Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1915-02-22
ASHLAND A PACE SETTER FOR
COAST CITIES.

herself in accomplishing unusual,
big and successful stunts.
Never in the history of coast city
has any proposal met with as unan-
imous support by citizens as the Ash
land mineral springs development.
Municipal watering resort develop
ment, while having been general and
successful in Europe, has never be-
fore been attempted in America. For
the first time in the history of an
American city the city of Ashland
last June voted almost unanimously
bond issue of $1l5,000 for the de-
velopment and utilization of her val
liable mineral waters. The issue was
offered about the beginning of the
European war when no municipal
bonds were being absorbed and no
outside market was found. Where
upon Ashland set another pace
Forty-eight of her wealthy citizens
organized local bond syndicate and
took over the entire issue at par and
interest so that the work might go
forward in spite of general depres-
sion.
Last Friday a contract for the
physical mineral springs plant was
awarded to Smith, Emery & Company
of San Francisco, the local syndicate
sold 100000 of the bonds it had
taken over at par and accrued inter
est, work will begin on the main
plant on February 26, and by the
Fourth of July Ashland will be full
fledged watering resort, complete in
every detail.
Not satisfied with that, Ashland
proposes now other innovations. She
is planning a modern, sanitary auto
mobile campground in one of the
most picturesque spots in America.
The grounds will be Systematically
laid out, within two thousand feet of
the postoffice and one thousand feet
of the central feature of the watering
resort development, in the heart of
the city, so to speak, yet in the at
mosphere and solitude of the noun
tains, supplied with cold springs,
cooking ovens, free wood, automobile
shelters on the bank of dancing Ash
land creek, amidst dense forests, and
accessible by water grade. This is
the first enterprise of the kind yet
attempted on the great Pacific high
way and will be completely installed
before the springs development is
completed, thanks to the forethought
of Mayor Johnson.
Another innovation IS planned and
will be successfully executed within
month, for the whole citizenship is
enthuseI on it. The Commercial
Club will add 1900 members to its
rolls in three days. This will be q
greater membership than held by any
other commercial club in the United
States. population considered, and il
will be accomplished quicker than
has ever been done by other cities
And when that is accomplished, as ii
will be, the full power of the ma
tional advertising system of the
Southern Pacific Company will be
added to a systematic local advertis-
ing campaign and by the time the
springs plant is completed the world
will know that Ashland is on the
map with the best medicinal waters,
the most beautiful environment and
the most healthful and delightful
climate to be found anywhere in the
country. Also, this plan will insure
a scientifically constructed water
cure sanatorium and O magnificent
tourist hotel, to be built while the
springs work progresses. Men who
put money into hotels and sanatori-
ums must be shown that the commun.
ity is prepared to put force enough
behind the enterprise to insure ample
patronage for such to pay interest or
the investment and insure the sue
cess of the entire enterprise.
Again, Ashland has more citizens
with money for investment than al
most any other city of its size. Dur
ing the past few years more than one
hundred thousand dollars of surplus
Ashland capital has been invested IL
unfortunate outside enterprises onl!
because profitable investments wer'
not at hand at home. There ar,
hundreds OF thousands of dollars II
local investment capital still held b,
our local people that will go int
apartment houses and furnished cot
tages as soon as it is made plain tha
power enough will be put behind tn
, enterprise to insure good tenants a
fair rent.
No city ever had such an opportun
ity. Ashland will set pace that will
attract outside capital sufficient TO
all development purposes. New OF
. portunities, new spirit, new capita
a which will be quickly attracted wi
q do the business and make Ashlan
Z.