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About The Daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1883)
IS f33 v 'y? hv, stovian Ai-TOHIA. OKF.GOS JAN'TAKY 1 iss v MflUTOAY ASTORIA. The Seaport of Oregon. Pacts ami Figures Iielathe lo Our Count'. Probably no seetion of the ruloii has a better fiduic as-ured lo it thin this nnliie northwest const, l.ich in all that niaKes an empire great, possessing in exhtutsiible lesourees, havintr natural attractions of more than ordinal y meiit. mlmbUed by a thiifty hardworking peo- le and oceup) ing luieoualcd geograph cal advantages, it is but a .pieslion of Mine a to when this favoied poition if our national domain vi!iie in wealth and impoitanee with the older commu nities ot the Atlantic coast and "di-s-i-aippi valley. it i- however, the province of this ar ticle to give a brief outline of our own city and county, and in accordance with that design we begin by i efei ence lo our POSITION'. The count) of Clatsop occupies a rec tangulai piece of lei ntor) comprising about l,iou square mile- in the extreme northwestern part of our state; 1 ing in general, in latitude 4(1 S longitude 123 we-t. Its surface i-diveisilied. and, at prc-cnt, but a very Miiall part of it is under cultivation. Magnificent forests of hemlock and fir cover nine-tenths of the area of the county, and in this lie-, one of its many soui ccs ol w calth. An other ultimate benefit in it-, jio-ition is the number of natural waterway?, there being several naigable livers in the emtnty along the panks of which the principal settlements are loaded. On the western line, .stietching along Oat op plain- is the olde-l lcgulai seltle ment in thccnuntv.n legion on which much effort has been expended, and one n the most promising .sections of the slate. On the Columbia river or noi th em line, the salmon and logging indus tries have cieated a number ot settlement- up from Astoria to the east v. aid confines of the count v. Jn the central and southern parts the lack of proper eommunication has pi evented settlers from being al'iaeled by the valuable lands in that section, though there are several-llouii-liing settlements within a few hour- tide of this city. SOU. AM) IT.IMVTK. In our oniee as we wiite arc wheat, corn, bat ley, oats and timothy of more than average jield, all the product of Clal-op count. But wheat and com cannot be reckoned among our production--. Oats, grass hay and bailey can be raised, and in great abundance. We can never expect to be a gieat agiicul-j uinu eomiuuiiuy, oui, ior tiaiiy prouucis and the raising of lie .-tock few locali ties piescnt superior inducements than Clatsop county. The soil varies in dilTetent places. On Clatsop plains 'tis light and -and) ; along the Columbia it is clajey. while farther to the south it is of heavier quality and better adapted to the raising of ceicals. The climate is the healthiest in the world. Thcpnre. air from the ocean, tempered b) sufli cient distance to take otr its salt harsh ness is like velvet to the check; there is no day m the year too cold for a man to hoput ot doors, nor too warm to lender him uncomfortable. Dining the sum mer months there is, comparatively speaking, but little rain: fiom .Novem ber to Ma the rain fall is always abund ant, rcndci ing unnecessary any attempts at irrigation so costly and annoying in less favored localities. To a man who wishes lo make a home for himself and family and earn a li ing, Clatsop coun ty oilers plenty of land, plenty work to keep emplojed while he is perfecting his title and improving his tract, a good market at cash rates for whatever he raises, and a sure reward for his toil. There Is very little to be gained heie by anything occpt hard werk: idlers and drones aic shoved aside; there is no attention paid to what an) one has achieved; the question is what he is now; what he can do, and, if willing to woik, any healthy man can acquire a competence and make himself comfort able. The principal industries of the county are ranching, logging and fish ing. Tew ol the population depend witollv upon ranching for a living, whiV in the summer time the great sal mon fisheries furnish employment to a good many transient men of whom, every) ear, nunc and moieieinain. A good man) men aic employed in log ging, gent i any taking up a quaner sec lion and in time ucijulnug a patent lo It. There i- a large amount of what is known as '-tide land"' in the count), which, when dyked and reclaimed is found lo be valuable. There are also several valleys as )et unoccupied which are fully as good in point of soil, timber, etc.. as tho-e already taken. Their re moteness from lines of tiavel is the principal drawback to their speedy set tlement, but as every season our county roads reach out farther and farther, this difficulty will, in time, be overcome. RKSoritcns. dal, lion and lumber aieconsideied the three gicat factors in the ultimate prosperity of a commercial community. Possessing these throo, in connectioii with the unequaled location at the gate way of the Columbia, should, w hen de veloped, give Clatsop county preemi nence. Ot the vast extent of limber that this county contain-, the fame has al leady gone abroad. That there are de posits of coal is an assured fact: it only l cumins for a railroad lo cut through from the intciior to demonstrate the fact that once transportation is assuted the output will steadily grow from year oyear. indications point to lhe ei- teuce of iron ore in two or tluee jiarts of the county, but of this nothing is as yet sufficiently known to