL.
E. R. HAWES,
IES!ifei
ilKrSltotSsSSKNtimL v
E. R. HAWES,
TWO DOORS EAST OF OCCIDENT, - - ASTORIA. OREGON.
MISCELLANEOUS.
TRSNCH1RD & UPSHUR
DEALERS IN
SHIP GHANBLEX
PROVISIONS,
IRON,
STEEL.
GOAL,
Builders General
HARDWARE,
PAINTS, OILS, ETC.
ACEXf'Y OF THK
Imperial Mills Flour and Feed.
Chenamns Street, WTear Olney,
ASTOKIA. OKFCOX
PETER tXXrfETT,
oi:i. oKEtioN.
PI1 VN1 OKVAMKXT.YL
Orders k-f 1 at the Occident Hold, or at mv
VanhoMe. foot of Kenton Street, iiroraotly' i
attended to. !
TIME. SAND. UKICrcTpLASTEK. LATH,
J (VihcjU. and all material in my line,
furnhhed to order.
frrSpecbil attention paid to Furnace work
and IkuiKes. Cistern work warranted khh1
or no pay.
MTAeant Sjih Junii and XuwTacoiiM Lime.
BRICK j,". LAYER
Dealer in
Cannery Supplies of all Kinds.
Ajjeiit for the celebrated
! MEDALLION RA2T&E,
II isu Closets. Low (Monets. and
Plain Itanzes.
IRON PIPES ANDFITriNGS OF
ALL KINDS.
Brass Goods, Hose, Etc.,
Water Closets, Bath Tubs, Etc.
ALL WORK WARRANTED
MISCELLANEOUS.
ViRNISHBSMD JlPiNS
THE L'NDEKSIGNEl) OFFERS FOR
sale on hand and to arrive direct from
cw ork
English Lustre Black Varnish,
IN BAKKELS.
Turpentine Aspheltum Varnish,
IX BAKU ELS.
Benzine Aspheltum Varnish,
IX BAKKELS.
No. 1 Turpentine, in Barrels,
Brown Japan, in Barrels,
No. 1 Coach, in Barrels,
White Damar, in Barrels,
Coach Varnishes, in Cases.
ALSO
Silicic Alnuiiimte Paint,
FOK IKOX AX1) WOOD WOKK.
JAMES LAIDLAW & CO.,
16 X Front Street. Portland.
ARNBT & FERCBEN,
ASTOKIA. - OKEGOX.
Tlie Only Machine Shop
And the best;
IJLACK.S3HTH Sm
IS H OPJp
m
In tlie city.
All kinds of
ENGINE, CANNERY,
STEAMBOAT W0EK
lroii!tly attt-mled to.
Asiiecialtj nuuleof n-airiii
CAJNNERY DIES,
f ilACHIXE SHOP. XEAK KIXXEY'S AS
TOKIA FISHERY
J. H. D. GRAY,
WioleHle and retail dealer in.
ALL KIXJJS Or FJZED,
Hay, Oats, Straw, Wood, Etc.
General storage and Wharfage on reason
able terms. Foot of Kenton Mreei. Astoria,
Oregon.
A&-?1,
dLM