The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-10-09
Full Report of Yesterdays Proceeding

Pursuant to call the stockholders OF
the Astoria and South Coast Railway
company held their annual meeting
in the chamber of commerce rooms at
two o'clock yesterday afternoon. The
meeting was called to order by first
vice-president f. J. Taylor, E. G..
Holden, secretary. The chairman
stated that the first business In order
was to listen to the officers reports.
First in order was read.
PRESIDENT REID'S REPORT.
OCTOBER 9TH. 1889.
To the Stockholders of the Astoria and
South Coast RaiLlody.
GENTLEMEN:
Pursuant to the bylaws, it is my duty
as president to make to you the COM
pany's first annual report.
OBJECTS.
We are incorporated as standard
guage road, with the three fold object of
connecting Astoria, the sea port of Ore
gon, first, with the Southern Pacific and
/ other standard gauge railways in west
ern Oregon, and through them with Cal
| ifornia and the southern states: second
with the Northern Pacifio's main line
near Columbia river, and thence from
Portland with the three transcontinental
lines. the Northern, Union and South
ern Pacific, overland to the eastern and
western states, and, third, with the mar
| row gauge system of 18O miles now in
operation in Willamette valley. In ad-
ditiOn to these three proposed railroad
connections. our line runs to the oldest
sea bathing resort of Oregon, and when
completed Will be the nearest source of
railroad transportation TO the sea beach
| for and from the city of of Portland and
northern Oregon, distant 100 miles. Our
principal local traffic will be the carrying
of immense quantities of cedar, fir and
maple lumber, with coal and iron stone,
all of which are located in great abun-
dance within two or three miles of our
road bed, accessible on easy grades and
practically inexhaustible. Our connec-
tion with the standard and narrow gauge
lines of western Oregon will enable pro-
ducers to ship the grain of the entire
Willamette valley, if they so desire, to
sea going ships at the mouth of the Co
Iumbia. at an increased rate of freight
to this company of one dollar per ton IN
addition to the present freight the South
ern Pacific and narrow gauge lines now
receive, in carrying grain to Portland,
and without breaking bulk or change of
cars or loss of produce in now trans
shipping at Portland by river steamers
to Astoria.
THE ROUTE.
The line starts from Astoria, the seat
of the salmon fisheries and lumber i'll
terests of the Columbia river, crosses
Young's bay by bridge one and half
miles long and runs for thirteen miles
II INbrar,rI, n lnsr- la-raf 1a
and parallel with the sea to Seaside
junction where it intersects with our
branch line in the seaside resorts which
are n distance of IL miles from Astoria.
From Seaside junction, easterly upon
which a large force of men are now clear
| ing and grading, the main line
gradually ascends the coast range in an
almost straight line mostly on q one per
cent. grade, parallel with the Lewis and
Clarke for 10 miles through the thickest
spruce and hemlock lands in the state of
lOregon, to the summit at an elevation
of ], ,110 feet, where tunnel of 800 feet
is proposed to be constructed: thence
southeasterly through large bodies oi
Iexcellent white and yellow pine timber
to the crossing and valley of the Nehalen
river on a one per cent. grade. Themes
across the Nehalem country through i'm
II DO0ACb VI VOL AoAkO caAAA bhO AhOo
cedar, maple and fir timber ever known
to point near Vernonia where the line
II will intersect with branch line of 2
miles proposed to be built from tn,
= Northern Pacific main line near Colum
bia river. Atfhis intersection of pro
posed roads, there are located 10 miles OF
coal beds alleged to be 3 to 10 feet thicl
7 assaying 43 per cent. of fixed carbon
within two miles of and accessible from
the main line on a two per cent. dow
= grade. From this point of intersection
: the main line proceeds southeasterly y
: miles through heavy fir and cedar tim
ber to the summit of the divide betweel
: Willamette valley and Nehalem at al
elevation of 1,075 feet, ascending on
one per cent grade, adjoining larg
bodies of first class ironstone whicl
= ASSAYS 81 per cent. of iron, thence de
!, scends gradually for 6 miles throug
thick bodies of good fir timber to tn
! Willamette valley, thence proceed
! through the Willamette valley on a
almost level grade for IL miles throug
:, prairie and highly cultivated farmin
lands with good farm houses well fenced
lgrowing wheat and oats on or near to th
town of Hillsboro the county seat o
: Washington county where the line vii
Iintersect with the Southern Pacific
west side division 20 miles from Portland
the distance from Astoria to junctio
with the Southern Pacific, being "a mile
LESS or 104 miles between Astoria an
t Portland. Proposed extension from il
d connection with the Southern Pacific
railway near to Hillsboro on the Por
land and Willamette Valley railroad fc
1211 miles has been carefully surveyeI
J: Ii runs through farming lands upo
Il which would be carried to the Orego
Iron and Steel works at OsYego the iroi
stone, coal and limestone now existin
q on the line of survey of the Astoria an
, South Coast railway, and to Astoria,
desired, the grain from the 160 miles {
narrow gauge lines in the Willameti
a valley, also from westside division of Il
Oregon and California road which no
goes to Portland.
RAILWAY NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
In addition to the 26 miles now und
construction the main line from the Sc
p side junction is located for double Coz
n nection, both with the Northern Pacif
Is and Southern Pacific main line, has bee
ID let to the Portland Pacific ConstructiC
r company, now in full operation CO.
structing from the Seaside junction I
the Lewis and Clarke river to the tul
mel or 16 miles completed, and rails
be laid before the spring closes, veath'
s. permitting