The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-08-18
COUNCIL HOLDS A
LONG SESSION

| 3N 49, 6A66AVA
MATTER OF THE IRVING
STREET IMPROVEMENT rs
DISCUSSED BUT NO SoLU.
TON FOUND.
In meeting that lasted until II
o'clock last night the common council
brought up several matters Of unusual
interest. The matter OF the subsiding
and sliding earth on the Irving ave-
nue. I'll at 18th street was considered
at great length, and finally il was de.
cided to appoint committee to con-
Ter with the contractor, Mr. Goodin,
with the object in view Of seeing II
something cannot be done. Mr. Good
in was present at the meeting last
night When the suggestion was
made that il would be best for him to
drop his contract he said he would
like TO. but did not see how he can
II he stops the work for a day or two
1t is probable that he may lose all Of
the work that he has done. as the
whole hill may slide away in that
time The contractor seems to be
somewhat in the position OF the man
who hald hold Of the bears tail; he
would like to have let go, but
dared not.
In the meantime committee CON
sisting OF the city engineer, the city
attorney, and the street committee,
will look into the matter and will try
10 devise some plan. II Is agreed on
all sides that the work should be
stopped at once. To keep on filling
in with earth is simply like pouring
water into rat hole.
City Engineer Tee suggested that
there is really possibility OF great
danger. The whole hill may go out
with a rush sometime, and thus it is
menace to the people below along the
Scow Bay front Various theories Of
what causes the submergance OF the
ground have been advanced, and each
had the merit at least OF being dif
ferent from the others. Since The AS
torian called attention to this freaky
bit OF ground scores Of people have
gone there to look it over and it is
well worth an inspection
Another Problem.
A problem OF hardly less interest
has arisen as a result OF the improve
nents on Commercial street, at the
west end where the cutting is now
going on. There is one place the
street is to be filled up to consider
.ble extent above the land owned by
Mr.. Hahn. Mr.. Hahn refuses to per-
nit the earth to be filled in on his |
ground to form lateral support for
he street; the only other way to hold
ip the street when filled in is by
means OF an abutting bulkhead. The
question is: must the city build its
,wn bulkhead to support its street,
'r, must the adjacent property owner
,uild the bulkhead to keep the street
II its proper position and to keep it
rom falling in on his property. 1t
S a question that some supreme
ourts have held one way, while 9TH
RS have held the other way. At all
vents the council adopted a resolu-
ion last night calling for the con-
truction of a bulkhead there, with
he idea in view, evidently, of form
ig an assessment district out of Mr..
iahn's property and thus making him
ay for the privilege of keeping the
treet off from his property.
Mr.. Laurin Resigns.
T, F, Laurin, police commissioner,
ent in his resignation to the council
lst night. 1t was accepted. Mr.
,aurin said he was about to leave the
ty for considerable period in
sarch of better health. The name of
Ir S s. Gordon had ben suggested
, the successor of Mr. Laurin, and
st night Mr.. Gordon said he prob
ply would accept the place if offered
, him, But the council and Mayor -,
led off into a private room last night
" silent meditation and prayerful
of this political matter,
I'd when they filed back into the
,uncil chamber it was announced
lat inasmuch as doc" Logan was
1t of town nothing would be done .
ith the appointment of a successor