The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-08-25
Firmly Denies Backing Except
by Private Capital.
TO OPEN UP THE COUNTY
Contracts 10 Garry Pulp company's Out
put For Ten Years aud win Mako
Astoria Logging and shipping Center
Ahead Of Portland.

William Reid. secretary Of the Port
band, Oregon 4 seacoast Railroad, ar
rived In Astoria yesterday and returned
10 Portland this morning after Waiting
Judge Bowlby. counsel for the railroad,
regarding the condemnation suits aled
In the ciNuit court against landowners
In tho county for right .of.way, When
interviewed last night MFR. Reid asserted
that ths road would be built, at least
work would be commenced upon II. just
as soon ~ a decision had been rendered
In the suits, the property owners buck
ing the railroads being the sole setback
TO tho construction.
Five suits were filed early In the week
and three more wcN filed yesterday.
making eight In all. only one more
suit viii bc flled ~ the right Of way
over 1903 miles Of the road 10 all smooth
sailing. About II miles Of the road 10
being fought by individual land own
ers, who, disregarding the fact that this
road win open up the richest valley In
Oregon and make railroad connection
with transcontInental lines for Astoria
BY way Of Portland, are protesting the
right OF way for individual benefits.
which are prohibited by the laws OF the
state.
Mr.. Reid states that the railroad has
plenty Of money behind II aud the larg'
est part Of the bonds are held In Lon.
don, tho building Of the line being back
ed by California capitalists. He scouts
the report that the road Is being built
BY either the Hill or Hartman inter
ests and declares that II is absolutely
independent of all other means except
its own. lie said that the big roads had
offered TO buy the road, but he and his
colleagues have no intention OF accept.
Ing any offers, either at present or here.
After
Where would be the benefit Of the
road TO Astoria or to the people along
the line II II were into the hands OF the
Southern Pacific or the Northern Pa
ciac,' said Mr.. Reid. at would mean
that freight would be hauled over the
one road to distant points at rates in
excess OF those which viii be charged
by the +. 0, & S, r. r. What we want
Ia line that win have access to East
Portland aud ship its freight over any
tianscontinental line that II desires.
'"rhew Is not even a remote posi-.
bility Of the new road being taken over
by any OF the big railroads, We have
all the money necessary for the com.
pletion OF the line, and work will be
commenced upon 1t just as soon as the
suits in the circuit court have been set.
tied, Work OH the construction would
have already commenced and been well
on the way except for these suits, and
| fail to see why property owners In
Clatsop county are not more alive to
their own good by having the road go
through as rapidly as possible, rather
than try to stop its progress.
"rhis road Is the only means for
opening up the richest fruit section in
the state-that in the Nehalem Valley
The fruit grown in that section Is be-
yond the conception Of anybody who has
not seen it. he>timber along the line
of the road will take the next thirty
or fourty years to handle There are
billions Of feet Of the finest wood pro.
duct In the west and the railroad has
already made arrangements for ten
years to ship the output Of the vii.
lamette Paper & Pulp Company to the
mouth of the Lewis and Clark River,
where it will be put into rafts and taken
TO Portland.
"This new road viii be the means Of
supplying Astoria with logs enough for
mills in this city for years to come. 1t
will result in ocean ships securing their
lumber at this port instead of going up
the river for it. Portland manufactures
the lumber, and Of course the product of
!, the factories Is turned out there and
will demand shipping, But, with fac.
tories in Astoria there will be- no need
Rfor ships to pass Astoria for cargoes.
They will get ALL they want at this