The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1903-11-21
THE REPORT
| AGREEABLE
Council Adopts suggestion Of the
Special Committee as to Pur.
Of New City Hall Site.
FINAL ACTION NEXT MEETING
Ordinance tor Sale oftlie Present
Site and the Purchase Of
New One Will Then
BE Disposed Of.

II would be d diificult matter to sum
marlze briefly the status OF the city
hall matter. Al the adjourned meeting
OF the council last night the report Of
the special committee favoring sale OF
the present site and building and pur'
chase 81 new site was adopted. but
whether or not .hlA means that the city
fathers viii actually make the sale II
question, There seems to be no real
opposition 10 the new hall. but councii-
men are fearful that the business as
pect may not be Up 10 standard.
The report Of the special committee
recommended sale Of the present site TO
Mrs. NJ. s, Copeland for sis.i2b ann
purchase Of the Taylor property at Ex-
change. Duane and Sixteenth streets
for $500. or. II the land could NOT DC
bought for that figure. purchase OF the
Adler property at Fifteenth and Ex-
change streets for $4,000.
A motion to adopt the report brought
MIR. Burns TO his feet. He commenced
by SAYING that he did not want anyone
to think that he had got cold feet on
the proposition, but he believed ne
oneht TO express himself. He stated
that IN. original proposal made TO the
city by s. 8. Gordon looked good; sis.-
ono had been rendered for the site, and
there was stipulation that hne
business block would be erected. Anew
sl,e Mas 10 be purchased for $500 ana
there would be an available balance OF
about sil 900 to build the hall. But
,hings didn't now look SO good to the
gentleman from, the First ward. II
would be necessary to have ne" en-
glne house which would set the city
back some $500, which. in addition to
The slsOO essential for the city hall site
would leave n balance OF onls ABOUT
s7noo for the building. Mr.. Burns re-
garded the proposition al a difficult one
far the council 10 undertake. He ad-
aed that |, wax reasonable to suppose
the city hail now occupied was worm
n, least 5000. 20 that under the oner
hnt sl3i25 would be received Tor
tho land. He said he would IKE 70
see HIS way clear 10 come out even on
the proposition, and thought the fae's
presented by aim were worthy the con-
alteration Of the council.
MIR. Nordstrom attached less import
,nc. ,o the terms OF the first proposal
lie pointed out that buyer could not
be compelled 20 build a business o'ocK'
ana he believed the question for the
council to determine was whether OF
not there would be any gain from tne
contemplated sale. He was OF tne
oplnlon that the city hall and engine
| house should be separated, and created
a laugh by remarkIng that Astoria was
nerhats the only city in America IN
| which the public officials actually lived
among cattle. II two buildings can
not BE- provided. 1t is out OF the aues-
lion TO talk about o new city hail. saiu
Mr.. Nordstrom.
Mr.. Hansen agreed with Mr.. Burns.
He couldn't see how a building coulu
noss,hlv be erected without the city
| running $4,000 or $4,000 in debt. He
was opposed to sale at the present
t,me. and thought perhaps that the city
might do better by renting the prop
crty.
Mr. Robinson did not want the jail
located on the Adler property, whlcn
was in he heart Of the residence Sec
ton, although he acknowledged later
that It might better be there than a.
the present location.
One would very naturally gather from
these statements that there would bt
formidable opposition to adoption ol
the recommendations Of the specia
committee. but when Mayor Suprenan'
called ior q vote there was not a. DIS
sentlng voice. This is the reason fol
the statement that the status of th'
matter can not be definitely deter
mined,
Then the ordinance introduced D.
Mr.. Lelnenwe5er was read. Section
provides that upon payment by M, 5
Copeland to the city treasurer of tn
sum of $i5.125, within 10 days from th'
approval of the ordinance, or within Il
days of the date the ordinance nigh
become effective because Of the fail
ure of the mayor to sign 1t. the mayo
and auditor and police judge are au
thorized to execute deed to the pres