jtistif) more than passing mention. Prominent among our county's lesourccs is thu fishing interest. Indeed it is this that has given Astoria its start, and promises, gation to be the chief factor in her pros - perilv for )cars to come. -irn (irnnnr nr in T In. m-ntnr 1 umin atteroi propa- Tlin SALMON IXDl'sTHV. It need but be said thai il gives ditect employment lo G.0UD men in the summer time, and over 2,000 the year round, and brings a large amount of trade to As toria where the cannery business is con centrated. It was in 18li that Win. Hume, Uapgood, Hodgkins and some others, commenced to pack Columbia river salmon, and the business began steadily growing year by ) car, till in 1831 there were packed 550,009 cases of four dozen one pound tins each. Dur ing the season of 1&S2 there were packed .13,n31 cases, the average value per case being 65.25, aggregating a cash value, on the river of 552,855,112 75. The tail ing off frotthc preceding year is partly accon, b) the fact that the sal - in to run till about the close season beginning juso asserted mat me ial scheme of nrtifi causing a diminu Ir rtf colmnn nrnnifiir i lis the history of all itaut lis lung anu neg- uiii numa-njLMn.uuiJXjiL ,nm. .jwhiji I loct to provide fi futinv suppl) will I surely entail exhaustion Further sl-'ti-tic-. go to show t!iat rivers entirely j depleted of fish have l.cn successful! v stocked, wad a mm1 run of flsh Hceured. ;nml this Ukj bv mean a once simple ' ani incxiejii'.-c- Prudence would sug- 1 ge such action on the part of tho-e , most interested in the matter on the ; Columbia, rnfortunatelv this vcrv question of who 's'lhcino-t interested," i the state or the cauuerymeu iheuiseJic-. I constitute a subject of discussion that op to the present time ha- not been sat isfactorily determine!. Last season lhcie wore Ihntv-seven I canneries on the liver: wi season I there will be thu tv -nine, as follows Washington Territory -ide .' lter- decn Packing Co. Jlwace: John West. Huugrv Harbor; Jo-. IIunie.Kuappton; 1'il'ar liork Tacking Co.: J. (J. Meglcr. Hrookfiehl; Columbia Canning Co.. Fisheiton. (this com pan is now put ling una eanncr) at Astoria, having sold their risherton canncn to Jackson it Mjeisof JJainicr); Ocean Canning Co., lay View; F. M. Warren, Caihlamet; Ilapgood A: Co., Watcrford; llureka Packing Co.. liurcka; Win. Hume, Kagie ClilL Oregon iide Jas. Wil liams. Tanzy Point; Seaside Packing Co.; Washington Packing (V, a new company the V. P. Co., Cutting Pack ing Company (moved to Aitoria from Eureka j: Sam I'hnnre; The Astoria Packing Co.. I he large-l cannery in the world t; J. W. Hume. George iluine. John A. leviin. I. X. L. Co- a new companv, 1'acihc Tnion Packing Co Occident Packing Co- Columbia Can ning (o.. of A-tii.i a new companv Wt-t Coa-l Packing Co.. A. l!ot!f A; Co.. ItadoIIett A Co- Point Vdanis Pack ing Co.. another new oomnan P. Tim mi lis A to.. Fi-lK'i iiian'.s Packing Co., J. O. Hanlhorn & Co.. X I). Adair, Anglo-Aineiican Packing Co.. i T. Thomcs. .Scandinavian Packing ( ., J. V. A: Y. Cmik ol Chiton. Ja-. (Juinn, just above, and Jack-on A: M)ers ean ncr) ai Hanuer. which A. W. Uerry will run thisM'asoii. Thcbit-iiKssof thee canneries fs coiiduc!ft at Asteria: the salmon is nearl) all caught in Ibis vi cinity, and ship'H.'d from here. '1 lie bulk of it" goes to England, a goml jieil of it is taken to ban Frauci-co on a line of slcamcif. and there sent to-vaiious Krs tern point-. Astoria loaded with sal mon several large c el- during the season of 2. One ol them the Eng lish ship Wallaccton Jshand master, left hei eon the 2JKh of August for Liv erpool with a cargo of salmon and Hour loaded at Astoria, worth -.2W.112. This is the most valuable caigo that ever left any Pacific coast port in a sailing vcel bound for a lorcign jMrt. Other ships have al-o loaded very large cat goes at i A-toiia this past sea-on. The disbursing oj near!) 5--2.uou.ooo for wage- and siiiplics during the fish ing season makes Astoria unusually Iivelv while it lat-. The bu-iness i concentraling at thi- jilace ntoie and more even j car, and ir measures now on tool lead to the establishment of a hatcher), lhe salmon fisheries of the Columbia ma) be looked ujmii as a per manent iudii-trv of Astoria. Olhcrvvi-e, otheivvi-e. At pr.-cnt the rule is lo catch all ou can and can all von catch. The mode of catching the iish has been pubh-leM tv Tin: A-toui.vx m piev ion- reviews, and icuiaiiis the saute as in foimer oar-. In the pnn'css of net mal.tng. canning Hie ltsh and ut ting it on the maiket new and improved methods arc being introduced every sea son. Time was when the boats used in fishing were marl) all made in ban Fran cisco. Aim- lliey are made here almost ex'clusivelv. and such is the reputation of our A-tonaboat builders that they have oiders ahead (Mi nig the entire season. The Jifeof a boat is from six to ten-vears according to the usage it gets, a good boat co-t- ."si", and made at A-loiia of Port Orford cedar and oak, witu copper fastenings, ought to last ten years. last season there weie HKM) Otiat.s on tlK' lower Columbia dining the fishing sea-on. Xer Ia) there will be about 1,4.HU, as the Astoria boat shops will turn out :rhi new boats this winter. The nets aic made of -tout twine, and repicscnt an eMeiisivc oil tin v. With twine at a dollai a oiind.a net is worth, icadyfor use. between ) and 0. A net ought to la-t one season, and is not lo be depended upon tor a longer period. The fish begin running fiom the nth to the 20ih of Apiil.and by the middle of Ma) come in Iivelv. The price paid the fishermen has vaiied greatly in different veais. Last sca-on sixty cents per fish were paid. The men earn all they can gel. "Tisahard lite, and a dangeious one. The average earnings arc about 5-100 a month, though nothing positive can be stated, it being some times good luck and other linn's good management that re-ults in a pros perous haul, lhe men that do the fish ing arc mostly hardv seafaiers; among them may be found nearl) ever) na tionality, the Scandinavians lacing the liCst ami the mo-t nuinerou-. This jwr tion of the h-hcrmen iii'dudiug the Sweden, Xorvvcgmiis and Dim- are a stead) prospetous people. The) bring their w ivcs and families here, buy prop eity. build home.