The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-03-15
THE RAILWAY SITUATION.

Some teams and implements went
to Skipanon yesterday morning where
work has begun on the ten miles OF
grading southwark.
The officers and directors are IN.
undated with prospeetuses, circulars
and propositions from enterprising
eastern men who are in the railway
supply business and who can furnish
anything from rail to a locomotive
or palace car.
What the directors need is money.
They have a project on hand that
calls for S1S0.000; they have $4,000
subscribed, and the bulk of it to col
lect. That's the size of it.
just what is to be done depends
upon our readers. II we realize
the advantage to ourselves that
this road would be the money would
be pledged before sundown. As it
is, the thing drags.
Money talks, and nothing but
money can move in an enterprise like
this. The road from the opposite
side Of YounR's bay should be built
at once, wharf built there for the
landing Of passengers till the bridge
is finished, and the road in operation
this season.
1t appears plain enough that that
bridge won't be built in time to &C.
commodate this seasons traffic. The
next best thing is to build from the
other side of Young's bay and have the
steamers land and depart from there.
But even this can't be done il peo-
pie content themselves with energetic
advice to the directors and sarcastic
criticism about the way things are
and are not being done.
Money is needed to go ahead with
the work.
As to the scheme or proposition to
have Thompson and Bennett and
Larrabee build the road, it is un-
worthy serious consideration, unless
Astorians really don't believe that it
would pay or that it isn't worth
building.
Talk to 500 and 499 will agree that
"the road ought to be built" 1T would
be a big thing, Of course it would, it
would pay from the start: any one
can see that" but suggest that the
enthusiastic party put his name down |
for ten shares of this thing that is so
good that its pity to let it go out of
the family, and presently some one
will begin: "Well, now, I'll tell you
you see it is this way" and then
comes long rigmarole about Smiths
Point and Tongue Point and Tsnzy
Point and all the other points and |
the men who own them, and what was
done or wasn't done in eighteen hun
dred and forty-three or thirty-three,
and il your patience doesn't give out,
1t will finally appear that your infor-
mant is a public spirited man who
wants to see the town 60 ahead. "Yes |
sir: yes indeed" but there are two or
three that he is afraid will profit more
than he will himself: they may make
$4,000 or $1,000, while he IS only
making $1,000, and so, you see,
really, it's just as l tell you: now
mark my words, there's job in this:
there's something in this more than
you or are shown, etc, and after an
hour he leaves you exhausted and
little disgusted.
Gentlemen of Astoria you can have
this road if you want to pay for the
building of it.
It's agreed on all hands that it
would be the making of the town.
Then, in the name of common, or
sense, why not put up,
build it and be done with it.
Repetition weakens argument.
What is here said has been said in
these columns several times already.
1t will not be reiterated, but we
shall take pleasure in publishing the
progress of the railroad or any other
project benefiting our little city.
The way to do is to forget or ignore
these ancient grudges or personal
spites or fears that somebody else
may make more, and all pull to-
gether; united effort, a manifesto
ton Of public spirit, will do a great
deal, but to be eternally objecting
and obstructing and holding of
for eternity to arrive is the
way to stick forever in the ancient
rut, and see the procession go by