The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-12-03

il one breath, that the cost Of keep
ing up the streets under present con
ditions is very srca, more than Il
should be, and the building OF a
seawall will reduce the expense to
the property owner In the next
breath we are told by the same per
sons that the building OF a seawall
will create demand for labor, How
can both assertions be truet Let Us
be honest about this matter and Try
10 be truthful In discussing il, Both
Of the above propositions cannot be
true, Which will our 'nonpartisan
friends stand by
"We want factories, and along the
waterfront Is the place where most
OF them would be built Our chief
industries are fishing and lumber,
and both require plenty OF water
frontage We have some canneries
and some sawmills, situated on the
waterfront, and il we build sea-
! wall and fiji in back OF 1t We will
destroy the net racks OF the canner"
les and the booms Of the sawmills.
lie we are going to destroy the prop
critics of those now engaged in the
manufacturing business in our city
how can we expect others TO invest
money heres
"The argument is made that only
a portion Of the frontage viii be in
cluded in the seawall, at present, and
that all Of the 100000 provided fo'
lin the seawall bill viii not be re-
ouired, now. Mr. Hegardt estimated
that a seawall will cost $50 run
ming foot. That would build les'
than two miles Of seawall, while As
toria has frontage Of more thar
four miles on the Columbia river, i
seawall is to be built along only
portion Of the river front, VII!
should all the property owners b.
taxed to iti
"a five-mill levy is provided for 4
defray the expense Of eonstructin'
bulkheads or retaining walls, to pa,
interest on bonds issued for that pur
pose and for redeeming such bonds
and to pay salaries Of officers an'
general incidental expenses Of tn
commission. The present valuation
Of the taxable property in Astoria
3,470.47S, and fye-mill levy there
on would amount to $l75s239. Will
the taxes on the $4,000, authorizes
: would amount to $ls00O,0OO, leavinl
: $25s2.3o, to pay salaries Of officers
incidental expenses and redeem
bonds. After the officers and tn
incidental expenses are paid hoV
much will be left to redeem bonds
"The man who has a home in on
city has it mortgsged at the presen
time for only 100000. and, Of course
it won't add much to put anothe
$4,000 on top Of 1t. The interes
tax on the city and the county, a
the present time is nearly, il no
quite, $4s,OOO annually. The thre
amendments to the charter II passed
will authorize the levy Of II mill
additional, and IL mills on the pres
ent valuation Of the taxable propert,
Of the city would only amount t
S41, ,645.73. OF couse, that is moth
ing.
"The laboring man is urged I,
vote for the seawall amendment Of
the ground that it viii create labo
for him. | think the laboring men Q
Astoria are too intelligent 10 tax
that sop Destroy the values o
property and our manufactures ant
there vii be little for the laborer :
work for II the money spent il
building the seawall would build II
industries that would require the EN-
ployment Of labor, there would b
merit in the argument; but such ]
not the case. On the contrary, TIL
building of seawall win cause tn
expenditure of money thereon that
otherwise in all probability, woult
be used in creating permanent pay
rolls for our bucket brigades.
"FRANK J. TAYLOR"