The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-03-22
COUNCIL REVIEW.

After the trials and tribuiations at
tending the defeat of the Tut;le char
ter bill the common council has awak-
ened from its lethergy and is getting
down to actual business. The meet
ing Monday night was characterized
by the passage of two commendable
ordinances that will be benefit to the
city and whose operations will be ap-
preciated by the public.
The ordinance providing for street
cleaning department introduced by
Councilman Kaboth has long been
needed in the city. II does not look
Just the proper caper to see woman
wading through mud in the streets
with gum boots on. The streets are
not the proper receptacle for tin cans,
old shoes, wood piles or garbage. They
are all disease breeders and were II
not for the pure salt air blowing In
from the ocean. Astoria would be one
of the most unhealthy cities on the
coast. Because our forefathers imitat-
ed the swine and enjoyed wallowing in
filth, is no reason why their paternity
cleanliness. If the ladies could only
find time from tine cares of bridge
whist and poker to devote little time
to making suggestions as to beautify-
ing the city, it would be but short
time until Astoria would be one of the
most beautiful cities on the coast.
The ordinance providing for licens
ing the bill boards and providing that
they be not allowed fastened to the
roadway or sidewalk. but If they are
allowed to exist they must be fastened
on posts driven into the ground away
from the streets, will result in the re-
moval Of these unsightly nuisances
from the streets. Ore councilman
claimed 70 have Travelled considerable
and had always noticed bill boards. III
he would read the newspapers he would
find that in every city in the east, bill
boards have been prohibited, and the
common council of Portland has just |
passed an ordinance absolutely pro-
hibiting bill boards and ordering all
those now existing to be removed.
The communication from A. r. Cy-
rus, offering to pay his street assess
ments on property owned by him, pro-
vided the council would knock off the
penalty and interest, should not he
considered for a moment. To grant
the request would be giving him bet
ter terms than has been accorded to
others. Everyone else, living on the
same street, paid their assessments,
and those that took advantage of the
instaliment, paid penalty and inter.
est. Why should one man who has
not paid his assessments for four or
five years be granted any such conces-
sions? IT is not treating other prop
erty owners right. one has paid the
while the other has kept
the money and had the use Of 1t for
four years. 1t is setting a bad rreced-
ent II people can refuse to pay their
street assessments and keep the city I
out Of the money that It is justly en-
titled to, why cannot others do the
same thing. The result of this would
be that no one would pay his assess.
ments, If they can refuse to pay them
and have the use Of their money for {
three or four years they will invariably
do So Another thing, the common
council has no legal authority to grant
any such requests. Either every de-
must pay the penalty and in
terest, or none should pay it. You
can't make fish Of one and fowl of {
another. This is a case of pleading /
the baby act and the common council
should establish a precedent by set q
ting down on all such applications and {
they VIII have no trouble I'm the future. ]
The report of the committee amend. {
ing the street improvement ordinance !
providing for the use Of hemlock lum. {
Der in the improvement Of streets will S
build up an important industry in {
Clatsop county and furnish lumber that |
is far superior and will last longer y
and be cheaper in the end for property G