Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 1.djvu/450



The wheat shipped to the United Kingdom from August i to December 13, reached two hundred and nine thousand, three hundred and thirty-seven cen- tals, worth $311,166, as against ninety-nine thousand, four hundred and sixty-three centals, worth $257,276 in 1871. There were five vessels engaged in this trade, while in 1872 there were ten. The value of the grain thus exported did not keep pace with that of the year before, on account of the low price re- alized. The export to California of flour was 192,500 sacks.

As for coast-wise traffic, there were eighty-two steamers, twenty barks, three brigs, four ships, and various schooners, aggregating a hundred and nine thou- sand, nine hundred and forty-seven tons.

The purely domestic commerce in the Willamette valley was conducted with the old-time energy, employing forty steamers, with an aggregate tonnage of thirteen thousand, seven hundred and ninety-one, and twenty-one sailing ves- sels of various description aggregating two thousand and thirteen tons. The Oregon and California railway was now in active operation and the Oregon Cen- tral had tapped the agricultural portion of Washington County.

In 1873 there appears a great rise in exports. For the fiscal year ending in September, the following showing is made : To foreign ports there were em- ployed three schooners, three steamers, the California, George S. Wright, and Gussie Telfair, and thirty-five sailing vessels, for the most part ships or barks of the large capacity from England. The exports of wheat to foreign ports was 640,266 centals, valued at $1,055,264; flour, 37,284 barrels, at $158,895, making a total of $1,284,149.

Foreign entrances aggregated a tonnage of nineteen thousand, one hundred and forty-three, and of clearances, twenty-three thousand, four hundred and sixty-seven. Of American vessels in foreign trade, the entrances were ten thou- sand, three hundred and two tons, and clearances nineteen thousand, four hun- dred and forty-four. The imports reached a value of $514,343, and exports about $1,600,000. This was all trade with foreign countries.

The following table exhibits the trade with California for 1872:

Flour, quarter sacks, 405,672

Oats, centals, 1 17,012

Wheat, centals, 337.391

Salmon, barrels, 4,361

Salmon, half bbls 3,459

Salmon, packages, 1 10,563

Apples, ripe, boxes, 14,644

Apples, dried, packages, 2,533

Butter, packages, i ,640

Beef, barrels, 112

Bacon, packages, 409

Lard, packages, 6

Hams, packages, 18

These all aggregated a value of $2,500,000.

The aggregate of vessels entering on account of coast-wise traffic, was one hundred and twelve thousand, one hundred tons ; of clearances, seventy-nine thou- sand, six hundred and ninety-four. The difiference noticeable in the entries and clearances is explained for the most part by the fact that ships loading at Port- land frequently drop below at Astoria, to complete their cargo.

From the above it will be seen that the total exports both to foreign ports and domestic was about $4,100,000 in value. It will also be noticed that this in- cludes nothing of treasure which figured so largely in early shipments ; as by this period the business of the country had so far advanced as to be conducted, so far as concerned money, by means of money orders, checks and bills of ex- change, so as to obviate the necessity of the transfer of money in coin or bullion.