Any great commercial city, as London, New York, or the
younger cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, would serve an
equally good purpose by way of illustration. A commercial
city is the point of storage, account and exchange for the
commodities of the region.
The advantages of Portland as such a center are at once
apparent. As noticed above she is the "cross-ways" of the
track between the mountains from California to Alaska, and
the path made by the Columbia River from the Rocky Mountains
to the Pacific Ocean. At this point are made four right
angles, fixing the center of a circle a radius of which a
hundred miles long embraces solid land only, and at four
hundred miles includes within the western arc a portion of
the ocean, which is by no means an unproductive segment. It
must follow from this position that she can reach a greater
number of producers and consumers than any point not located
at such a natural center. This fact, other things being
equal, simply assures her commercial preeminence.
But to make this commanding position certain it will be
necessary to be assured as to the avenues of approach from
the four cardinal points of the compass. If it be true that
Portland is at the natural center of the Pacific Northwest,
a region six hundred miles square, and the avenues of
approach are easy and secure, no one can doubt that she will
continue to be the metropolis of this country, and perhaps
rival San Francisco, as being the center of a region more
extensive and productive. This is no fancy, as is evidenced
by the impression made in by-gone times upon commercial men
as they examined her geographical situation. Looking at the
map of old Oregon, while he was still in Boston half a
century or more ago, Hall J. Kelley, a patriot, and
originator of a scheme which was much patronized by leading
men in Massachusetts, laid off a great city as a capital for
the new commonwealth which he was to establish on the
Pacific coast. He put this chief city on his map at the
junction of the Willamette with the Columbia, not knowing
that this site was flood land. Portland now occupies the
spot nearest available to Kelley's city. Still further, when
the Hudson's Bay Company wished to blind a fort from which
to reach most easily all points of the Northwest, both by
land and sea, they selected a site as near to our city as
their necessities would admit-building a fort at Vancouver.
They would probably have brought it nearer the Willamette,
on the south side of the Columbia if the land had been fit
for building, and if they had not anticipated that England
would not secure the south bank. This tells the tale of the
natural center of the Pacific Northwest.
To examine the avenues of approach and to see if they are
sufficient to supplement this imperial position, it will be
most convenient to begin our scrutiny from the west. Here is
found a water-way at tide level of over a mile in width
leading up from the Pacific between the hills to the docks
of our city. The Columbia River on this lower course, is one
of the most majestic of streams, and is unrivaled for
navigation. Its fresh waters destroy those forms of marine
life inimical to dock-yards and wooden piling, and clear the
ships of their accretions of barnacles, as they come in from
the sea. It is true that it is obstructed to some extent by
a bar at its entrance, but under the operation of the jetty
constructed by the government this is being constantly cut
down by confinement of the waters, and a depth of thirty
feet or perhaps more, at low water, sufficient for the
deepest vessels will he secured. There is now a sure depth
of twenty-six feet at low water. By the use of dredgers,
jetties, and wing dams the bars in the river between the sea
and Portland, are rapidly disappearing and in a very few
years all obstructions will have ceased to exist. It is
simply a matter of improvement, which is wholly practicable,
to make the lower Columbia and Willamette fit for the
largest craft that floats. This improvement is now
progressing and the commerce of all the world, or such part
of it as floats on ships, may therefore be brought to
Portland. The entrance from the sea could not be more
advantageous. It is not so deep or wide as the Straits of
Fuca, and Puget Sound. But it does not appear that one or
two hundred feet of depth or five miles of width more than
necessary would give even the Straits of Fuca any decided
advantage. Both are royal water ways from the sea,
naturally, or easily made, ample for the largest vessels.
The superior width of the Straits allows of sailing more
easily than in the Columbia, while the fresh water of our
river is a great advantage to foul keels.
The gap through the coast mountains formed by the passage of
the Columbia makes also a pass at tide level for the
construction of railways from the ocean to Portland. The
route is easy and direct, and from Hunter's point, opposite
Kalama to Portland it is occupied by the track of the
Northern Pacific. The convenience and speed attained on the
river has retarded rather than otherwise the construction of
a road from Astoria, but there is no natural obstruction.
Toward the North, to Puget Sound, British Columbia and
Alaska, there is a natural route, passing through the valley
of Cowlitz River and thence by water, or, as ultimately will
be the case, the whole distance by rail. On the whole course
of the lower Columbia numerous small rivers enter the great
stream, navigable by steamers of light draft, the towns
beside which are, and will be more and more supplied from
the markets of Portland. The numerous sea coast towns, at
the mouth of the small rivers, and on the small bays,
conveniently find a market and emporium at Portland.
