Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1909-11-18
FROM MAJOR ABBOTT
old time FRIEND OF GRAYS
HARBOR TALKS RAILROADS.
The Major Was Indignant at Action
of CITY Council, and Wrote Before
He Was Advised Of the AmiCable
Adjustment OF Right Of way into
Aberdeen.

The following letter from Major
Abbott, at Jacksonville, Florida, was
evidently written after reading a
copy of the Herald that announced
the refusal of the city council to
pass the Union Pacific Railway fran
chise. We hope the worthy major's
mind has been set at rest ere this
by the passage of the ordinance, and
the fact that the council has prac-
tically succeeded in securing free
fOOtpaths over the bridge as we'll.
The letter is published as much to
show the interest of Major Abbott in
the Grays Harbor county, as to bear
testimony to the yOeman work done
by him in the early days, when a
friend in high circles was better than
vclumns of local newspaper talk:
Editor Herald:
The papers came yesterday and
was much interested in them, par
ticularly in the doings of the City
Council, which handled the grant
ing of a franchise to the railroads
SO badly.
1t was on par of the way in
which when through the help OF the
Abbott family in high places out OF
consideration to me, it presented
through me, government money
enough to give Aberdeen as deep
water as any place on Grays Har-
Dor. and its mayors and councils dur
ing that period instead of staying by
its own. the city of Aberdeen, and
insis+inu that the money be eXpend-
ed as | had requested, gave it away
to a rival town, it's envious nelghbor
on the west. Now, this may he
thought all right by pin headed peo-
ple. but for Aberdeen it was all
wrong.
Your water and rail Transporter
tion is the community's principal as
set. for without them how are you
going to build an influential, and one
of the most important cities in the
state of Washington or on the "a
cifc coast? Without them your IN
dustries will soon leave you one Dy
ono and others will refuse to come
because of the incompetent men on
your city councils who represent tie
people.
If will soon become known that
vour council are not progressive men
enough to seize, as any other com
munitv gladly would, when great
transcontinental railroads built 10
their doors and call for admittance
in order to help make a great city
such have a right to ask for much
in their franchises for they give IN
the long run far more than they ask,
and any councilman who is not broad
enough to at once seize the lacl' IL
not fit for the situation.
,iticD1 time in ne iiiE-
tory of Grays Harbor, and all COM
munities should see to it that mn
brainy enough are placed on the u!t-
ferent councils to grasp any situa-
tion that may arise for the better
ment of the Harbor.
AS a city | am for Aberdeen as 1t
is my adopted home, and | am iona
of the locality, but as a whole, | am
for the entire community lor WHAT
ever will make it great, frs, last,
and all the time, and | detest Il pm
headed man and especially on the
Aberdeen city council.
If has been my fortune to bring
the city and community great tnlnSS
which [ modestly assert, as | nave
a right to, and to be seconded III my
endeaIors by every council on the
harbor, not handicapped and wor-
ried as | am recovering from slight
stroke of paralysis from over work
and anxiety in the interests OK the
harbor. AS sick man hardly able
to write this communication, | ask
that you show your approval of what
have INCREASINGLY done by respond
ing favorably to the call of all rail
roads knocking at your doors tor ad-
mittance, and thereby help me to re-
gain my health and put me on my
feet again in order that | may give
the rest of my remaining strength to
the home of my adoption so long as
may live.
The Milwaukee road is one of the
very best and greatest in America
and l cannot make it seem possible
that any community would be so i'm
beetle as to refuse it entrance to
its gates, or the Union Pacific CT
Great Northern and possibly the 800
road later on.
And will other roads come if those
already at our doors are rebuffed?
What has anyone to encourage them
to try and do for community which
won't help itself, as | have done?
Let those who are not self re-
liant on the council follow in the
footsteps of Cliff WeatherwaX and
other worthy followers in knee
breeches Of their sires in the good
old days. when they had faith in me
TO do things and admit those who
Will and can help you whom have
Indirectly brought to your doors and
will help To make YOU great-a thirty
ing city Of standing and influence
instead Of q baclwoods village. Then
will YOU no able to probably elect
your congressman and not before