The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-01-04
run couNrY RoAp QuEsrIoN.


Editor Astorlan;
see by the Astorian that the county
count has decided on course Of action
In regard to county roads. think that
is a sign Of better times for the future.
have said, and others have said, in
your columns, many times, that the
roads are what make the value of a
place. Handsome buildings add to the
beauty, but the foundation of all val
les is the roads think that sometime
in the future this county will be as
noted for good roads as Ut now is for
poor ones. 1t is a great misfortune for
Astoria and the county THAT the i'm
portance OF good roads was not better
understood by the first settlers Of the
county, and system adopted long ago.
II does not mauter 80 much what the
system Is, as Vt does to have some sys-
tenn decided upon, and acted ON.
If you notice the plan ais laid out in
the Astorian, you will see that there Is
a long line Of water front between
Tongue Point and the place where the
bridge Is to cross at Williamsport, and
9ndther long line of waterfront from
there to Fort Stevens. Would not 1t be
q good plan to lay out a street all the
way along that line of waterfront; then
the first thing put on electric cars, and
after THAT make II a good street as fast
as possible? / believe 1T would pay
the property holders TO do 1t and the
car line would pay big, for the street
would be settled all THE way, besides
the outsiders that would ride into town
On It.
There is good road along the beach
aIt low water, and a person can go OF
come, to any part of the beach from
the Fort.
The advantage Of riding into town on
street cars Is that person can gat off
any where, and not be compelled to go
two or three miles past the point where
he is going, and then have tthe fun OF
walking back The town ait first will
surely be along this line of waiter front,
for 1t is this line that makes Astoria
the seaport Of Oregon, so | must con
fess to being as big "a fool as was w
II. Smith, when he wrote that he could
NOT see any good reason for cutting off
a piecs. and very valuable piece. of
this line t>t waterfront, and throwing 1t
away This line is thought to be too
long, Just now by some. because uhe
people are mostly at each end, so /,
seems eanler to cut across than follow
the lire. but the tbme Is not far OFF
when the ends will also want to reach
the middle, then they will curse the
obstacles in the way.
Young's Bay is "a very pretty sheet OF
WAITER leaving out its value for water
front privileges, around 1t lies lard
suitable for pleasant homes, with pro
duqdve gardens attached. Anyone might
look 1arther and fare worse than by
selecting a piece for a home on the
land around this bay especially II
street was laid out along the water
front As a shelter in the time OF
storm, Young's Bay is hard to beat.
one hundred Thousand dollars is about
the best sum requlped to cut off this
part Of the waterfront line, believe, as
per Mosbaclk, quite snug little sum,
which some would think could be bet
ter used. 1t would result in sending
Lewis and Clarke residents into Astoria
by way OF Sklpnnon and Warrenton,,
have been told THAI the reason
am so much in favor of roads In gen.
eral and the road by the way of the
Lewis and Clarke to the beach, is be-
cause IL would enhance the value of
my place so very mudh / think that
a good reason, and | commend II &c
every one owning land.
II, however the bridge across Young'si
Bay was built, as per Mossback, | would
have a good road into Astoria, and
could talte in SlIipanon, and Warrenton,
on the way, # 50 desired, and would
be outside the taxable limtts by thel
Gross road law. Nobody ought Ito kick
at the plan OF Mossback, outside of
Astoria, only those required to put up
for the bridge and Its approaches, and
those owning the WATERFRONT, and ad-
Joining property on Young's Bay. cer-
tadnly could stand It all right,
think the county court ds TO be
commended. First, for It's outspoken
determination no build roads; second,
FOR its choice of system; third, for
pushing the Cross law to the front, and
calling attention TO It, and its defects;
fourth, for looking sharp after road
masters and bridge contractors; firth
for maldng themselves familiar with
HE roads so THAT they know what you
are talking about when you go to them
about any piece of road,
II looks as II they really thought
they ought to do something for the pay
Drawn from the county treasury.
ID. II. STAFFORD.