The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-02-16

Tonight at midnight, the Whipple.
Clinton franchise from the City Of A.
torla, for gas, electric light and tele.
phone systems under the letter Of stip'
ulation, must have expired had not
something tangible been done TO make
the required showing set up in the or.
dinancc granting il. That somthing
has come TO the front In composite
and plausible shape, and the likelihood
of new system here seems TO have
color and robustness.
The Astoria improvement Company
which Is now in possession OF the fran
chise. has, ii seems contracted with the
Aeetyline Contracting Company, Of
Minneapolis, for the installation OF an
adequate as.lighting plant here and
Mr. T. W. kibbee the constructing en-.
Rineer OF the latter corporation, arrived
in Astoria, on the noon express, yester-
day, in company with Mr. Whippls,
the original donee OF the franchise fully
prepared with plans, estimates, speci.
fcations and such other equipment as
is necessary for the immediate begin.
ming Of preliminary work on the plant.
The works will be located on land,
l0Ox500 feet in dimensions, lying south
Of the Union Oil Company's group OF
tanks on Astor street, upon which an
option has been held for some time BY
the Astoria Improvement Company and
which was taken up Yesterday and will
he formally closed today.
Shipments Of material incident TO the
work such AZ mains and toels, are now
en.route, aud will arrive here stimuli.
taneousIy with the skilled labor neees.
sary TO give technical impetus 10 the
work,
Mr.. kibbee has already made definite
arrangements with certain leading bus.
mess houses for the purchase of re-
qni-itc stores aud supplies and is max.
ing dilligent inquiry on the score OF
available labor here for the prompt
prosecution of the work.
The projecting company will hold
the electric lighting and telephone ser.
vices in abeyance until the new gas
plant is fairly underway. and intends
To make good on all elements OF the ON.
nihus privilege il holds from the city.
Mr. Whipple is authority for the
statement that the whole business in.
cluded in the franchise is fully finan-
ced and that lack of money will not
stall the establishment of any phase of
the work at anytime. A number of
those responsible for the money end of
the enterprise have been here from time
TO time, and have lent cordial endorse.
ment Ia ths venture in subsequent
board meetings, where the success or
failure OF the scheme had to be dc.
tcrmined.
The hypothesis offered by these facts
Is very promising, and the chances are,
upon the present showing, that some.
thing will soon be doing. Yet it Is
well never to be too sanguine in mat
ters OF this sort, for far more flattering
circumstances than these have been
known 10 come to naught, and only
enough real work done TO save fran.
chises from lapsing, and years frittered
away in dealing and counter.deaiing,
the tinality finding expression in a
l,lcagre aud barely wrought fulillment
OF franchise requirements.
II is not inferred that the present
case will eventuate in any such way
indeed, the public hope is aroused in
yery distinct way, for something good
and radical and substantial, and the
,ioubt is intcrjected only because 1t has
been so often justified.
Mr., kibbee has just completed the
full equipment OF the greatest known
Acetylinc plant in use anywhere, at
Yakima, Washington, and the people
there are delighted with its service, and
he may duplicate the success here. i'll
not the scope of the installation.
The franchise requires the expendi-
ture OF $4,000 within the ensuing six
months by its benefciares, and it is
said they win expend 100000.
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Dies In Hammond. Last Wednes.
4.