The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-05-22
STREETS ARE DISCUSSED
Council Fails to Pass Telephone ordi'
nance Because Robinson Objects
to Any Undue Haste-0ther
Important Matters.

passage OF the automatic telephone or
dinaace last night. when he objectei I,
! the suspension OF the rules for the thirt
reading and the final passag,
of the bill. This was not accord
ing to program, but il had to 90
and now the bill will wait until June
sth, before the question OF its passag,
will again be brought up,
Councilman Logan moved that tn,
rules be suspended and that the ordi,
nance be placed on its final passage. at
the conclusion of the first and second
reading, giving as reason. that the
company should be granted the fran.
chise as soon a possible so that work
might be Immediately begun to take
advantage of the good weather, His
motion was seconded and on the roll
call Robinson spoiled it all by objecting.
The Pacific States Telephone Company
had earlier in the evening presented a
communication protesting against the
granting of another telephone franchise,
and representative of the company
was in attendance; though whether this
had anything to do with the temporary
blocking OF proceedings is not known.
The communication of the Pacific
States Telephone Company protested
saying that two kinds of phones in a
city, would be productive of great harm.
and cited instances at considerable
length. The communication was ordered
filed. The ordinance as drawn provides
that the Automatic Telephone Company
shall be granted franchise for period
of thirty-fve years, with the provision
that the city can take over the entire
system after a period OF five years has
elapsed. The city is to be given the free
use of twenty phones. and will be al
lowed to use the company's poles for
fire alarm boxes. The price to be charg
ed by the new company is fixed at S2.15
per month for business houses and $l.75
month for private residences provid.
ed that for every 1000 increase in sub.
scribers above 1900 the company shall
be allowed to raise the price to $500
year for business houses and $500
year for residences 4 % cent, discount
will be given to subscribers paving be-
fore the tenth of the month. Work
is to be commenced by the company
within three months after the granting
of the franchise by the city. The com.
pany further agrees to purchase a build
ing and lot for its headquarters at
cost not less than $4,000 within one
year from the granting OF the franchise.
The ordinance will doubtless pass at
the next meeting, unless something un.
foreseen transpires in the meantime.
The ordinance requiring junk dealers
to pay license came up for its final
passage and Robinson following up his
obstructive tactics moved to indefinite.
ly postpone the bill. Hansen objected.
and the bill was voted on, and passed
unanimously, even Robinson voting aye.
A petition to improve Exchange
street from Twelfth to Thirteenth and
another to improve Seventh from Grande
to Harrison by putting in sidewalks, the
work to be done at the adjacent prop
erty owners expense, was granted.
A. petition to construct a bulkhead
along the west line of the sidewalk on
the west side of Seventh street from
Niagara south to Bay avenue, was re.
fered to the street committee.
A petition to improve Eighth street
from Lexington to the center of Ma
CARA and Niagara from the center of
Seventh to Eighth street by gravel was
referred to the city attorney with in.
structions to draw up suitable resolu-
tions for the improvement.
A communication was read from
George Marsh and referred to the street
committee, calling attention to the
present unsanitary condition Of the
sewer through lots 10 and II in block
2, Shively's Astoria.
ael-Eigner Transfer Company pre-.
sented communication proposing that
the city buy suitable patrol wagon
and harness, and that that company
furnish the horse. This was referred
to the street committee.
The committee on public property re-
ported on the matter of a ianitor for
the ely hall, which was called to their
attention by the water commission.
Councilman Kaboth made verbal re-
port which was adopted instructing the
city auditor to inform the commission