The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-05-10
CITIZENS UPHOLD
THE COUNCIL
D
Rejection Of the Street Lights
Contract Universally Approved.
Boyle Of Dark Streets the Only Objection
That Can Be FOSSd--This is
Without FoasdaiiOs

The sole topic OF discussion en- the
streets. In the offices, stores and work.
shops OF Astoria yesterday was the
stand taken by the city council in re-
gard 10 the city lighting question.
Nine out Of every ten men. not on
ly applauded the council for its ac-
tIon. but everywhere the hope was ex-
pressed that now a start In the right
direction had been made the council
would stand fast for the peoples
rights and that this reform would be
followed up until the evils which op-
press Astoria'B municipal government
are eradlcated for good ana all
As stated yesterday the people OF
Astoria have been waiting for the
lighting question 10 come 20 a final is
sue. For years the West Shore Mills
Company have been reducing the num-
Der Of lights on the city's streets and
increasing the price per light. until the
burdened taxpayer began to wonder
where their demands for revenue. and
their deficiencies In service. would
cease. To allow the policy pursued
BY the West Shore Mills Company dur
Ing the past four years 10 continue a
few years longer. would result in a sit
uation where the taxpayers would be
asked 10 pay the company for keeping
their plant running in their midst
whether they furnished the city lights
or not.
The action taken by the council on
the lighting question on last Monday
night was not spasmodIc. II was due
neither TO excitement. resentment. pol
ltics nor pelf, II was dictated in the
interest OF no concern or corporation.
II was the cool, calm, deliberate ac-
ton OF a set Of public officials. who had
given the matter most careful In
yestga.ion and arrived at their deci-
sion by process OF cold reasoning out
OF the conditions and the proposal sub
mltted 20 remedy them.
With all due respect TO the entire
personnel Of the city council. any fair
minded citizen who has watched the
course Of the various members OF that
body in dealing with public questions,
will be forced to admit that the men
who voted TO stop the extortion Of the
West Shore Mills Company in the city
lighting, are the men who have been
the most conservative and careful Of
all the councilmen.
They are men. everyone Of them, far
above the reach OF any insinuation that
their action could be governed by any
thing other than a desire to serve the
people.
They have the confidence Of the ciu-
Gems and that confidence has been
Strengthened by their bold and manly
stand against one OF the greediest cor
porations that has ever had access to
the municipal treasury.
One objection, and one objection on
ly. is urged against the action Of the
council in stopping the city lighting
extortion, and II is, that the streets of
Astoria win be left in darkness for a
few weeks after the West Shore Mills
Company stops It's street-lights and be-
fore the streets are lighted by some
other process. The objectors, or some
of them, at least. have imported in i'm
agination thugs, thieves and footpads
from all over the country who will
stand at every corner and waylay cit
liens in the dark. These lovers Of
darkness. according to the objectors,
are to leave crowded cities where there
are more unllghted streets every night
than could be found in Astoria IL there
wasn't a street light in the place;
leave streets where a hundred people
pass dark corner at night to where
one pedestrian passes similar place
In Astoria. and rush here Just because
there happens to be lamp or two
blocks apart, so. dim that they do not
throw ray Of light a hundred feet
from the pole on. which they hang,
done away with.
That part Of the objection is too
silly for sensible men to even enter
tain for a moment. Footpads would
care but little for such lights as now
shroud the streets in darkness