Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-03-27
CONCERNING
WATER FRONT
FOR THE CITY

During the last of November, 1911,
negotiations were begun between
Mayor Lachmund and the street COM
mittee Of the city council on the one
part and the Spaulding Logging COM
pany with a view to Vacating certain
streets and alley in the vicinity Of
the Spaulding mill in return for
which the city would acquire the
water front for a distance Of two
blocks, the negotiations being
blocked by the action Of the council
in a refusal to adopt the scheme as
planned by the parties to the nego-
tiations. The land to be acquired
was the water front from Court to
Center street, for which It was
agreed that certain streets and al
leys were to be vacated. The alley
west Of Front street from Trade
street to State street was to be va
Gated as we'll as Ferry street from
Front street TO Water street and Wa
ter street from Court street souther-
ly TO the slough and westerly TO the
willamette river. The Spaulding
company was also to furnish $4,000
worth Of lumber in addition to the
land TO be decided to the city. The
negotiations to this deal we're inltlat-
ed by the mayor and Mr.. Lafky,
chairman Of the street committee,
the Spaulding company having moth
ing to do about starting the pro-
ceedings any further than to assent
to the proposition as placed before
It by the representatives Of the city
council The representatives of the
city were acting clearly within the
limits Of the authority vested in
them by virtue Of their respective
capacities and large portion of
public spirited and far-seelng men Of
the city gave the proposition their
hearty approval The matter was
brought to the attention Of the coun-
Gil on November 6, 1911, and for a
time It appeared that the deal would
be contaminated but on account OF
some feeling that existed at that
time, the proposition fell through
with when It came up for action at
the next regular meeting, and a res
OlutiOn was introduced and passed,
which gave the Spaulding company
notice TO clear the streets and alley
of all distractions This notice was
served and all negotiations were at
once dropped.
The deal was certainly good one
for the city as by making the trans
fers the city would acquire valuable
river front property that in the fu-
ture would be Of incalculable value,
and especially so since the purchase
by the government of the locks at
Oregon City, by which the william
cite river is now open TO the free
passage OF all kinds Of boats. With
the opening of the river traffic by
that route will be greatly stimulated,
and II was with a view TO still fur
ther helping traffic by that route
that the negotiations with the Spauld-
ing company were begun by the city's
representatives. In the proposition
made by II, the Spaulding company
stated, and It is a fact, that the
streets and alleys We're practically
appropriated by that company in
their use for a mill site and for the
sheds and lumber piled thereon and
are used by no one except that COM
pany and It's patrons As to whether
this gave the company ownership Of
the land by reason OF said occu-
pancy for period continuing for
over 10 years, would be a question
for the courts to decide but the gen
eral opinion was at the time that
such might be the case, While the
presumption was very strong that
such occupancy would give the said
company the owndrshop of the
streets and alleys, the spaulding
company was willing to make great