Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-08-17

~ NsNSsa0 ia tue northwest, ID.
company turned southvard on Ga,
oIaucn. akd In the next three year
nohs Z'1s miles 10 McMinnvIlle, and Al
'ne means and resources of the com "a
ny have been expended in that direction
IN the extension of the southerly branch
exactlv the opposite direction from tha
r1med In the grant. The csntrol of tn,
roao passed tirst 20 the Oregon and Cal
norma Railroad Company. then in 1888
20 henry Willard, the President of III,
norhsrn Pacific, who had previousI,
secured control of all lines Of raiIrosC
transportation IN Oregon. From 1870 {,
1888 repeated promises we're made Il
tie citizens Of Astoria that the roaC
would be built to thst city in compli
ance With the grant of land. Whethel
these promises were Intentionally delu
sive or not does not appear. That theJ
were delusive in fact ID painfully ep
parent.
In letter of September l3, 1898, Mr.
Henry Willard, the President of this
road, to the Astoria Chsmber of Com.
mefce, distinctly repudiates the condi
tions of the grant, and uses this Ian
guaee:
regret to say that the estimates VI
the cost of the line in question NINETY.
seven miles of unfinished main stem to
Astoria) now before me- are SO large
that IL will be impossible for the Ore.
Ron and 1ranscontInental Company, AZ
lessee of ths Oregon and Calrfornia
Railroad Company, to undertake It's
construction. We must therefore aban-
don the project"
For thirteen years Astoria had been
sitting by the sea in the sea in the north.
west waiting the coming Of the prom
ised relief, and deluded by false prom
isos only TO be told at the end of that
time that the project must be abandoned.
This company not only refused to build
the road itself, in violation of its COZ
tract, but by possession of the granted
land prevented others from building the
same.
The Chamber of Commerce of the
city OF Astoria. IN their memorial to
this Congress asking the forfeiture of
all the lands granted 20 the company,
say:
/" That said grant was made on express
condition that said railroad should he
completed in six years from said date,
MAY 4. lS7O) aud that said time expired
hohc IMAM seven years ago.
THAT portion of the road more east
ly constructed, between Portland and
MeMln willie, was built within the speci-
fed time, bot since that time no part of
the mail line between Forest Grove and
Astoria has been built, nor is 10 in pro-
cess Of construction.
THAT the President of the company
now holding the grant has publicly
declared his unwiilingness to build the
road.
We would further represent that the
lands of this company are rich in tim
Der, iron and GOAL; that the cost of the
proposed railroad ~ no excuse, aud we
firmly believe that the road would have
been built many years ago il the grant
had been held by persons whose inter
ests were not against the building of
the road. and would be built now IL
the land grant were only declared for
feited.
THAT the Oregon Central Railroad.
built and to be built, is controlled by
transfers and lease to the Oregon and
Transcontinental Railroad Company,
and the latter company is opposed to
any extension of its system to Astoria.
THAT the continuance of the grant
is acting as barrier to the settlement
aud development of the country and
It's resources; and that 1t is also acting
ss a bar to the building of railroad
by any other company through the same
section"
Joseph CASTOR. first President of the
Oregon Central Railroad, under date of
Dec 4. 1881, says to Congress:
THAT the grant in the hands OF its
present owners is an obstruction to the
construction of railroad to Astoria and
the development of the country. For il
the grant was forfeited. the country
would be at once rapidly settled, and
other railroad companies would build n
narrow gage railroad. II not a more ex-
pensive one."
Memorials of over 1000 citizens of Or
eson. IN the vicinity of the line, ask the
forfeiture Of the grant.
Oregon papers of recent date say:
- Were the grant out OF the way. the
fall of 1885 would see Astoria in railroad
communication with the remainder OF
the country. Ths road must run through
the country covered by the present
grant, ard while arrangements could
aud possibly would be made TO alisw
the building Of the line, yet nsthinQ
bat the forfeiture of the grant would
insure the best results desirable from
the enterprise"
The member from Oregon Mr.
George) on the floor Of this House q
few days since epitomized the reasons
for the forfeiture of what be calls the
unearned portions of the grant in the
following forcible language:
Recognizing that one section OF the
State Immediately interested was rest
less on account of the non completion
of the road, the fact that large section
was tied up from settlement and devel-
opment; the fact that the Chamber OF
Commerce of Astoria, an enterprisinR
and progressive city, directly interested,
memorialixed Congress for q forfeiturei
the fact that petitions for forfeiture
were pouring la from citizens OF NV
State along the line of road and else
where; the fact that the president OF
the company had addressed a public
letter 10 the Astoria Chamber of Com
Hnerce, saying that the company must
abandon the project the fact that the
Legislature of the State at its last ses-
sion memorialized Congress to forfeit
the grant for reasons stated In the me
mortal; the fact that no one whom
have the honor TO represt Mt has evei
expressed a wish TO me to the contrary,
4 concluded TO favor forfeiture oi
the unearned part. II vas with reiuc'
tancr, however, felt such must be the
case"
A stronger srraignment OF the com-
pany for failure 20 meet the conditions
of the grant could hardly be made. and
vet the member from Oregon MI
Georeel contends, with his accustomed
force and earnestness, that what he
terms the portion of land earned by the
company shall be exempted out OF tina
forfeiture and secured 20 the company
that is. that the company may keep al
the land in the thickiy settled portion
of country from Portland 10 MsMinu-
vile, v here she l75S miles of road ha.
been completed by 70 at little csst, snd
forfeit only the Wild and less valaabls
land from Forest Grove TO Astoria
along the 81 miles Of road they have moi
touehed-
Can it be said In any proper sense thal
the company has earned any OF ths iaad
IL cosid ouly 90 earn by meeting soms
of ,he cosdltions OF the grant Wh.'
single condition has been met by thi'
IN n not seriously contended, as ] IN
derstand, that the company has q teea
risht 20 any Of the land granted, bal
that il has o strong equitable claim fol
| ina land c.,serminous with the two com
4 - ~ n