The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-08-21
OF VITAL IMPORTANCE
The Result Of TOday's Election
Concerni Every in the City.
ITS SUCCESS MEANS WORK.
"A Communication From Five Mem
bOrs of the Astoria Water
Commission.


Commission.
5sseie iesri piiF 4t isystA shg NN
On the suggestion Of the city's attor-
neys, Messrs. John H. Smith and Full
ton Brothers, the common council has
called an election of the tax payers
to be held Tuesday, the 21st inst, for
the purpose of authorizing the city to
institute legal proceedings for the CON,
demnation of the necessary right-of-
way to lay a pipe line to Bear Creek,
that the city may have a better supply
of water i'r ay'F' g. YeH eNH
I From several routes surveyed, Mr..
a. L. Adams, the hydraulic engineer
employed by the commission, has with
their approval, selected different
route than is followed by the present
pipe line, consequently rlghts-of-way'
must be obtained before the pipe line
can be laid. ntiinA aadltu 3iai
Many Of the owners of lands over
which the new line runs have granted
the right-of-way, at almost nominal fg>
lures; others ask more than the COM
commission think is fair for the water
consumers of the city to pay, and all
who are acquainted with land values
pronounce their claims entirely beyond
reason, o lEa 81 f5l1nU $50 .aihNnrH
The commission may be mistaken as
to these values, therefore they desire
to leave the question of valuation to
the courts to determine poo
One suit has, been instituted and
Judgment rendered for condemnation
at less sum than was asked other
suits can lie brought without" the
vote Of the taxpayers on the 2lst inst,
but the attorneys" have advised this
action Of the taxpayers and the author
tiles are acting accordingly. IA. ~ i, +. /,
A pretty fair road will have
to be opened along the line, in
order to haul the pipe, ana toll
travel over aftefward in maintaining
it. A well-graded road has been con-
structed along Rortland's new water
pipe line, and from this, the idea oc-
Cured that q public road might be laid
along this line, and kept in repair by
the city or.by the city and county COM
bined.
The owners of the property between
the city and Bear Creek were asked for
deeds to a strip of land sixty feet wide
with permission to the city to lay a
pipe, and If 1t choose, maintain a high
way So much was asked for the right
ofrway on this basis that the width
was reduced to thirty three (S3) feet,
still the price asked in most cases
seems excessive. falif5s aqA@ih i4~
6In condemnation proceedings In the
courts the, city can obtain NO right To-
open or maintain a ''public road,H only
the rightato lay and maintain the pipe
line. -aaA --lif rl't N'th
With the, exception, of rtwo small
tracts the pipeline does not run
through a foot of improved land. In
In fact, without water or road, the
land is absolutely worthless now, and
never would have value. HhH As
1t is impossible for new works to be
put in this winter. but rlght-of-wayl
can be determined upon by the courts
4 that should be found necessary. and
the line cleared during the winter, for
active work next spring. If right
of-way is not secured this fall or win
Ter next summer may be consumed in
,he effort to. obtain. right-of-way and
be again postponed another
year, jiso lfA hnitil'- mii
Neither the present commission norl
he city council or new board of
can build new water
works until the right-of-way shall be
TX @ag.
While the taxpayers are. the ones
who do the voting on this subject 1t
8 the water consumers" and not the
ax-payers who pay the bonds" and
he EXPENSES of the water department
New works can only be built by monies
obtained from the sale of bonds, and
hese bonds; together with the interest
must be met by the water consumers.
md not BY the taxpayers, as many
ire led to. believe.
The question has often been asked:
Why the, work has not been pushed
aster; to this question we can only
Inswer. because we have never felt
ustifeq In assuming the responsibility
# purchasing these rights-of-way at ex-
'rbitant figures asked. and without a
fght-df-way no water-works can he
'uilt IRfspectfulIyl M. II
~ w. w PARKER. +
SAMUEL ELMoRE,