The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-10-26

Property owners along Twelfth anc
Fourteenth streets, between Commercial
street and the waterfront, are incensed
at the action Of the city authorities, ~
allowing the tiling in the surface sewer
drains 10 be- removed by ". A. Goodin
contractor, and appropriated To his
private Use. Last week Mr.. Goodin
hauled the tile to Thirty tlfth street
where he has city contract, and was
lall but ready To Use II in the work
there. lie was given permission to take
the tile, he says, by members Of the
Street Committee, who excuse their ac'
tion ON the ground that the sewer was
out Of repair. This excuse, however,
does not satisfy the property owners
who paid heavy assessment to have
the sewer installed few years ago,
and they now demand to know, in tho
first place, why the sewer was allowed
to get out of repair and In the next
what right members Of the Street Com.
mttee, have to give away property be-
longing TO the city.
Mr. Goodin says he was told Ia take
the tilr, by certain members Of the
Street Committee Of the Council. but
which members he declines to say. lie
found the tile buried in the mud, he
says, where IL was worthless and doing
nobody Any good lie is now holding IL
subject to the orders OF the Street Com
miitec, and will dispose Of il. a, they
may dictate.
Councilman J. H. Hansen, Chairman
of the Committee ON Streets, stated
last evening that he would consult City
Attorney Smith in regard to the
Twelfth and Fourteenth street sewers,
aud that until then he did not know
just what action would bc taken. He
admitted that Guodin had been told 10
take the pile by members Of the com
mttce, and that he did not suppose that
amy objection would be fai~rd. The
srwers, he declared. had long been out
nf repair, and that the tile was ia the
mud where il was Of no service 10 any,
one.
"l shall consult City Attorney Smith"
said Mr.. Hansen last night, "and asccr
tain whose duty IL shall be- 10 keep the
sewers in repair. II this duty falls on
the city, the city will have to look after
il, but if il belongs to the property.
owners, an assessment will have to bc
levied In any event Goodin will have
to surrender the tile. The sewer was
built some ten'ycars ago and the ma.
jority Of the tile had fallen from the
into the mud below II
was disconnected at Commercial street,
.ome time ago, when IL became cloegcd,
aud since then il has gone 10 ruin"
The property owners, however, talk
in u different tone Of voice, aud declare
that they propose to see that not only
the tile i returned, but that the sewer
is kept in repair hereafter.
We paid $50 per foot when those
sewers were built" declared one Of them
Yesterday. We were told that il was
imperative that the surface drain be
'arricd to the waterfront, aud in order
hat this might be done, the sewers
were constructed When they became
logged with refuse. the Street Super.
ntcndent broke them open Mt Com.
nercial street, instead Of cleaning them,
Is hc should have done, and since that
lime the improvements for which We
pcnt our money has been Of no public
,ood.
Further than that, we would like to
,now for whom il il 10 give away the
property Of the city. This con.
ractor hauled away those tile aud was
'oing 10 Use them in a job for which he
Iad a contract from the city. We have
onsulted lawyer, and will see ii this
hing Is allowed to 90 on.
IF. A. Fisher, one of the property.
'wners, who is aroused over the pro.
,osed donation Of the tile, encountered |
Councilman Jens Hanscn, Chairman Of
he Street Committee, on the street last |
.yening, and somewhat stormy scene
.nsued. In response TO question as
% where Goodin received his authority |
% take the tile, Hansen pulctically adj
nitted that II had been given him by
members Of the Committee. "The sewer
vas out Of repair, and Of no use" Mr.. |
Hansen concluded.
"Yes, and that is another thing we
want to know about replied Mr.. Fish.
y. "Why aren't the sewers kept in re.
,air. As a matter Of fact the Street
Commissioner went up to the corner
here, and knocked hole in them, when
hey became elogged, instead Of getting ]