ground exposed to the weather. Freight-cars could not be obtained to carry it either to Chicago or Tacoma, and one general wail went up from the Palouse country as prices went down. The railroad and elevator companies were accused of combining against the farmers. The facts when sifted down seemed to show that the railroads had been negligent; that the people themselves were negligent in not securing river-transportation to Portland or not making known to European ship-owners the amount of the season's crop; but, even if all the wheat raised had been carried to Portland and the Sound, there was not storage for it while vessels made a four-months' voyage from Liverpool to receive it.
The lesson of that year seems to be that railroad and other transportation companies, while they have caused and encouraged the development of the country, have not themselves been able to keep pace with it. It seems to teach also that there should be intelligent organization amongst the agriculturists, and means provided against loss. The Columbia River is the natural and economical outlet for the grain fields of East Washington and Oregon. Yet, since the Oregon Railway and Navition Company have owned the steamboats on this river, navigation has become so far secondary to wheel service that at The Dalles, in November, sacks of wheat were piled ten feet high, and from a quarter to half a mile in length of line, besides that which was housed! It was thus accumulated at first for lack of transportation, and afterwards held for higher prices. Steamboat service, such as the Oregon Steam-Navigation Company formerly furnished, would have given the needed relief, the grain have been moved earlier, and prices have remained firm while vessels came to take it away. But, why should vessels come? Why do not American vessels go as they are needed? This being a question of political economy to be settled by Congress or Legislature, I leave it unanswered.
It should here be remarked that this blockade in transportation causes little distress. It is chiefly embarrassing as affecting the mercantile class whose collections are impeded by it. The good effect will be to set the farmers thinking what they can do to prevent a recurrence of similar misfortunes. Already the Palouse country agriculturists are agitating the
