The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-06-08
A NEW SPIRIT NEEDED.

The time has arrived for serious
thought on the part OF the citizens OF
Astoria. and upon the oction taken IN
the immediate future and the line OF
policy pursued will depend whether his
generation ever sees a larSg and prosNer-
oes city here or not. Astoria wants
beautiful parks, boulevaris, driveways,
aRe streets and a seawalL some time
in the future she will doubtless have
them all To talk about them and plan
for the establishment OF the city is very
meet and commendable, when there IS
nothing else 10 do The main question
before Astoria is the praetical one OF
what is needed now to advance the in
terests OF the community and secnre The
greatest possible benefits from the
changed conditions which will soon con-
front the people at the mouth OF the Co
IumbIa- Idle speculation and talk will
not put Astoria one inch in advance OF
where she stands 1t is plain that some
body must do something. wh3 is to do
it, and what must they do?
The long desired and hard fought FOR
railroad win be in operation this fail
What was this road projscted io., and
why is it being built? What will the
road do when it is completed? Is it
merely a scheme OF speculation to sell
town lots, or it it TO bear part in the
commerce Of world and be the means of
upbuilding tand enlarging the business
Of this port. earning profits for its own
ers and aiding every mercha1. and cit
izen OF the place 10 do a prosperous bus
mess? Is the railroad to make it possible
to establish here manufactures o. va
rious kinds. attract here an intelligent
and industrious population. whose busy
hands win not only make themselves
Independent. but add to the material
wealth OF all the world, or is it only for
show? II the road was projected for
business purposes, how are those pur-
poses to be accomplished?
The careful consideration of these
questions by any sane man ran result
in but one conclusion, and the man who
thinks he can sit idly by at mis- ease On
some corner lot until the railroad brings (
along a tenderfoot from the Last who
will give him a fabulous sum for the |
privilege Of occupying his seat. will con- /,
tinue to sit there until Father Time calls /
him elsewhere. The building of the rail- /
road is only the beginning OF better
things, and OF itself can do nothing. Ge-
fore Astoria can really put on and wear
the frills of civic life, there must De rev.
enue producing enterprises mere and work
10 do for largely increased population
TO help bear the burdens OF a taxation al
ready too heavy for the people. There
must be some means devised that will
render it unnecessary for property-own-
ers to borrow money with which to pay
their taxes.
t {c III
scrver that the railroad was pr ,'ected
and is being built as a simple straight
business proposition. Seventy five
pound English steel rails, the heaviest
cedar piling, steel bridges, stone ballast
and modern equipment are not usually
purchased and put into 4 railroad plant
on mere speculation. The road is being
built to handle the heaviest traffic the
teas and silks Of the Orient for distribu-
ton in the East; the wheat -four and
the lumber, fish and lairy products OF
export to the countries of the Old World;
tn elumber, fish and dairy products OF
ciatsop county to the interior Before
the road can secure this traffic there
must be the means here for producing
traffic and for loading AMI unloading
ships. There must be saw mills. 1our
mills as well as shipyards. dry docks
and elevators. Last and not least. but
rather above all, connections and sr-
rangements must be made with transcon-
tnental roads for through service and
through rates. These are The practical
things that deman1 the immediate and
serious attention u every business man
in the city. The mere building Of the
road. with all Its heavy rails and substan-
tiai equipment win not produce these in
dispensible accessories. They can only
be secured by determined and united ac-