The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-08-22
WHOA, THERE! GEE!
Was What the Men Said 10
Their Teams.
THE CONTRACTORS START WORK
Two Gangs of Men Now Throwing
Dirt ON the Grade for
the Road.

whoa, there! Gee! Go long there, /
tell you" These and similtr cxclama-
tions were heard on the dock yesterday
as Superintendent Watts men were
loading the teams, scrapers, and other
paraphernalia of railroad building pre-
paratory to their shipment to the va
rious points of action on the line of the
new railroad. A gathering of ordinary
curiosity seekers was much concerned
as to who and what the caravan was,
but no one seemed to have any lnforma-
tion. 1t was developed at headquarters
later in the afternoon, however, that this
was the first contingent of mon and
teams who were to commence work on
the Gob.e railroad.
Quietly and without flourish OF trum-
pets the railroad people have been hard
at work on their plans Of construction
and rearranging the surveys Of the line,
reducing grades and curvatures in order
that a first-class roadbed might Se con-
structed. Considerable criticism and an
xiety has been expressed from time to
time as to when the work of actual con-
struction should commence, but the rail-
road company has quietly completed its
plans and before any one had knowledge
Of the fact had placed two gangs of men
in the field, who are now at work grading
and clearing the right Of way.
The contract for the grading and clear
ing was let Tuesday to Messrs. Cory
Bros. & Co., and their superintendent,
Mr.. Watts, yesterday sent a gang of
men and teams to Tongue Point and an
other to Flavel, and both forces are now
at work throwing dirt and building the
roadway of the new railroad.
An examination of the specifications
Included in the contract for the builders
Is ample evidence that the Astoria-Goble
road is to be first-class in every respect,
and will he capable of handling the heav-
lest traffic at the highest rate Of speed.
Specifications for grading and clearing
provide that the roadlbed and excavations
shall be twenty feet wide at the profile
grade in earth. and sixteen feet in rock
or other similar materials, as the engin-
GERS may direct. The roadbed and om-
banIoments shall be OF uniform width
of sixteen feet-the average width of the
Northern Pacific and other trunkline
entertainments being fourteen feet The
clearing shall be done for the entire
width of the right Of way, and such ex-
ira widths as shall be directed by the
engineers. All brush and limbs of trees
shall be burned and removed from the
slopes.
The beginning OF work on the enter
prise which Is to liberate Astoria and
the Columbia river valley from Its re-
stricted commercial opportunities and
enable the citizens Of this natural sea-
port and shipping center to place them
selves at the head of commerce on the
Pacific Coast wifi be hailed with delight
by all. Not only Astoria, but Oregon ut
large, should fully appreciate the ad-
vantages to be opened to this great state
by the building of this line OF railroad.
There can be no doubt whatever In the
mind of any sane man but what the peo-
pie at large fully realize what this enter
prise means to them. There arr, how
ever, some few soreheads in Portland
who need to learn lesson that will
sooner or later be forced upon them that
Astoria is to be the shipping port Of the
state, as well as of the Northwest coast.
Her natural facilities declare 1t, and her
geographical location assures It,
Mr.. Hammond is determined to have
the best possible railroad that can be
built and the citizens cannot do less than
to stand unitedly with him in the effort
to make the enterprise successful In
every respect. The mere building Of the
railroad will not bring the traffic which
Is to make the road successful and build
up the town. Transcontlnental railroads
must be brought to this point and they
will be If Mr.. Hammond receives the
support he ought to have. 1t Is not sim
ply necessary to have one transconti-
mental connection, but in order to fully
meet all the demands of trade and be
enabled to reach all markets on an even
basis there should be connection with
lines reaching the South, Southeast, the
East and Northeast. That such com
binations are possible and more than
probable, anyone familiar with the rail-
road map of today well knows.
Mr.. Hammond leaves tonight for Port
land and Corvallis, where other business
of Importance in connection with the old
Oregon Pacific requires his attention.
He will be absent a few days but In the
mean time has given such instructions
and so started the wheels Of construction
that his chief officers and lieutenants
can proceed with the work. This Is a
great day for Astoria, and no doubt the
regatta festivities will be made to cele-
brate the event.