The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-03-30
Mr.. A. B. Hammond and Party
Arrived Yesterday.
HEMET THEsUBsIDY COMMITTEE
Told them What He Would do, and
States His Proposition
He WillBuild.


road land will build it providing the
people of this city get in and do their
share of the work. In other words,
the good people of Astoria must carry
out their part of the contract as faith
fully as has Mr.. Hammond, and this
they will doubtless do.
Mr.. A. B. Hammond, c. H. Mcleod,
of Montana. and 1lwin Stone, Of
Portland, arrived in the city on yes-
terdAy mornings boat. They went d.
rectly to the Occident Hotel, where
shortly afterward the party were join
ed by Mayor Kinney and other mem
bers of the subsidy committee. The
awaken a new life, not only in mem,
bers of the subsidy committee, but in
the whole population of the city, for
all day long little knots of men could
be seen standing on the street corners
discussing the situation, and without
exception their faces beamed with ex,
PNCNolANg anu 6OOd
A meelng of the subsidy committee
had been called for II o'clock, and
many citizens and members of the
press were invited to be present The
Chamber of Commerce hall was well
filled, when shortly after II o'clock,
Mr.. Hammond and his associates en-
tered. They were heartily received by
the assemblage. Upon invitation q
Chairman Kinney, Mr.. Hammond
briefly stated what he had returned to
Astoria for, what he could do, and
what he expected the people of Asto-
ria to do before the work would go on.
He spoke of his tireless and frIft,ess
efforts to bring the Astoria-G Goble rail,
road proposition before the financial
men of the worlds money centers, and
now the road would be built with indi-
vidual money. 1t would be several
years before western railroads would
receive favorable consideration in New
York and London. He assured the
gentlemen present that he had the
money to go ahead with the work and
complete 1t, and from all appearances
there was no one in the room who
doubted the statement. But there were
-ertain changes in the existing con,
tract that Mr.. Hammond wanted
changed, as well as other matters at,
Tended to, which he had supposed were
n proper shape, but which he finds
Lpon investigation to be incomplete.
Griehy stated Mr.. Hammond's de-
3ires as stated to the committee, are
as follows:
rhe right of way from Astoria to
ioble; a modification of that part OF
The contract where he was required
10 expend $4,000 per month; new deeds
TO the subsidy which would enable
him to handle the property without
litigation.
He gave as his reasons for wanting
a reduction in the amount of money to
be expended monthly, that it was an
lmpossibility at certain seasons Of the
year for one to expend the sum of
100000 per month on the work and do
it in an economical manner. The re-
cent changes in the city charter was a
sufficient cause, according to certain
legal opinions, for wanting the deeds
to date after the amendmed charter
vent into effect. If the people of AS
torla would grant these changes then
work would go ahead and continue
until the road is finished He consid. |
cred the Seashore road a side issue, !
ANA would first aim to get transconti |
Mental connection before ia ing that !
proposition UP in a serious way. No |
one in Astoria was more anxious to see |
the railroad completed than he, and !
every cent that was expended on the |
enterprise was so mucn dead money |
until the road was in operation. By |
Wishing the sum to be expended cut
iown from the original amount agreed |
lpon, did not necessarily mean that |
ess than that sum would he paid out
Zach month, for there would be times
when several times $4,000 would be
in month. He thanked his
hearers for their careful attention, and |
iat down.
When Mr., Hammond had finished
here was a moment of silence, and
hen Chairman Kinney requested the
elections of the various gentlemen
present. Several made brief remarks.
md to the point They considered Mr..
lammond's proposition as being alto
ether reasonable, and one that should
meet with the prompt acceptance of
he committee. If there had ever been
my delay, 1t should stop now and for.
Yer, Messrs II. b. Parker, j. 0. A.
'owlby, G. Wingate, James W. WelcG,
'amuel Elmore. F. ]. Taylor, c. r.
'homson, Jno. A. Devlin, and Charles
hively, We're among the speakers. AZ.
er this brief discussion, the meeting
djourned until 2;SO p. M, when it was
Xpected a committee appointed to
leet with Mr.. Hammond's ATTORNEYS,
Iessrs. Strong and Fulton. for the
urpose OF arranging for a moiifica.
ion of the contract, as proposed b,
Ir Hammond. would report.
The committee came in about
clock and announced that the attor,
eys were busy making the necessary
hanges, but it would be late before
he work was completed. Thereupon
Ir. Kinney stated that it would be in
rder from those present to express
heir views regarding the manner in
hich the right OF way could mos,
'adily be secured and placed in such !
lape chat Mr.. Hammond could go
mead with the work. Mr.. c. R, Thom- $
IN thought that a guarantee company i