The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-04-22
WHERE SHALL
WHARVES BE?
Property 0wnerS Think They Have q
Right 10 Build TO the
Channel Line.
PROTEST TO COUNCIL DENIEI
The Business Of the City Demands cessa-
tioa Of Foolish Asasures-rngiuesfs
ChannsI Liaes ShoHld Goyen
Other Questions

There was considerable discussion yes
trrday amongst busin,sA men on tho
question OF hnrbor lines Rn1 the extcn-
.ions OF wharyeH to said Hines from city
property already In use. The letter
which appeared In yesterdays issue.
signed by Mr. - X Warren. ret many
people to, thinking The eoneonsus OF
opinion seemed to b, that the city coun-
til did not have legal right 10 prevent
tho building Of wharycr Out 10 the hRr-
bor line established BY the United States
government. In AN interview upon the
subject. Nr f. 4. Fisher. OF Fisher
Bros said
Il cannot conceive Of any good reason
either In Law. equity Justice. common
sense or upon any principle conducive
to the advancement OF the city's inter
ests why the city council should take
tho extreme action which Il has done
concerning the building OF whhrves ou'
TO the hArhor line, | do not believe N
the hrst place that the rouncil has the
legal risht to interfere 10 ,he matter or
IN any way prevent properly holders
from building. who remain within the
lines established by the government en-
Elnceru Good lawyers agree with me
In this position In the second place.
Il seems 20 me very foolish idea on
the part OF this particular council be-
cause Il not only obstructs the carrying
on OF improvements within the city. but
Il makes an Irregular and ugly looking
line OF structures along the city waller
front ono city council permits one prop
etty holder TO build out TO the water
line while another council will not allow
his nrxt.door neighbor 20 go within a
hundred feet Of that line, The water
front thus becomes Jagged In appearance,
while an injustice IN done TO many prop
erty owncrs II this sort OF legislation
II TO continue. what kind OF a water
frontage viii Astoria have In a few years
from now II is rimply absurd for the
law.Eivcru OF the city TO be interfering
with the well established rights OF prop
cr,y holders and pulling down the work
which others arc trying to 10 toward
building up the city. The government
surveys should govern here as elsewhere.
and all thcothcr matters can be easily
arranged afterwArd. What We want In
Astoria is uniformity OF construction on
tho water front. and the erection OF such
business houses as will accommodate
the trafiic surc TO follow on the com
pletlon OF the railroad. Let secondary
matters take their proper ,urn and be
adjusted when the time comes for their
consideration. What We want now Is
the blending OF every interest and the
shaping OF every enterprise 20 the ore
common object OF pushing forward the
interests OF the city now most important
TO bc considered,
1T II true am one OF the interested
parties concerned In the extension OF the
dock In the rear OF my store building,
and which the city council has enjoined.
I know, however. that the repairing. re-
building and extension OF other docks
depends upon the action which We take
here. Although | have not seen Mr.,
Fiavcl recently. l am confident from pre-
volus talks with him that II We extend
our dock he will also fairly repair and
build his large dock out 10 the harbor
line, The city must have Increased dock
facilities, and with the railroad running
through the middle OF the present docks
thcro must he such facilities as will per-
nit OF tho loading and unloading at the
wharves OF deep sea vessels,
The action OF the city council recently
taken. was based upon a purported reso-
luton OF the Columbia Harbor No, p,
That resolution was an error In refuta-
tlon OF which you can publish the follow
ing communication:
To tho Honorable Mayor and Common
Council Of the City OF Astoria;-
Gentlemen: We. members OF Columbia
Harbor No. %. wish 10 recall the protest
filed with you by the clerk OF said har-
Dor. protesting against the building OF a
wharf to tho harbor line by ID. X. war
rem and A, c, Fisher.
The protest was sent you before
meeting OF the harbor, and when II as
semhled the members did not ratify the
| action. Al the present time We desire
to take no action In tho premises.
Respectfully
w STARR, Captain.
ED. MASNEY,
THoS. PARKER,
]. W. BABBIDGE,
WIN. REHFEI.D,
j. f. CAMPBELL,
A. c. FISHER,
Columbia Harbor, No. y.
The situation .s a serious one, anc
demands immediate adjustment. l an
not only speaking for our individual IN
forests, as we have warehouse room
enough at present and can get alonI
without the railroad II others can; but
II the verbal agreements made by Coun
Gilman ], W. Welch on behalf OF Tn,
right OF way committee OF the railroad
at the time he solicited the deeds FOL
this property are to be carried out, We
are entitled to, and in protection OF ou'
business OF necessity must, build ou'
wharves out to the harbor line In order Z
have sufficient accommodation for ou
| business. Even under these oircum
stances large money loss In addition
| to the loss OF property, VIII be entaile'
upon us. This we have suffered In 81
lence, but do not propose to be hampere'
In the conduct OF our legitimate business
Mr.. Hammond Is expected here hourly
| the depot site will be closed up, ana con
structlon upon the railroad through IN
city will shortly commence. we shal
certainly look to the railroad eommitte
and the council for the protection OF ou
rights In this matter"
Mr.. ]. T. Ross. OF Ross, Higgins q co.
whose store Is situated on the same docl
with Fisher Brothers. when asked TO
his Views upon the wharf question, sal
that he OF course thoroughly coincide
with Mr.. D. X. Warren and Mr.. Fisher
TT seems to me that the prosperity Q
Astoria, the building up Of large trad
here OF general commercial character
depends largely upon the securing OF adS
quate docks for the handling Of bushes
and the transfer OF traffic from cars
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