The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-10-09
|REID MAY HAVE A
SETTLEMENT.
KINNEY PEOPLE ABOUT ALL THAT
ARE LEFT In OPPOSING RIGHT
OF-WAY or NEW RAILROAD FROM
PORTLAND TO ASTORIA.

ference with the promotion committee
OF the Chamber OF Commerce, over the
securing Of the right.of'way for the
railroad.
he threshed the matter over thor.
oughly with the committee and several
OF the men who are able 10 influence the
property owners to come across" in the
interests Of progress with the right-of-
way asked. Hiss visit has left very
favorable impression among Astoria
citizens that he means business and
wants to get to work on the construc-
tion as rapidly as possible.
There does not appear to be any
opposition to the railroad at present ex.
cept by the Kinney people" he said yes
terday afternoon just before leaving for
Portland. "At the conference we held
today there seems 10 be a change OF
opinion on the part OF some OF those
who have opposed the right-of-way.
"A representative OF the Clatsop mill
was present at the meeting and said
that he believed there would be no op.
position By the company for right-of.
way over its property. So far as | am
able TO understand the Kinneys are
really the only people holding out
against the road, and the promotion
committee will try to arrange matters
amicably with them. | will return to
this city on Friday or Saturday to hear
how they have made out.
IF they are unsuccessful we Will
make an effort to bring the matters up
at the present term OF court and have 1t
disposed OF, SO that work may begin on
the construction. What are the prop
erty owners thinking Of, anyway! Here
il chance TO have another railroad built
into Astoria which will be OF the great
est benefit TO this entire section. Moth.
ing could be of more use TO develop the
resources OF the county, and instead Of
accepting it gladly they are opposing
the movement.
"The stockholders OF this railroad are
lust like the stockholders OF any other
company. They have put up their money
to engage in business and If they find
that there is opposition to them they
will take their money out OF the propo-
si,ion and invest it lsewhere-where IL
will be gladly accepted.
"The other property holders with
timber interests on the right t-of-way
have come to realize that 1t is impos-
sible for them to secure special rates
for the shipment of logs after the road
is finished. The Kinneys are still hold
ing out for this, however, although the
giving of Il special rate is in violation
of the antitrust laws.
Thirty miles of the road at the
Portland end have already been under
written, and if the right-of-way cannot
be secured this fall we will commence at
the other end. That means that it will
be from two to three years before the
road enters Astoria"
With the exception Of the Kinneys,
Mr.. Reid was confident that there would
be no trouble securing the right -of-way
and he has great confidence in the pro-
motion committee of the Chamber of
Commerce to smooth things over for the
road.
From outside quarters it is reported
that the real reason for opposition to
the right of-way is the demand on the
part Of property owners that they be
paid for the grading done many years
ago, and which is on the line of the
proposed right-of-way.
The railroad is anxious to use this
right-of-way because it saves consider
able work and will facilitate the con-
struction of the first few miles. Mr..
Ballentine stated, however, at the meet
ing of the Chamber OF Commerce on
Monday, that heavy growth had ap-
peared on the grading and it would re-
quire considerable work to clear off
the growth of years.
There are about two miles and half
of the right -of.way over the property
of the Kinneys, all of which was graded
years ago, and it appears that the de-
mand for price for the grading on the
former right-of-way. which lapsed be-
cause of reconstruction, is the real
bone of contention between the prop
4 l.