The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1883-09-28
The Astoria Railroad Question.
ASTORIA. Sept. "a. 1888.

his opportunity for forming an opin-
ion on the subject is, perhaps as good
az any other citizen, he proposes to
do so, first promising that the cOnclu-
sions he has reached are the result OF
held with individuals, who
are not only personally, and largely,
in the growth and prosper
ity Of Astoria, but who are also capa-
bic of calmly and dispassionately re-
fecting upon the issue involved on
the proposition made by Mr.. Willard
in his answer to the questions pnt 10
him by the Astoria chamber of COM
merce, asking "If a contract to build
the Astoria Forest Grove railroad
could be let at 5000 a mile, and
terminal facilities provided, if he
would then commence to buildl' TO
which Mr.. Willard replied in the afir-
native, provided the contractor would
construct the road according to the
plans and specifications of his engin-
eer, and accept in payment $40, 600
in first and $4,000 in second mort
gage bonds, which, he adds, are all
the available means the company has
to expend for that purpose.
Ii must be evident to every intelli
gent business man that such an un-
derstanding and such a proposition,
involving as il does the outlay of mil
lions of dollars, requires careful con-
sideration on the part of the parties
interested, and however desirous they
may be to see the work speedily COM
menced, a considerable time must nee
essarily elapse before definite answer
can be given to Mr.. iYillard's offer.
We believe it is the opinion of the
majority of the substantial citizens of
Astoria that Mr.. Willard has an
swered the question of the chamber
of commerce fairly and honestly, and
that when ne states that his offer in
cludes all the available means the
company has at it's disposal for this
work, he means just what he says,
and he asserts it in good faith and
with the best of intentions. Ii is a
fact that prior to Mr.. Wizards state
ment-that, according to :he estimate
of his engineer, the road would cost
$4,000 per mile-infuential men,
capitalists, who have had experience
In contraction for the construction OF
railroads in sections where great engi-
neering difficulties had to be sur
mounted, had, with a presumably fair
knowledge Of the country through
which this road would pass, stated
that it could be built for less than
$50, 900 per mile, and intimated that
there would be no difficulty in finding
bidders whenever contract should be
called for. 1t is by no means certai N
that such a contract cannot be let,
even now. But, as the road mast, in
accordance with Mr.. Wizards offer,
be constructed according to the
plans and specifications of the COM
pany's engineer, it is necessary that a
copy of these plans shall be submitted
to and examined by the parties in
tending to take the matter of con-
struction into consideration. Our
chamber of commerce has made a for
NAL request for a copy of said plans,
specifications and estimates, and as il
is an indispensable prerequisite, no
doubt the request will be granted.
Until these are received, things must
remain in statu quo.
In connection with this subject,
permit me to add that MIR. Willard s
decision has not by any means pro-
duced a panic in Astoria. Had he
declared the other way, doubtless
spectators would have endeavored to
create a boom in real estate. Per
haps we are better off without any
such boom, with its consequent future
reaction. Astoria is growing rapidly
in size and commercial Importance.
Its present growth is healthy and
legitimate, because it is produced
simply by natural requirements. and
there is little doubt but that the time
will soon arrive, if it has not already
when it will pay to build a railroad t.
Astoria, if it is only an extension Ol
the Portland Kalama. But this vii
not satisfy Astorians, as long as that
much talked of land as We think,
much abused land grant j:
ins existence. And just here
permit me TO say that Astoria !:
far from being a unit on the subject
of the forfeiture of the land grant, a
demand for which has lately been
circulated and is to be forwarded to
the secretary of the interior, who vii
probably treat it in as disrespectful {
manner as it is worded' and smal
blame to him. Influential parties
have said they could negotiate for the
construction of the Forest Grove road
for the land grant, and Mr.. Willard
has courteously informed the chambel
of commerce that he will help IN TIN
or any other way to secure the con
struction Of the road, and CORE
spondence is already opened with hin
on this subject, and will doubtless re
suit in our knowing just what can am
what cannot be done in this direction
Astorians are naturally very anxiou
to secure better communication with
and a market to and from, the Neha
lem valley, with its immense forest
of timber and rich coal mines, and
continuing from thence, to tap th
Willamette valley and give the farm
ers there an outlet to the sea, wher
they can ship their grain without pay
ing tribute to Portland; but a major
ity, we believe, are disposed to thin
that if this cannot be accomplishe
with a valuable land grant to rewar
the company which undertakes to d
it, 1t will not be done during the pre-
ent generation, and therefore they d
not demand the forfeiture of the Ian
grant.
Rest Custom Work. Boots and shoes,
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