The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-08-12
NEW WATER WORKS
There Should Be No One Who Would
Put Stone in the Way of
Its Construction.
Now IfEver the People of Astoria
Need Work.

There is a report on the streets that
several of our large property holders
are working in conjunction with some
of the members of the water commits
sion to defeat at the polls, at the eiec-
tion to be held a week from next Tues
day, the proposition to authorize the
city council to condemn and pay for
a strip of land necessary to the contem-
plated new water works before they
can be built and used. We would ask
these gentlement why they take this
step az the very time when the general
public demand the improvements and
the laborer and mechanic demand
work? Yes, demand work. Work is a
vigorous, progressive word. 1t means
activity, employment, advancement. 1t
means wages and all the far-reaching
effects of wage paying. 1t means doing
something.
1t means business.
Work is the symbol of peace, comfort
and prosperity; the lack of 1t means
discomfort, crime and misery; People
now on earth need no proof of that.
Public work is phrase that contains
all the vital significance of work alone,
and more, too. 1t means the upbuilding
of the common property of the commu-
nifty. 1t means enhancing the value
of everything that the people-rlch,
well-to-do, poor-own in equal right for
the generous use of all.
Furthermore it is a genial, if not
glorious, attribute of public work that
it can resolve great public blessings,
and-mark you, gentlemen of the water
commission-never before in the his
tory of this city has the necessity for
public work been so great or the bles-
sing so devoutly prayed for.
A great many of our people will need
work. The fishing season is over, and
as there is no work in the lumber
camps about Astoria, no clearing of
land to keep them employed, they are
looking anXiously for the commence
ment on the water works which you
should be entitled to build Immediately
after the election of Aug. o. An election
which every workingman in Astoria
should attend and by his ballot help
place before his neighbor an opportu-
nifty for employment when it is most
needed
The men that need this work are not
tramps, or strangers or 'er-do-weels;
they are our people; honest men and
live after the fishing season is over;
they have a right to live here; Astoria
can not afford to have them go away
seeking employment elsewhere.
Send out all the men who soon will
be unemployed in this community, gem
tlemen of the water commission and
large property owners and the real
estate that some Of you hold in rever-
ence-because real estate has made
certain of you rich-will sink to the
values of fifteen years ago.
This town needs new water works.
That is an assertion that can be dem.
onstrated at any time. The chances are
that never again can those needed wa
ter works be provided so cheaply as
now; never in the history of the city,
will the demand for work be so ur-
gent; never before was there such an
opportunity to bestow upon this city
and its people a double blessing of such
vast account.
Some OF our citizens have the good
fortune to possess title deeds which
give the holders right to an addi-
tional unearned dividend from the
city's general prosperity. over and
above what he can earn with his own
hands and head. Others have only the
hands and heads to bring them the
wherewithal of existence.
These latter are as essential as the
others. The city needs them and can
not keep up its prosperity without
AhSJ oAC coSONldlG III
the future prosperity of this town, and
when hard luck overtakes them 1t is
the duty of the more fortunate to
stand by them and. If need be, to take
some chances for the sake of their COM
bined betterment.
Astoria's general sentiment is in IA
yor of taking the chances. You and a
few others, discrediting the hopeful
side, disbelieving, perhaps, the conf
lions that are certain to make this city
the metropolis Of the coast, refuse to
see the broad and glorious future, are
trying to obstruct the way. The ma
jority of our citizens are ready to dis
count the future. We believe they have
no fear of going ahead. Heed their
wishes. Share their nerve.
Give our people work.