The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-01-22
DEPOT OR NO DEPOT
Is Central Astoria to Have the TER
minus or Not?
HAMMOND FEELING IMPATIENT
Op!aions Of Leading Citizens on the Topic Of
Ffimler Importance Status Of
the Railroad Question.

Ufshiohh W LSaHlhi Nh'sN"' W" 49, s'F'T -
rfimler Importance Status Of
the Railroad Question.
I, haa been an open secret for long
time that little or nothing has been done
towards settling tho depot site question.
While not part OF the contract with
Mr. Hammond for the construction OF
the railroad II was part OF the un-
written agreement that suitable site
for a depot should be furnished IN ad-
dtion 10 the right OF way. az has been
done IN other cities. Several sites have
been offered, free OF expense 20 the city
or railroad company, but IN Difference 10
the wishes OF many leading citizens the
railroad company deferredc accepting any
OF them until efforts could be made 10
secure a site more centrally located The
neighborhood OF the Clatsop Mill wss
thought 90 more nearly meet the require
menta OF tho business Of the city ~
large and steps were taken 20 secure THIS
site This was last summer. One DIM
Guilty and then another obstrucicd the
progress Of the work. ana now. almost
in tho aprinRtime. tho question seems
TO be no nearer settlement than when Il
was first agltnted. From the last reports
II aiNo appears thar there n sim large
amount OF right Of way unsecured. 20
feet in tho city being yet In a state oi
uncertainty. including tho right OF way
through the o. Rand ~, Warren ana
other property unui these titles are
cleared IN the name OF the company the
engineers cannot enter and commence
construction.
or PRIME IMPORTANCE.
The location OF tho rcpot being. OF
prime Importance In the guidance OF the
engineers In the work OF construction
through the clty--whether there n TO be
merely n little shed on the tlfty-foot right
OF way for the accommodation OF passcn-
gers and the handling OF a small amount
OF freight. or whether there are TO be
ample facilities for the exchange Of traf-
fo with ocean carriers and the conduct
OF large commerce which Astoria
should command IN the near futurc-an
Aaiorlan representative yesterday inter-
vlswed a number OF leading citizens and
business men on tho subject,
"If I owned land around Scow Bay ana
th6-Ciataop MIL. would furnish a depot
site there for the railroad" said
DIR. ALFRED KINNEY.
The property owners Ia that ylciniy win
miss IL n they don't do II. No matter
what tho cost, looking at II from the
standpoint OF the present business center
OF the city that Is the place for a de-
pot and think they viii arrange Il; but
how long, o Lord. how long. All OF the
owners OF property within radius OF
one mile OF the clatsop Mills ought TO
contribute 10 reimburse those waterfront
owners who cannot afford to donate their
all. The railroad can have a depot site
at Aldorbrook OF all the land they need
any time they want Il. but the business
OF the town would seem TO demand
more central location and they Will have
TO come 10 II sooner or later-the sooner
the better-and there must me no strings
TO the proposition, either,
"The right OF way matters | understand !
the committee have In fair shape. Many |
railroads today are operating over lands |
without good title but we don't want the |
Astoria railroad engineers TO undergo any I
shotgun experience"
j. II ROSS,
or Ross, Higgins & Co. said that as n |
business man he most certainly favored |
the scow Bay location. for n depot site. !
and trusted that the arrangements would /
soon he completed for securing Il. "The /
city surely ought TO make GOOD It's prop |
ostlon. and those who cannot AFFORD 10 |
donate should he compensated"
The next gentleman approached was
Y. A. sEELEY,
Agent OF the White Collar. Line. who I
was most emphatic In his statement thar /
Astoria should lose no time In making /
good It's moral obligation TO furnish ade- |
dunte depot grounds for the railroad. 1
Seattle gave Jim Hill. at the time he I
built the Great Northern into that city, |
all. and more water frontage than was !
asked for Astoria can not AFFORD 20 de- |
lay this NJ tier longer. AlderhroolS people |
came TO The front early IN the game and |
fine site II open 10 Mr., Hammond, any
time he wants TO accent II, for ail g.
terminal facilities and depot room he +
needs on the water frontage. The clii- I
gems who are anxious To have more 4
central location should not delay matters
any longer. Personally, am willing it
do anything lnlry power 10 promote the (
general good. but nm perfectly willing to ,
see the depot 30 10 Alderbrook or Tongue |
Point"
When questioned upon the subject the
HON. c. W. FULTON
said. ~ own some property IN the neigh |
borhood OF Scow Bay, or the Clatsop Mil, !
anu UNI ltIltNNll NHHIk W UOuNNt a lON /
towards relmbursing the waterfront own
ers who cannot afford TO give their prop |
erty, That is pre-eminently the place |
for tho depot, and the question should be |
settled at once, II will hold up the val-
ues OF property and prevent their shift |
ing and will keep the town as Il Is. There |
are those owning property on the pro-
posed depot site who cannot afford to |
give Il, as II comprises nearly all OF /
their fortunes, but the owners OF contIg- |
uous property are equally interested, ana |
should no longer hesitate to come to the I
front"
WALTER RoBB,
OF the Arm OF Robb & Parker, thinks
there Is but one site for a depot, and |
that Is the Clatsop Mill location. "The |
question ought to he settled Immediate !
~, II has been delayed much too long. |
l own property all over the city, but
think the depot should be In the center |
! will give lot towards securing 1t and |
am satisfied that others win do the same |
Now that Mr.. Hammond is here the mat
ter should be closed at once--it ought to [
have been fixed long ago"
''What Is your opinion OF the delay In |
the depot site locatlon2" was asked OF
MIR. r., VAN DUsEN
'T think It ought to haves been settled
long ago, You know my sentiments on
this subject, The matter Is settled, so
far as Alderhrook and Tongue Point peo-
pie are concerned Mr.. Hammond can
have anything he wants for a depot site |
In Alderbrook from the Eagle Cannery
TO the John Days. In my opinion, in
view of the new growth Of this city, that
is the place for depot Business is |
bound to 20 that way, and there Is
grand opportunity for the building Of o
practically new town. Look at the mag
nlicent park site and residence lots