-, form societies, sup port schools and churches and add to the general wealth of :u coniuiunit). A new fcatuie which was intioduccd two years ago and grows laiger every season, is the building ol canneries on the co-operative system, the company being coinnosed of stockholders who arc themselves fishermen and who do all the work and share the profits or losses as the case mav be. The market for Columbia river salmon is unlimited, and where ever it goe- it creates b reason of its superior quality, such a demand that it can hardly be Mipplicd. tith i.rMnr.nixf. nu-ii:s-. The lumber of Oregon is famous the world over, ranking high in value. For the la-t thirtv )ear- there have been sawmills at various point- along the river bid the Uiicluating character of the marled tended lo keep bncic any per- I ".anent ucvciopnicnt 01 tne industry, as ".m ......uvi --...iv-.. " ,0im ,- V.'T Cisco would oftl'me- bring less in that pml than it had cost to get it out o log. This, of cour-e, had a disas f tho astrous effect on the business and it was not till within the last decide of car.s that the I lumber busine - on the Columbia. was J?0011,"'" .as a,;ney-maKms occupa- "; .r,?"'"s- J'--' 1 wit, thm ". . TJlc enormoiw amount of ' ,'-oal budding, the rapid growth of our state and increased facilities for transportation gave a new impetus to the business, until to-day, lhe demand is far ahead of the supply. Here, as on the bound, the best part of the timber body has never been touched. Along the river the banks have been denuded to a great extent, but in a few miles from the Columbia, on each side is some magnificent limbpr. In this county es pecially is one of the finest sections of timber in North America. Giant firs and hemlocks stand tall and straight every one fit for lite mainmast of a 1.500 ton ship. The advent of a railroad will place this timber on the market and will cause it to be one of our priuci pal souices of revenue. For lack of these facilities the timber industries of , Clatsop County are not very active. We , have two nulls 111 Astoria that during the ! year that closed last night cut eighteen million icet or lumber, every toot 01 which was contracted for ami used in building light here. Across the river the Kuapptou mills have cuit over a mil lion and a half a month, loading thirty-eignt cargoes for California rraeoi where Oregon lumber meets read) sale, j Pacific and Wahkiakum comities are!bcena'boonrin Astotia. nor has there There exists n- adequate reason w by j brought nearer io us by increased facil-. ever been an) icver-e. Propel tj has lumber Iiouhl rM institute cne of A-t-i lies of communication than certain i---1 steadih apprecia!ei in value, and is toria"' e-pouj-, cet one on which we lated poi lions of our own comity ami , to-day ncll at what somedCMU a very ate to lx cwgraturaleil, hi that the. help us in a variety if vujs by nnr ; 'iigh figure, but i none too high when domestic demand i- so great that the chase and traffic. lhe pieaent st,tu of the cit) and its utmost capaeit) of the mills cannot; Travel between ibis cily and San future prosP'-cKaie. taken into consid keep up with the order-from builder?. Franeieo has now aumed the regu-! eratioii. ! t- jms;tiou and resources arc It is a common .sav iug among contract-. Jarity of railtoad or ferry trip. Four jsiiftleieut indication-that it Is destined ors and builder-'I f lean on!) get my lumber oul I can fuu-h my coidract without an) trouble. Work has been postponed this season for that reason, and it is probable from present appear ance that the same state of affairs will obtain, though we arc authentically in formed that among the new entcnri-es of ca sav.-iuill at Upper A-toiia holds nrominent nlacc. Thu method of get-. tiiiff out timber i-rather nriinitivo. The . liius nre eat and sttakiHl lo the water where they are bunched in a raft and 1 towed to the mill, vvlience iiicy emerge as lumlter rcadv tortt-e. From .V0 to -5G0 a thou-and feet has Iteeii the pre-, to concentrate the bit-iuess in the hands vailing price uuringiue pa-i -ksmi. a inuu uniMipiniu-js uini .hi ic:ii.iiTs;irei.!,Ka 11,010 singular appearance ton figure which is in evess.of anything : to unload Astoria freight upon arriving granger than do-s ours. The greater previously known in t lie logging lm-.- here. I his is a., a.-eeptnble improve-! letll t is built on massive piles driven liecsnn the Columbia. The tendciicv i- . meat upon tiKsy-teui aUtitt v,heh v.e '. t.jf u. i nml iimrnl Hint linnc t!ii of afcwand"frec7cout the small oper- i:a 1 1.1:0 u imzorauimtiks. ?i?H-- Pr!! UnCJuT! m lF "nilSSS ' T,u --iect of i-ailroad-.- nor a profrt tracls are ow 1 ed In ban I .."icimo . b, n f t ft Asr.,ria. iriUvt. parlies. Toe. I'fn-st-c ass :,,.!.1 the A-toria land uninf has cl.tid.il leqiures an "Utlaj. "rij MW.0W. ,. (.t, to j , ( , , w- , and tew care to risk so much un !..