The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-03-05
Nhat a Prominent Citizen Thinks
Should Be Done.
OPEN THE NEHALEM COUNTRY
Railway From There to Astoria Bears
More Of Promise Than ANY Pro-
ject Now Discussed
Easy and Profitable.

In a quest for something cheerful in
relation to Ast0ria's near, Or even re-
mote future, a reporter Of this paper
yesterday called upon prominent citi-
zen who has given years Of time and
thousands OF dollars to the various
schemes that have all, more, or less,
materially contributed to her progress,
and asked him, point blank, to say what
it was the city needed more than any.
thing else, to promote its welfare and
accelerate its commence; the answer
was prompt and decisive. Said he:
we must have railway, steam, Or
electric, into this city, direct from the
Nehalem country. We should build it
on our own initiative, if We can find
outside capital ready for such invest
ment; and waste no time in paltry cal
cuIation about it, II is absolutely es-
sentisl and cannot help but be wholly
satisfactory as a money-earner for IFS
promoters. a. we'll a. a constant ana
generous feeder for the local activities
Of Astoria.
There are immense resources in that
section that are actually suffering for
an open and quick market; there is
lumber in inconceiyable quantities;
dairy products OF the finest qualities
in extraordinary abundance; and stone
quarries that have never been phased
by drill and hammer, and fisheries that
are as immense a. they are various;
there is population enough along the
line to warrant ample returns upon the
investment alone, and the fact that
these would all expand immeasurablv,
upon the mere fact of the road being
available, puts the issue very squarely
before us for consideration and achieve
menr.
81 am satisfied that a line could be
constructed around Tillamook Head and
over Necarnie Point, with, not to eX-
cecd an elevation of 100 feat, or a tun-
mel not longer than 200 feet, and the
whole system, on either side OF these
points, would be upon a sea-level and
could be built quickly and upon a safe
basis.
"Of course, we can sit still for years
to come, and wait for these things to
come to us; they may come, too, but ii
is not as though we turned to and did |
it ourselves; showing the world that We
know our own good things and how %
make the most of them. That is what
counts tor Il community in the semi
isolated condition that Astoria is in
To pnlize her Advantages and work them
into practical realities and make the
world around us feel that we are alive, |
that we mean business, and do it, AMI
reap our own profits from it.
Il wish this concern that is about 20
build the Astoria Seaside interurbap
line would project its surveys fifteen o.
twenty miles further south on the
coast and tap this same splendid Ne
halem country. They would husband
rich returns from it from the day their
rail, and engines entered that valley
and would bless the enterprise that
prompted them to extend their pres
ent system.
NO matter who does this thing land
you need not doubt it will be done soon
by someone) there is one prime neces-
sity that must be provided for, and that
Is, that the rates, passenger and freight
must be put to level that will not be
prohibitive nor burdensome; they must
not be taxed with monopolistic changes,
beyond reason and requirements, just
because they have been given an op.
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