The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-09-03

/ AN | can say about Mayor Taylor's
letter Is that Il did not hit the matter
/ hard enough am willing TO wager
l that there is not a right-thinking man
or Taxpayer IN town but viii stand by
/ the position he has taken.
/ ANY man who says a word against
/ A. Al. Hammond or the railroad COM
pauy. when in the face OF the hard
/ times has been spent ten times the
amount ~ money the contract calls for,
[ is not worthy To br called a man We
ought TO be thankful to Mr. Hammond.
and / might almost say worship him.
I FOR the work he has done for this COM
munlty. The depot now being con
siructed 10 Scow bay, when finished.
VIII be found to be more than our pres
ent needs demand, Portland for years
did not have one-tenth OF the facilities
that are aow being furnished by the a.
and C. X, Il, Il. Company. We cannot
AFFORD to vent spite or small jealousies
against the railroad company. and II
Is child's play to promulgate such pal
pable untruths. These public attacks
by the papers referred To, and certain
people In our midst, only fall back en-
ourselves and prevent foreigners from
Joining In with us and making invest
mcnts for the establishment OF manu-
factories and pay rolls. We want in
the first place. the most hearty CO.
operation amongst ourselves. and then
the cooperation OF Eastern capital We
know what we have here; We know
that our natural resources are unequal
ed. but II for reasons OF personal spite
and blackguardism we are going To de-
fame the magnificent railroad work
now under construction. we might as
we'll shut up shop, II 1t was in my
power to do Mr. Hammond or the rail-
road company any good In any possi-
Bile manner would buckle to with
will.
The first ten miles OF the railroad
grade above Tongue Point might have
been built for one-half the amount OF
llNhNs Nohg NNHthhNh NiltlNt anu sun
the company would have complied with
the letter OF its contract with us. Ev-
erybody knows that a better trestle
than that which has been built through
this city and across Young's Bay could
not have been built out OF wood. II is
up to the requirements Of every de-
vice known to modern engineering. The |
piling, stringers and cross-ties are much |
heavier than ordinarily used in work Of |
this kind, Forty-pound steel rails |
might have been used, but instead |
seventy-fve pound rails have been laid. |
"These senseless attacks are not mere |
criticisms OF the work of the railroad |
company, which in itself would amount
to nothing. because the facts speak for |
themselves, But they are a blackening
Of our own characters as individuals |
In this community, and an embargo |
on the advancement of the city. The
time has come to call a halt In this
sort of business. Mr.. Hammond's per-
sonal character and financial standing
cannot be touched by Such comments |
and publications But the standing of
the community at large is most serious
ly impaired by the PRONUNCIATION Of
such articles As has already been
said by others, in regard to this sub
ject. these Items appearing abroad,
necessarily have their effect upon those
concentrating making Investments In !
this section. They see these derogato-
ry items in print credited to Astoria
papers. and can only draw the conclu-
sion that they voice the sentiments Of
all Of us Take, for instance. the one
charge made recently that the entire
railroad scheme was a Cheap John af-
fair and that Mr.. Hammond, In collu-
sion with Astoria property owners, was