- ... ,. , , 1 o-Minwi-.ji. theiliirenottive issiirance that thev 1 ,,1B,,n ' iiiiief,a.i nojU-oi gerungr.iii tJK) "Ppo'tiiu assiiraitci .' .V..v road rommun nil on i.t Foiust (-rove cm 1 HVL inciii.l lus .imi .iisjiw-v o .m-i M-.wl li.mlu'r r..'ni litems of eomblti.t- I Iin- or sub-idi7cd inaction. commkuck. j dispensation of providence that great A-.a. .... ..... .- ...-...... . - - r.vcrs .dways (lowed b) large cities would. 111 the eour-e oi the nel few years, have reason to p'-int to Astoria as lurther complication of hi- theory The location ot our city is adufnabl) adapted b) natuie for 11k -ile of a great commercial port; whether its po Utili ties are to be made in.inif.st in our da and generation is a que-lion largclv for ourselves to an-vver. tnm Ibis subject there is considerable diversity of opin ion, borne hold that Asloiia will one day bear the same relation lo Portland anil the intciior of Oregon that ban Francisco doi (. bacrainenlo and the interior of California. Othei- sa) that the net work of railioads now centering at our si-ter city and her present im portance as a wealthy and enterprising metropolis will prevent any eifoif at rivalry on the part of Astoria, and dis allow "any great growth on the part of our cit). Others of a more pessimistic turn of mind sav that Astoria will never be anything but a fishing town.' Jn speaking of facts as they are, facts that would exist whether publicly di cussed or not. we are impelled to -a) that oft times more depends upon the cit7cns of a place than upon any nat ural or acquired advantages that the place itseir may po-sc-s. We might write editorials from June to January about the nccessitv of improving the Columbia river bar: we might call at tention repeatedly to the fact that by the laws of trade wheat afloat at Astoria should be wortu jttst as much as wheat afloat at San Franci-co. and such state ments be received as highly proper and within the bounds of sober reason, and et one direct purchase of wheat, one ilirect carriage of grain from where it is raised to the ship I) ing at the dock here, lo be loaded at and shipped from Astoria, would be more available ihan all the figures of speech or of facts that we coulu put on paper ior twenty ) cars, bo long as Portland capitalists control the wheal market and charter ships to load at Portland so long will Astoria play second fiddle as at present The clearing away of obstructions at the bar of the Columbia is not going to be the signal for Astoria s preeminence as a shipping point. It will be but its inception. a rehouses owned by men prepared to buy wheat by the thousand bushels with power to the wheat grower to draw on sight for its value, would be Astoria's .signal advantage. A flouring mill where the wheat could be put in more concentrated form for shipment to England would be of kindred value. A sawmill that could load vessels now compelled to go in ballast would be of almost equal importance. These are among the nece-silics if we would wi-h to see our city take preeminence. As to the "improvement of the bar" about w Inch -o much has been said, we hold as ever that whenever it I- demonstrat ed that we are of sufficient importance as a commercial people here 111 Oregon and Washington Teirilory, the Colum bia river bar will be improved so that ships drawing twenty-six feet ol water may at all times safely enter and depart Uut a stmrt time ago the commerce of lhe Columbia was comparatively trit uig; now it is of sufficient importance to justify the request we of A-toria have been maKing. and which the -visiting board of engineers has recom in ended in its iccently published lepoil. Let us print a few figures. A compilation of statistics from our com mercial column shows that during 1SS0 -i.ly-three ve-sels cleared from A-toria for loreign ierts: these vessels carried our cargoes aggiegating in value, M,-lMjC-Ti. In 1881, one hundred and twenty-six vessels cleared for foreign ports, carrying cargoes across the sea aggre gating in value, $7.4U.5lf. During the twelvemonths that ended last night one hundred and thirty-six vessels cleared from here for foreign ports canning cargoes that represent a cash aggregate of .?10,3,G'7. These figures are of them selves sufficiently eloquent to require but little reinforcement. They alford ample justification for Astoria's de mand mat tne uar nc improved, cur ing the twelve inonl lis from January 1. 18S2, to last night there went to sea from Astoria 5,.i7.fi.'i2 cases of canned salmon, worth $:t,112,5i:'. The ship ments of wheat for the same period fiom Astoria and Portland aggregated 4:!5.oj bushels, worth $5,201,527; :y.ViU barrels of flour, worth S2.54I'.- 570; of lumber from the Columbia 20, 7,000 feet, worth $25.1S7. Thus we find that there went across the Co lumbia bar, outward bound exports during 52 in weight :w,7;t tons, and in cash value, cJlSWKL This demon strates the importanee and the necessity of the work. We publish these figures to illustrate our position. During the present season the Port laud piess has conceded the impera tive necessity of bar improvement and we trust will aid us in making man ifest to the general government the dis abilities under which the commerce of the northwest at present labors. The local trade of Astoria has greatly improved in the last twelve months. There is a large coast liue of countrv, extending from Tillamook bav to Gravs Harbor that is of itself an empire, and will be when filled up by immigration one of the wealthiest portions of the Union. This region is natutallvtt Uni tary to Astoria as a base of supplies, and the lines of travel inaugurated dur ing the year by the llvvaco Steam Xavi- gation Company, the Shoalwatcr Bay Transportation Companv and other en terprises are In direct support of such tendency. The S. U. T. Co. for iustanee, now carry passengers to Shoalwatcr Cay, points on Gra)'s harbor, and on the Chehalis river, earning nassp.ii.rprc and U. S. mail from Astoria to Olympia in sixty hours. Enterprises of a kindred nature arc in progress now in Seattle looking to railroad connection from the Sound to Grajs harbor and the sur rounding country. Our neighbors of ii inn n i in i nni.i.i.'