The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-02-18
ASr0RIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY.
FRANKLIN AVENUE IMPROVEMENT.

FRANKLIN AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS
Councilman Nordstrom is righteously indignant
because of the sudden turn of affairs in the matter
of the contemplated improvement of Franklin avenue
in the east end Whether or not Mr.. Nordstrom s
charge Of political trckery is well founded it is evil
dent that the people of the Third ward and for that
matter, the people of the entire city have not been
fairly treated in this matter
Mr.. Burns, chairman of the street committee, is
ordinance intended to place the council in pos
session of accurate information as to the cost of the
work 1t authorized the street committee to invite
bids, but the actual awarding of the contract was
matter to be acted upon at later date by the council
Mr. Burns asked that the ordinance be passed so it
might be positively determined just what portion of
the cost of making the improvement would fall upon
the city In all fairness, this much at least was due
the people of the Third ward. No one knew how much
of the cost of the improvement would have to be paid
out of the general fund.- and in view of the fact that
there had been considerable expense attached to pre-
hminary work already DONE the council should have
taken steps to thoroughly and authenticaly post
itself
Generally speaking we are opposed to the city
making improvements for the property owners As
toria has gone into this sort of business altogether
too extensively, as our immense municipal debt will
show People who want streets ought to pay fol-
them No other equitable manner of street improve
ment could well be devised.
But there are exceptional cases. Our charter pro-
vides that property shall not be taxed for street
sewer improvements in excess Of Is per cent Of the
assessed valuation. This provision makes it necessary
Tor the taxpayers at large to occasionally assist the
people of certain district Nearly all of the I'M
provements recently made have been partly paid for
out of the general fund of the city The east end ought
TO be entitled to equally as much consideration as
the downtown wards, and certainly was entitled to
the privilege of demonstrating just what the pro
posed Franklin avenue improvement would cost
There other considerations to be reckoned with
in this matter So long as Franklin avenue remains
unimproved just that long will property valuations
remain at bedrock. With an improved street from
Thiry-fifth to Forty-third property would become
more valuable and the city would in time get back
the money which it would advance at this time.
There's nothing temporary about the city government
1t will be here after Of the present generation are
gone. 1t can well afford to assist in the upbudng
OF It's several districts for the east end is as much
part Of the whole city as the First ward or the Sec
ond ward
Perhaps, as some of the members of the council
aver, the city is financially unable at the present
time to assist the Third ward but it is equally
plain that the council will disregard the rights of the
people whom it represents if it fails to override the
mayors veto of the ordinance for the Franklin
avenue improvement, which is purely preliminary
measure and calculated only to place the council in
possession of facts and figures which are now lament
ably lacking If Mayor Suprenant and Messrs. Ham
and Lebeck are anxious to do the right thing in
this matter let them agree to passage of the ord-
nance, and then, if the cost to the city will be too
great, let them reject the bids at the proper time.
The improvement is needed and every reasonable
means should be employed to secure it. There is
nothing reasonable to the action thus far taken.
H
THE JETTY AND THE BAR DREDGE.
If the bar dredge Chinook accomplisheS no moro