The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-01-07
Astoria's Chief Executive Points
Out Evils That Have
Been Cured.
Council Meets in Regular Session Last
Evening and Transaets Much Business
COMMITTEES Are Resppointed--Dr.
Reames Named az City Physician.

The common council In response to q
call By the Mayor met In special session
at the City Hall yesterday AT IL noon
for the purpose Of listening to the read
Ing OF the Mayors message to that body,
and for tho further purpose Of fixing a
time fer the regular sessions OF the
council for The ensuing year
Promptly al the hour named the
council was called to order BY His
Honor, tho Mayor, all Of the members
being present At the conclusion oi
the rollcal and reading OF the call ior
special session, the Honorable Mayor.
Herman Wise. read to the body his an.
nnnl message, which follows;
Astoria. Ore. Jan @, lD0S.
To the Honorable Gentlemen OF the
Common Councils
At the threshold OF this, my third and
last year as Mayor of Astoria, | desire
To congratulate you, and through you
the people Of this city. upon the splendid
progress made during the year just
passed, The prospects for the ensuing
year are most promising While appre'
eating all these manifestations OF ma.
terial progress the year 1907 will be
remembered principally as the year when
tho City Of Astoria advanced to a
cleaner, higher position among the cities
Of the Northwest.
The charge that Astoria is the tough.
est town in Oregon" can no longer truth
fully be made, About forty years ago
when Astoria was mere village aud The
salmon industry first assumed important
NSoportions, most of the fishermen came
mere from the Sacramento River every
spring. and at the close of each season
they were wont TO return TO California
AZ was then said, these strangers. with
pockets full OF gold, are sure to become
the prey to the pitfalls now hourishing
In San Francisco; we might as wei
pluck them first" Thus the "BuSl
NESS" originated and il grew IN i'm
portancc until most OF us came to be-
lieve that IL was one of Astora's chiel
Industries which the bushes.
and professional world could not pros
per, nor the city pay its running ex
penses.
As the veteran soldier becomes USED
to the sight Of blood and carnage, as the
thunder Of shot and shell makes hin
oblivious to the agonizing cries OF hi
manned comrades, 50 did we become
hardened and II mattered little who fel
by the wayside, whose boys and girl
were ruined, so long as our own wep
safe, and our business shared in thC
profits. Finally the climax was reached
tor particulars OF which | refer to my
special message Of March 10th last. Il
happened to be my misfortune TO bt
Mayor at this time. Had anticipated
such o dilemma ! might well have hesi
lated to accept the office; many Of tn,
men engaged in dance halls and gam
bling had treated me most literally
none had done me harm and IL was
'nerve.racking trial to proceed against
them, but we are creatures of destiny
and must meet difficulties as best W,
can. would not be a putty Mayor
finding myself on the firing line II was
necessary to either shoot or run. coult
not honorably run--even as father ant
son, brother and friend, had to oppose
each other in uhe Civil War for a
PRINCIPLE, Hardly had one question
been settled, when last August the dis
trict attorney Of this district, like thu
district attorneys in most other Oregon
districts, and they like the prosecuting
attorneys in other states, were forced
by an overwhelmin~ public opinion tc
stop wide.open, indiscriminate, gam
}ling. This city, however, had become
ESQ accustomed to depending for part OF
its revenues upon these sources, that the