..n ili ,u 1 1 ! i .1 1 ,miu magnificent stczimers ply net ween the 1 two jort, leaving Astoria every j Wednesday and Saturday and ai living even Monday and Friday Un this 1 subject it is in place to observe thar in lhe opinion of Astoiians the time ha 1 arrived for some lavorable discrimina-j lion on the part of the -leanishin com- ianv j)ruprieiors in regard to Ireights j and fare.-. At nr re-jnt one pin- ;?20 whether to Astoria or Portland, ircight chaigis being on tin saute -cai,.. TIk fa-t if Astoria's being twelve hour - nejiierau r ranet-co sihhiiii nav e .-imc 1 bearing on this matter. We are m-' foi tm-d tltat onlcrs have been ri reived. have hitherto complained t, , i.pll .. ,h.r.rri.it f.l'. m ,K ',.l ili " rU. 'l '"''. liills are now It f..r tit.. v.....f.. .....I ttii.cLt. ili,..r f ,,. . ,, ,-,V .', '..! i i .' n..,,,..' Central I'ailroad coitiimuv la dtvlnrtil i.i...iii..ji.i ii, i.ai, t-i.-i...i ... , 1 ing au thing done in the matter, during ' this .session ion at Iea.-t. V.e lusve licre'o- fore commented iijmiii thi- matter ati n.i t,.,...tt. .....1 ji.,..ui t... .i. :..! ...... Justice of it as it -taml.-. and -hail ,,., more than direct attention to the fact' ---- .-.uuus vxtlHl t lu.ui: that in this coiinu aie :lKusi.iid- ail1!"-'" '"-tancc of seven mi es. along. acres of valuable grazing, farntleg and limber Sands that would lcof imntii-e value were there hut couimtimrMion with Astoria. A b tn-r which we ic ceiit!) received from a gentleman vvho-e po-iiion gives weight to his won!- tells Us that il is probable w hen the prc-ent railroad work now in nrngre-sia-t of the mountains is finished, lhe ai;-:itioii of the Villard combMiatioii will Ik turned towards the road of which ..! siH'ak from Forest Grove to Astoria In regard to Astoria's relation to lhe stupendous .scheme nhH: this year will see full) realized, that of completing the Northern Pacific railway and plac ing Oregon and Washington Territory in railroad communication with the .Mississippi valley and the Atlantic csast.it is to be said that the subject is one of transcendent importance. It is the beginning of a new era. The com pletion of the road will send a swarm of people here from the east; bu-incv- of all kinds will be brisk till overdone bj competition, and for the first few yars there will be a .settling of values and an adjustment of the new conditions made inevitable by lhe advent of a large im migration, "fn the main this will be a benefit, not a wholly unmixed one h nv cver. With the advance guard of evi rv new railroad comes a crowd vhi are not on any legitimate biisin. --. and who-e good in a communil) i- be-t n-re-entcd by a negative quanta . The building of a branch read iroin Portland to Kalauin will be m ,f the events or tltevear. Iths the app-nent intention of the railroad m trigger- to transfer all grain from iv-tlaud. via ICalaina to the Sound, there in load for F.urope. This is with that company but an experiment. They scent : cii tertain the idea that b; hu'ldins U Ka lama all trouble yd-tcjat'on "U lie matter t shoals atbl Ixirsvviil be obvi ated. This idea is ba-.Ml hikiI: an as sumption of a stace of affair- that does not exist, it 1- i.) lc.iefihat the re sult of thi- will le the exteu-ioii of lhe railroad Uom the present prospective terminus opposite Kahuna to Astoria. This is uut said w tth anv idea of the wi-h being father to the thought; it i- simply in the line of analogy and 1 what lias been done time and again 111 similar instances. The Oregon bhort Line, which is but another name torthe northwestern extension of the Union Pacific railway is - eking a tidewater outlet Capital has uosympatnv ; witii its controllers it is a uuutt r or tempor ary expedieney or peimauent profit; and it is for tins icasoii that we -think the Yill.rd system will extend its line of railroad to Astoria, simply its a mat ter of self-defence and aggrandizement At present flint combination -eniisto ignore the existence of anv .such place. Its maps leave out all mention of As toria, while Kalama ami Ycntuor, w Inch place-could be pat-kid avay in one corner of upper town without' Us ing noticed are given all the pioutiueitcc ol capital letters on their meretricious i)iibHcatinns,but any indication ofwitcht on the part of the manager- of the Ote- gon biioit l.iue to lie-ad mi- va. Would tutt the O. It A: . Co" graders at work etween here and Kalama in ihirt) davs. It is unnccc ary, however, to disciiss imaginary circuin-tance-. What would mo-t redound to our profit as imuvitiuaisami our commercial sit- premecy as a community would Ik1 the building of the scvcntv -five miles of railroad that would afford "oiumuiiica- tion between here ami Washington county, especially if the road vvi re com menced at Astoria, hi A-tonaiis with Astoria capital, aud huiit from Astoria, to the soum and east. tiu: opening out a valuable portion 01 our countrv now locked up, ami rendering us independ ent of the schemes or