Toward the south extends the Willamette Valley, making a way
practically level for a hundred and fifty miles. Beyond this
the general slope of the country is still upward-across
hills and valleys-to the crest of the granite Siskiyou
Mountains three hundred miles distant on the California
border. This whole region of Western Oregon, most productive
in grain and fruit, finds its emporium at Portland. It is
large enough and has the resources for sustaining a
population of four millions. When this figure is reached,
one-sixth this number will be found at Portland. Not only
may this country of Western Oregon be reached from Portland
by lines of rail which slope thither, but a very large
portion of the Willamette River is a water-way directly to
her docks. This is an easy and inviting path to enterprising
steamers, and while not now bearing and perhaps not likely
to bear the great bulk of freight, has great and permanent
value in preventing railroad monopoly and in keeping freight
rates at a normal figure. It is not improbable that the
value of water as an agent for moving heavy and bulky
products will be more and more recognized by the
agricultural population, and the hundred streams that
meander from the mountains to the Willamette, across level
plains and through deep valleys, will be cleared of drift
wood, deepened and straightened, and as they flow on will
carry also along with them a multitude of loaded barges.
Each such stream is the basis of a canal, and this abundance
of water will make every farming community independent, and
forever keep down extortionate rates of transportation. As
all the water of this great valley flows past Portland, so
must all the commerce which it bears.
But broad and easy as are the avenues of approach from the
west, the north, and the south, and large as is the region
thus brought within the reach of her commerce, it is from
the east that the greatest portion of her trade must come;
and it is true beyond all controversy that the city which is
the emporium for the Columbia Basin will lead all others. On
those immense plains and uplands with multitudes of valleys
upon their environs, leading back into the old hills and
towering mountains, there is room for the seat of a nation
equal to France. Here are two-thirds of Oregon and
Washington, all Idaho, and large parts of Montana and
British Columbia. It is a region where the cereals average
twice as much per acre as in Dakota; where fruits flourish
in sheltered localities as in the deep valleys, beside
lakes, and along the rivers; where live stock of all kinds
transform the wealth of the pastures into value, and where
mineral treasures are of vast and unknown extent.
By many it will be strenuously denied that
Portland can be the emporium for this region. Some other
point it is contended, as upon Puget Sound, will most
readily command the trade. But Portland's strength is
assured by the following considerations: The trade of the
Columbia Basin will flow westward to the Pacific Ocean. It
will seek the most direct and easy route thither, since
thereby its producers will pay less rates for transportation
of their products. The tributaries of the Columbia, from the
borders of Utah, to the borders of British Columbia and from
the eastern flanks of the Cascade Mountains spread out like
the ribs of a fan; all converge upon the main Columbia, and
thus unitedly pass through the gap of the Cascade Mountains
on to Portland. It is simply a principle of physics that any
body, whether a ball or a train of cars, will roll most
readily down an inclined plane, and that friction or
traction is increased by the attempt to go up hill. But from
the head of Snake river to the head of the Columbia, or of
any tributary of either river, to Portland, is an inclined
plane hither. To be sure the canyons of both these rivers
and of many of their tributaries, are rugged, but once let a
road be laid alongside their banks or down the general
valley, and there is a perceptibly down grade the entire
distance, adding the force of gravity to the wheels of the
engines to help them with their loaded trains. The gap of
the Columbia is the only pass through the chain of the
Cascade Mountains at the level of tide water. All other
passes lead over the main axis of the range at an elevation
of three to four thousand feet. It is manifestly more
expensive of time and force to draw a train over the back of
the Cascade Mountains to Puget Sound than to bring it
through the gap of the Columbia on a downgrade. It is the
inland farmer and merchant who must pay the difference, and
however slow they may be in recognizing this, they will,
with the certainty of water finding its level, choose the
route which makes their bill the least. It is true that the
roads to Portland may not always charge their minimum, but
if they are able, by reason of natural advantages, to carry
at a less rate than is possible for the roads across the
mountains, they will at the scratch come down to it, and
make that advantage the make-weight in their struggle. Any
road which can persistently carry merchandise at one cent
per hundred or even per ton, less than its rivals, will beat
them in the long run. The natural grade to Portland from all
parts of the inland country gives her thus much advantage.
