The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-02-07
The PETITION
VOTED DOWN
r~
The County Court Decides 1t Is
Illegal.
FRIENDS NOT DISCOURAGED
Says Matter Viii Not BE Dropped
What Secretary Lyman Says
Of the Situation.
FRIENDS NOT DISCOURAGED

The egg has finally been laid and the
"three-roads" matter has been defeat
ed. after occupying the attention Of the
county commissioners for the past ten
days. The fate OF the measure was de-
cided yesterday afternoon, but only az.
ter several motions Incorporating the
individual Ideas OF the commissioners
had been made and voted upon.
Upon the suggestion OF Judge Gray
that a vote be taken on the sufiiclency
OF the number of votes the ball was
started rolling. The other commission
ers objected and insisted that a vote
be taken on the validity Of the petI.
tion. Upon the vote Judge Gray voted
yes and Commissioners Lewis and
Peterson voted no.
Judge Gray then offered an order
that the petition contain the names
OF a majority Of the legal voters OF
Clatsop county, as shown BY the roll
books OF the last general election. viz.
1856 votes. Howell Lewis amended
said order 10 say that the court has
not canyassed the petition sufficiently
to ascertain whether It contains the
said number Of 1856 legal voters or
rot Upon the amendment Judge Gray
voted nay ard Commissioners Lewis
and Peterson voted yea.
The total vote of Clatsop county at
the last election was 1868. making the
number OF votes required for a ma
lority 1894 According to Deputy
Sheriff PraeIs figures the total num-
Der Of good signatures on the petition
was 1915, but the number included 80
names Of citizens who voted for state
ana district officers.
In commenting on the fate of the
"three-roais" measure Mr. II. S. Ly-
man, secretary OF the Push Club, who
Is constantly in direct sentiment with
the general sentiment of the organi-
zation. said to an Astorian reporter
last night that the club would not ac-
cept defeat with Indifference. Continu-
ing, Mr.. Lyman said;
There has undoubtedly been felt
much disappointment that the long and
determined effort to begin upon sys-
TEN Of general road Improvement in
Clatsop county should fail.
This is not to crtticise the action of
the county court The integrity and
good judgement of the judge or the
commissioners are not to be called in
question. In view Of the legal ques-
lions raised, as it began to be apparent
that a majority of properly qualified
voters would be found on the petition
any court might have concluded that
It was unwise to order the five-mill
levy.
But the disappointment is no less
keen. for all that.
The thought that has led up to tn
idea OF road Improvement took form
over two years ago, when the gen
eral demand arose that Astoria might
nelp herself by encouraging the farm
ers and buying their produce. 1t was
this that led to the Astoria exposition
which was to show what could be
produced here. A most creditable dis
play was made, and a generous and
hopeful spirit was shown. The Farm
ers' Congress was in the same line, and
that was meeting enjoyed more per-
haps than any gathering of general in
terest ever held In Clatsop county.
1T became more and more evident,
however, that little improvement of the
farm lands, or little benefit to the city
would be impossible unless wagon
roads, INT for use all the year, should
be built to all parts of the county. To
advance this difficult proposition has
therefore been the task of those who
desire and believe in its improvement.
Many attempts have been made; leg
islation to suit our peculiar needs and
situations has been sought the unsat-
lsfactory Plan of obtaining money by
private subscription has been followed
even when it was known to be of
doubtful value, When, therefore. af-
ter months of hard work, and it was
believed that a difficult situation had
been met, and hard requirement had
been fulfilled. it was not pleasant to be
thrown down on what seems like a
narrow legal Interpretation.
THE feeling and sentiment and gen.
eral mind on the subject are also to
be considered. II the spirit of the