unchiiialious of those vvho-e interests are inunic'il to ours. Tilt". CITY OK ASTOr.l.Y Occupies in many respects a unique situation. L)ing in -hi dcg., 12 nun. Xor. Lat, and 12.'t dcg- Wi min., West Lou., it is the farthest west of anv in corporated city in the United States, it is at the gatevyi'y of the greatest water course in America, the Columbia, which descending from its lofty Ibn-kj Moan tain source thousands of miles awav cleaves through three lauges in if statclv flow to the sea rising and tailing with the breathings ot the Pacific under Astoria's fir-built streets It is the old est permanent settlement in the pres ent limits of Oregon and Washington Territory, occupyiug the site of lhe old Fort George, when where we now write was held as British soil. For many years Astoria was an outpost, the far thest on the westward march of civili zation, and here among us still dwell pioneers who tell of the das when Doiled wheat and salt silmon were var ied only by salt salmon and boiled wheat, and when the arrival of a vessel was a wonderful and memorable occur rence. Even as late as 1870 there were not over 500 people in lhe place. Little trade was carried on, and the suriotmd ing countr) was a -ort of a terra in cognita as far as its topography was concerned. About that )ear matters be gan to improve in ever)- respect. More people came 111, property enhanced in value, communication became swifter and surer and in 187. lhe place began lo assume the apcarance of a town. The influx of business aud the general distri bution of money occasioned by the salm on fisheries were the impulses that gave it life, and dunug the last nine )ears it has grown slowlj but steadi!) . In 187U the city of Astoria wsv incorporated bv act of the Legislature aud Improvements of a permanent character have been de veloping since then. There never has est cities on the American centiiicut fake haste slowly" has ttecn the motto of Astorians tnronj;iiiiit, and ihat it is a safe one to govern the growth of a municipality is iHu-trated bv Uk -tcadv and prosner outgrowth of oui cit) and the collapsed ietiitifn of other ldaccs who like the ng n the table strove to equar the ox lit io ami intrst in the vam attempt. Yet. on the o'herhand it may be said, iImI ihere t.s .1 limit to wise conscrva- ?lt - M. ami witcre opportunity indicates a w rciurit ior ouiiny me occasion -l:nM bo embraced. ir.brtblv no citv in the Union pre north shoie of the peninsula made by the Columbia and Young's rivers. Be neath the strt els is the surge of the tide, and above are the sheltering liills, the site being one that combines the Useful and the ornamental in an eminent de gree. In Astoria there are atlhis writ ing, a'.wtat niie hundred and fifty houses, a large percentage of which were ercct- ed Sa-t -ca-on, the value of -town lots and improvements is on the assessor's Imoks M,l..fiuo. Last June there were i.i voh cast, which according to the . "'u,u V!P.'tY'm ', indicate a popuia- '"" VJ "y. '" "-"-J is growing both v.iv- and in the course of time it is not .. --...?,. ......... onisitie die iimiis 01 nrouauuuv to sav tat there wil U-a cinitinuoiis lino of which g.wl anchorage mav be found for e---ii-; when that period of pros lerit) m the shipping interests has been reached, tho-e j.rcen crowned hills to the .south will he cut away, to fill iu where now the tide rises and falls, and the entire corporate limits or the city to Yofings river will be covered with more siib-tantinl structures than the present. Though as wo before stated Astoria is lhe -farthest west of any city in the .wuiTH-nii l nion yet sue is not neuiuu her sister cities in the possession of claims to evidence ot social culture and progressive civilization. Her churches, schools, benevolent societies, etc- well excniplifv this fact. Of the former the Pre-bvlerran congregation have just finished a very neat house of worship on .Main street, comparing favorably with any edifice of like dimensions in the state; thy Methodist Episcopal so- un ot ucuctcrs iiiiisjieu a oeauiuui church during the year and dedicated it to the worship of God; the Episcopal congregat.on have a neat gothic church which though unpretentious without, is a model of good taste within ; the lto- man uaiuniics nave a line, welt built church on a prominent noint in the citv and a large lollowing of believers; the Congregational form of faith is nreached iu another aud, we believe, the largest church in the city; the Baptists also have a church of good seating eapacitv, though at present there is no resident Minister 01 that faith located here. In Huuiuiui to 1 11c uuue inure is aiso oeiuei -ervjecson board ships in the harbor for the benefit of those to whom the word of God must needs be carried In accordance with the command of the Divine Master. Jn school facilities As toria is full) up to the general average Ihroughout the state. The buildings are not all tnat could be wished, but early ihi season a new school building will Ihi begun by tin directors of school di-trict No. 1 which will be a credit to the city, its contemplated, cost will be over 1.",UK). Iu our judgment the can-e of education iu Astoria would be hist served by a consolidation of the two districts and the building of a union school house, w here a graded granunar school could be maintained for ten mouths iu the vear. At nresent there arc about uo childienof school age in A-t'.ria. In secret aud benevolent societies our city makes as good a proportionate show ing as anv in the Union; Among them may be reckoned Temple Lodge Xo. 7, F. and A. 31.. Beaver Lodge iNo. .".". 