But, to complete the circle of exchange, if the wheat, live
stock and ores of the upper country come down to Portland,
this will be the most advantageous point at which to procure
merchandise and necessaries for that entire region.
Port-land can thereby most readily receive the products of
the Columbia basin, and supply the mercantile wants of her
people.
The above reasoning not presented as a special plea in favor
of Portland, but simply as a statement of the facts in the
case, is absolutely conclusive of the natural pre-eminence
of the city at the entrance to the gateway of the upper
Columbia.
But this only half states the case. While the waters of the
Columbia and its tributaries have made passes to all parts
of the river basin for the railroad, they are themselves a
means of transportation of the most gigantic power. To be
sure, this river, and the rivers which feed it, are wild and
violent streams. They flow with great force, often break
into rapids, and are at many places obstructed by rocks. The
Columbia has four impassable rapids, or cataracts, and half
a dozen others of such strength as to strain a strong
steamer in passing. The Snake river is swift and turbulent
through a large part of its course and boasts the highest
water fall of any great river in North America. Such streams
as the Deschutes, John Day, Klickitat, Yakima, Spokane,
Palouse, Pend d'Oreille, Okanagon and Kootenai, or the
tributaries of the Snake, for the larger portions of their
way are fierce torrents cutting their canyons hundreds and
in places thousands of feet deep into solid rock. But it is
by no means impossible to bring most of these rivers into
use for the purposes of commerce. By canals, locks, boat
railways, wing dams and removal of obstructions, the
Columbia may be made navigable for all sorts of river craft,
for one thousand miles. It will thereby become an artery of
commerce bearing a fleet of steamers and barges loaded with
grain and ores. Any product might thus be brought even from
the British line at prices which literally "defy
competition." The opening of the Snake river to its head
waters would be a matter of more difficulty, but to the
Salmon Falls the river may be improved so as to accommodate
steamboats of all kinds. Every one of the hundred minor
streams might likewise be made fit for bearing off the
abundant products of the soil. The time may come when a
network of canals, both for irrigation and for the uses of
commerce will cover the surface of the Columbia Basin. Such
commerce will necessarily flow to the Columbia, and to
Portland. The value of water will be better understood. The
railroad as an agent for transportation has been exaggerated
somewhat out of its natural proportions. Its great speed
will always commend it to travelers, but in the movement of
such heavy articles as grain and minerals, rocks and wood,
the slower but less expensive water will play a very
important part. As population increases in the continental
areas, there will spring up a class of hydraulic engineers
and inland navigators bringing our numberless rivers to
their highest use as generators of power, as means of
irrigation and of transportation.
As was noticed in reference to the waters of the Willamette
Valley these streams of the Columbia Basin will have a high
value in restraining railroads from extortionate charges.
This will make the people of the upper country independent,
and they will naturally look to the city which they reach at
minimum expenditure for supplies and make it their
commercial center.
It is clear beyond all contradiction that, with the Columbia
river and its tributaries open to navigation, Portland
commands the interior as no other city on tide water. By no
possibility can any port on Puget Sound have two thousand
miles of river navigation, laying open the continent as far
as Idaho, Montana and British Columbia. By choice of rail or
river, and, by the judicious use of each, Portland and her
inland customers will be brought into communication at the
greatest possible economy of both time and money, and the
business between them will therefore flourish at the least
possible expense.
It is sound policy, therefore, for the people of Portland to
push vigorously for the opening of the upper Columbia. The
work at the Cascades, however, is progressing, and no doubt
within ten years the two thousand miles of inland navigation
will no longer be locked up by rocks and shoals.
By the foregoing examination it appears that while Portland
sits at the cross roads of the great North, South, East and
West tracks of commerce, her avenues of approach from every
quarter are perfect, or certainly capable of being made so.
If this does not enable her to do a wider, more expeditious,
more direct and comprehensive business than any other place
on the North Pacific Coast, there is nothing in position.
Such are her commercial advantages.
While noting these advantages as pre-eminent, it will not be
contended that there is no room for other great cities on
the Coast. Puget Sound will certainly have three or four;
the Inland Empire, half a dozen. At the mouth of the
Columbia there will be a large lumbering, coaling, and
shipping city. At Yaquina, at Coos nay, and in Southern
Oregon there will be large towns. But the larger and more
active these surrounding places, the more populous and
energetic will be the center, for through it can they all
most readily reach each other, and the business which is
common to the whole section must be transacted here.
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