The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-03-14
A COMPLETE
FAILURE
Meeting Of Citizens on the Depot Site
Question Accomplished
Nothing.
COST OF NECESSARY TRACTS
CsaId Not Be Obtained and Everybody at
seA--OSasrs Sot rreseat and No 0ae
Autl odIed 20 SPEAK for Then
New Committee Appointed.

The mrciing OF citizens called for last
night 10 consider the depot site question
was a distinct failure. 20 far aA arriving
At any solution OF this matter was con
csrncd. About 80 citizens were present
and amongst them were many large prop
/ srty owners. Little. enthusiasm was
! awakened, although IN some OF the sd
| dresses, considerable interest WAS man.
| Tested When n was learned that the
| committee could no give any dHilnte
figures ~ 10 the cost Of the outstanding
tracts. that are necessary TO he secured
In order to complete the site. that the
owner OF the largest tract. Mr. u. n.
Welch. was not oven present at the meet
iHE. and that so far az known. he sllli
persisted In his refusal 10 put any price
whatever on this property, damper
WAS thrown upon the meeting from
which IL did not rally.
Judge Bowlby called the meeting to or
der and an organization was effected hy
clecting the Hon. G. W. Fulton chairman
and J. g. Higgins secretary. Chairman
Fulton. In a forciblc address. explained
the objects Of the meeting lie said in
part;
we are here to devise ways and means
10 secure the location OF n depo, sit. I
special committee has been working
on this matter for some time Everybody |
feels that the proposition should b. set |
tied. but what IL eyerybody'a business Is
nohody's business The delay In the mat |
ter is holding back work on the railroad !
ana holding back the town. Today We
have a raliroad-li IL going TO be- built. |
and ] believe II Will be built this year /
To gain the greatest hcnent We must
have depot at an advantageous pace. I
We cannot so 20 sleep because the ROAD
II assured The railroad can do It's bus !
mess lust as well across the hay y AZ
Aidrrbrook. but thai would be a serious (
drawback TO the city and unAettle e1tab-
lishcd values We cannot expect the f.
owners OF property In the bay TO 40 IL
ell. hut they can put reasonable prices &
on their property, Tho rest OF us should
help by donating other property with
which to reimburse them, I have some Z
property IN that vicinity which I will .
give. and no doubt others viii do the I
same All are alike interested We don 4
want to see the depot located out Uf .
town"
Judge Bowlby then made full state
ment OF the condition OF affairs, hut
could no; give the exact price demanded
Tor some OF the property necessary to
b, sccured
Mr.. NJ J. Kinney was called upon for
remarks, but said that he could aad
nothing TO the statement by Judge Bowl
by
Mayor Taylor responded to call and
said that he did not see how anything
could be done until II was known ieh-
ntely how much property had been Sc
cured. how much Is wanted. and how
much II viii cost TO get H. There has
been an impression on the part OF many
that tn ground asked for by the rail-
road company is too laJgc for depot
site; that the demand Of the company
Tor terminal facilities Is TOO great, bu,
do not think So II they are only
asking for gJ0 feet. that viii hardly hJ
rnouHh 20 do the business. They ought
TO have more ground. The depot Ute
throughout the country are larSor.
understand that the depot grounds az all
stations on the Southern Pacific between
Portland and San Francisco, ara 1,OU
.eCt long, and those OF the Northern a
ciGc ap even larger The better the
grounds, the better improvements the
railroad will make; the better the i'm
proyements the better Il Is for the own"
Mr.. Wingate was next called upon and
responded In few earnest words ury ing
quick settlement OF the Scow Bay site.
"The committee has done all they an.
ard now II is time for the friends out
side TO take hand A depot site must
he had. and It has got TO be Scow bay
The 1900 feet asked is not too much. a
good sized freight train would cover the
entire distance. Let us take fresh
hold ana make new start"
Mr. Bergman said: "Scow Bay is the
place for the depot | have one block
there and have given one lot. Why don't
our heighbors come in7 We can't expect
a poor man to give much. but those who
own all out OF doors should come up and
say; Here, take few lots We have
waited for a railroad forty years. What
do few lots signify? There is an old
saying that, no matter how nigh a
chicken roosts, It has to get down TO
scratch,
J, W Welch made some pertinent re-
marks and stated that he wished this
was Il town where city council coUlu
SIMPLY vote the depot and then assess
the property to pay for II.
Mr., BRENNAN Van Dusen perhaps made
the most eloquent address of the even
ing, and number of the audience were
heard to remark that II all Astorlans
his spirit the railroad and de-
pot would have been built years ago,
Among other things he said:
81 am somewhat disappointed In this
meeting tonight We seem to be no fur
ther advanced than when the meeting
closed Thursday | thought that COM
mlttee had been appointed to draft a !
plan Of procedure, and suggest some
definite means OF accomplishing our OBJ
ject Three or four years ago we were
praying for an A. H. Hammond Now /
that he is here. why don't we get behind l
him ant push him forward to that sue
cess which will insure our own prosper
ity, When we were asked for the right
OF way, we thought we could nor raise {
It. but when we found we had 10. We 1
Got 1t. We can do the same thns now
on this question. II we don't we win s
realise cur folly in two or three years 8
hence We have much to do besides e. |
curing the depot II we expect to make
this 4 great port"
Nj. ], Il. Copeland spoke for the m"r-
chants and urged all to join hands with ]
the rest, He said he was willing to do
nate his share and spoke OF his sxpe- S
riences In other places where much more 6
had to be done than in Astoria to secure }
n railroad,
r. l., Boyle made a spirited address In
wEicl he advocated that the committee
should let the people know they were c
willing TO receive property at Alder
brook, Smiths Point. across the bay. in !