1. 0. O. F., Ocean Fneampment No. 1:5. of the same order, Astor Lodge Xo. i. K. of P., Astoria Lodge No. 40, 1. O. V.. T.. Sea bide Lodge No. 12, A. O. U. W.. Council No. 5KJG, A. L.O. II., a lodge of rhe order of Cho-en Friends, and one or two minor organizations. The Astoria Fire Department is con- fe-svdl) tiietie-t 1101 ih of San Francis co. omiM-cd of the business men of tie place, well officered, thoroughly .i-u.pped. with -plendid engines well housed and tended, our citizens are ju-llv proud or the department. It has taken plcnt) of energy and coin lohave it attain its prc-ent high degree of de velopment ami is 111 a prosperous condi turn. 1 he A-tona Lngine Co. No. 1, ICe-cuc. No.'j, and Alert II. and L. Co. No. l.cou-titute the present list; there win ul- iiioiiii-i loiiipatt) urbanized dur ing the coming season for additional protection of property in the eastern part of the cit). In writing a hurreied article for a dail) paper, it is impossible to do jus tice to tne many topics tnat present incm-cives to our mind. ve would like to -peak at length of our Astoria Chamber of Commerce, of Uie work it has done, of our public and private en-terpn-e-. of our own effort to make a daily paper the faithest west of any dailv newspaper 111 the United States of the new buildings erected during the year and the manifold improvements evident on even hand, but time and space forbid. Yet we cannot ignore mention of some of the work of '82 that .-how- a commendable degree of pros perity It ha- been mentioned iu a sort of reproaehful tone that Astoria hasn't a fine building iu its limits, and the re mark up to thepresent) ear has been a true one. Situated as we are we pay more attention to utility than elegance; as in all new communities the rough hlacksuuthr) of life the hard heavy swinging of the sledge hammer must be done while the iron is hot." and afterward comes the delicate touch and the moulding into forms of shape and beauty where tho useful and the ornament.1 are combined. During the past )ear there have leen several public and private edifices projected, some of which are nearly completed. Of the former class we cite the new Presbvte- ! rian church, on Main street, the Pythian ensue, on bnuemoqua street, and the Odd Fellows Temple on the corner op positc our office, This last building especially marks a new era in the his tory of our city. With the exception of the Custom house, this building is the onlv, one built on piles that is not of timber construction, and is the first brick building built in the city of As toria. Its cost, w hen completed will be between "-"0.000 aud SoO.OOO, and ufrom turret to 1 ".nidation stone"' it will be a substantial structure, adding to the ap pearance 01 tin city, actingns an endur ing monument to the thrift and enter prise of the lol members of Beaver Lodge No. S3. 1. 0. 0. F and serving as an example to others to "go and do like w isc." During 1SSJ wc are promised a Good deal in the way of growth and substan tial imprevements: we hear of a cood deal of which it will be time enough to to Ik? imk" f the hit: discourse when the talk." ceases and the coin comes in sight ; but tv. 0 projects arc in active inception and are assured 1 facts. One is the Columbia water com-' pnny, which guarantees to give theciti-. zens an abundant supply ot pure water. and proposes to have the work in sue-! ccs-sTiil operation by the first of next. August: the other is the Astoria gaslight 1 company which states its intention to jiavecvcryiiiiugau rciui) 10 iimu illi cit)' with gas by the first ot next April. For this relief much thanks.' To speak of the Astoria of the future would be but to create an atmosphere in winch to llap the wings 01 fancy. The Astoria of82 was different from the Astoria of 81: there has been a great progress in wealth and material benefit ; We biTieve that the leeord of the next twelve months will show a still greater degree of permanent improvement and abiding prosperity. This much may be safely said: 'that honest industry and fathful work arc sure of their reward in our little city, and the man who toils! earnestly anil steadily, whether it be at' the forge, or Bench, or desk will sec the result of his efforts in the increased happiness of himself and those whom he holds dear; and that all dishonest work and .schemes that are based on in justice to others with a -view solely of personal gain will not succeed, even when judged by the false and fleeting standards of temporary judgment. The clock is on the stroke of twelve, and so, wishing our readers a happy new yeak we close our labor for '82. 1883. Happy 2ew Year. Good resolutions are in order. 2vow ia the time to begin keeping a diary. The Stato of this morning. California is due D. C. Ireland came yesterday afternoon to spend Years among his old friends in down Now Asto- A watch service was held at the jM. E. churcli last night, anil a large assemblage saw "the old year out and the new vear in." We are requested to announce that Rescue No. 2, keep open house to-day. Thomas and Jeremiah will be iu attendance. The Rosetta has been renamed the "Brazec," since being sold to Portland men, and now runs "between Portland and "Alftccnah.' The maaked ball to be given by the Rescue Jubilee Troupe, this even ing, will be worth attending, whether as an active participant or a spectator. A private dispatch sant by Con gressman M. C George from Well ington vra3 received in this city yester day, saying that the Modoc war bill had at last passed congress This biil appropriates money to reimburso the state of Oregon for expenses incurred during the Modoc war- Orerjonian, Stet- Several more captains were made happy yesterday by being given an opportunity to eat their New Year's dinner at eoi. Tho Empire, Stono wall Jackson, Jvylemore, Fritz, Lake Ontari'j and Zoila crossed out; the barkenline Webfoot wenttoaei als 1. The rest of the Sand island fleet will probably go out to-day. The Wm. H. Starbuck is readv for sea. An Editorial on the Bar. The Fritz Ls among the vessels fnat went to sea yesterday afternoon. She is a German ship that lay heie from lhe 8th of December till the 31st, ultimo. She draws, when fully loaded, twenty six feet She could not go out in safet) drawing more than twenty-two. She sailed for Queciistovvn with a cargo 800 tons less than her carrying capacty. Tugs will not remedy the difficulty. The most powerful boats, the most skill ful pilots are unavailing to take a vessel out unless the bar be smooth, a state of atfairs that seldom occurs during the very season of the year that the wheat fleet desires to cross to sea. Lord Byron, in reference to a beau tiful lady, wrote to a friend "Lady has been dangerously ill, but now she is dangerously well again." Amer ican belles, when atticked by any of the ills that flesh is heir to, may be kept killing, and avoid being killed by ttking Dr. It. Y. Pierce's "Fav. rite Prescription," which banishes femi nine weaknesses, and restores the bloom of health. By all druggists. Xcw Year's Ore;roniaii. Any one desirous of procuring the New Year's number of the Oregonian containing the most elaborate review of all the notable events which have, oc curred in Oregon during the past year. as well as the most complete commercial statistics showing the increase of all branches of our home industries, can obtain copies by applying to E. C. IIolpex, Agent The maskers will enter the rink this evening by the private stage en trance on the side street. A sidewalk has been constructed for this special occasion. Ttemembcr that S"0 in four elegant prizes to be given to the best dressed and best sustained characters at the ball to-night. For the comfort of their patrons whe attend the mask ball of the Jubilee Troupe this evening, they have placed three large stoves in the rink, and will have the entire building warm and comfortable. There will be arm chairs for the spectators on raised platforms, and every convenience ior ladies and gentlemen in private dressing rooms. Physicians' presoriptfons carefully compounded day or night at J. ". Conn's drug store, opposite Occident Hotel. A v cry complete assortment of blank books, all sizes, styles and prices at the City book store. Marriage Licenses Is3Tied by the Clerk ol Clatsop County for thypiriflfl? u-s ieariot)4 Jan. 2. 15. F. Sievens and Fannie 21. Taylor. t o n w Jau' 1J' '' ' Burn3deand Laura K. Jjamley. Jan. 10". Thos. F. Squires and Nellie Sloan. Feb. 1. Hobert Miller and Libbic M. Kanoudc. Feb. -I. Carl Adlor and Laura Ilirsch. Fob. 7. W. M. Kyle and Christina Bodaing. Fyb. 13. Henry Benson and Emma Jnmetson. Feb. 21. 0. Pv. Sorensen and Frankie C. Elliott. March 10. Adolph Baker and Elizabeth Lewis. March 20. Olye Hansen and Mary O'Gara. March 20. .John Wiuchell and Henrietta Butts. March 24. William W'ahlgren and . Signandina Ammindson. March 24. Charles Anderson and 1 Francisca Ammindson. March 29. John Petterson and Marie Larsen. May 5. Robert Sinclair and Anna Obeikich. May G. O. P. Graham and Nellie l'oiing. May2o-r. W.Eaton and Maria Shea. May 23. M. D. Staples and Emily J. Arrigoni. June G. Andrew PetersonJand'Erila Nordlaud. Juno 9. Lewis Abercombie and Marj' Martin. Juno 10. John A. Montgomery and Emm 1 T. Morris. Juim 21. Jas. E. Ferguson and Fannie Crosby. June 23. Jno. Wilson and Johanna Mattson. July 3. F. W. Cushing and V. F. West. July 10. John Grannel and Ida Grannencn. July 24. Eugene Sanguinetti and Nellie Harrington. July 27. Jos. Cole and Alice Van Scliiack. July 27 Wm. Nelson and Maggio Cook. Aug. ' 4 Severin Hansted and Nora Araundson. Aug 7 Martin Johns n and Annia Wilmi. Aug. 7 Otto Peterson and Fred rica Olseu. Aug. 12 Martin Carlsen and Eda Ekland. Aug. 12 Thos. F. Squires and Nellie Sloan. Aug. 2G Jas. F. Kindred and La vina Dean. Aug. 29 Cha. Gelles and Annie Miller. Aug. 31 F. W. Jaentach and Lctitia Fabre. Sept. 1 Gabriel Canvonen and Sara Hovmi. Sept. 12 -C. B. Martin and Florence E. Brown. Sept. 12 Anthony McFarland and Mary Brady. Sept. 1"5 Jon Tokala and Tina Juntilla. Sept. 21 Andrew Anderson and Sophia Haupeat. Sept. 1G W. H. Herren and Mary I. Welch. Sept. 21 Gust. Saigau and Beed Routijo. Sept. 2G J. C. Ross and Sarah J. Hall. Sept. 28 Tollef Helgesen and Jennie Johnson. Oct. 3-0. B. Wird and Lizzie Jones . Oct. 9- John Hendricksou and Ida Walker. Oct. 18 D. A. Mcintosh and Mary A. Van Dusen. Oct. 19 Jacob Moore and Eliza beth Potsalainen . Oct. 20 William Thompson and CastelJa Marten. Oct. 24 -E. Munson and Hilda Hartman. Oct. 24 -A. M. McKay and Barbara Sutherland. Nov. 19 Jos De Pesquala and ElizibcthDe Ange3. Nov. 15 N. A. Forsbergand Charlotte Ltndgren . Nov. 20 J W. Naies and Sarah Briody. Nov. 21 Richard Welcome and Theresa. Mister. Dec. 2 Thaddeus S. Barr and Pheba A. Major. Dec. 15 P. O. Ham and Jennie Siferte. Dec. 1G Edward Griggs and Bar bara Young. Dec. 22-G. W. Lounsberry and Laura M. Sherman. Dec. 20 Leander Anderson and Tilda Kienno. For fine Havana, anil domestic Cf- ' gars, such as the "Commercial.' "Flori de Cuba Delicious.' and the- celebrated "Calcutta" cigar, call at J. E. Thomas"! 7 Drugstore. rT - J: