Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1915-10-01
= 80
NEWPORT


A mass meeting of the citizens
Of Newport and vicinity was held
the Commercial Club rooms on
the evening of September 9th
for the purpose of discussing and
considering the proposition to
raise among The citizens of New
port and Lincoln county the
SUM Of one hundred thousand
dollars in negotiable notes or
money to aid the Portland and
West Coast Railroad and Navi-
cation company to build the first
fifteen miles of road out Of New
port along the company's right
of way. II this proposition is
accepted by the company work
of grading and construction is
to commence within sixty days
from the time the contract is
signed. This money is to be
placed in escrow and is not avail
able until fifteen miles of the
road Led is graded and the ties
and rail are laid ready for the
rolling stock. When this is done
the company is entitled to the
money. The cost of building
the road will be, according to
estimates, 10000 per mile. The
meeting was called to order by
S. G. Irwin, who was made per-
maSent chairman, and Mr..
Prosser secretary. The chair
man stated that he would put up
$1,000 il one hundred men
would put up the same amount
Of money. Mr.. Irwin said the
building Of this railroad is the
most important thing that could
occur to this coast country. He
said the timber holders were the
most vitality interested Of any
and would do more to get the
road built than any others. He
said this road was more impor-
tant to the country than the i'm
provement of the bar and har-
Dor. He said il mills were in
stalled and logging roads built
to the timber line lumber could
all be shipped by such vessels as
the Fifield and Bandon. We do
not know what an era of pros
perity will come to Newport and
Lincoln county till this timber
begins to move. The committee
on resolutions were instructed
to forward the resolutions to the
company with copy of the pro-
ceedings of the meeting. The
committee on resolutions was
Simpson, Irwin and Kelley. The
meeting was largely attended
and was very enthusiastic. Sew
eral gentlemen made speeches
urging the Importance Of build
ing the road, among them were
Simpson, Kelley, Carter, Belt,
Kirkland and others.
The following letter, regarding
the railroad, is self explanatory:
Newport, Or, Sept. 81, 1915.
"To The Portland and West
Coast Railroad and Naviga-
ton company, Portland, Or.
"Gentlemen:-We, a body of
citizens representing the Com
mercial interests of Lincoln
county, do hereby present to
your company the following pro-
posal, relating to the construc-
ton of a railroad into the city of
Newport: The necessity of such
a road is imperitive, immense
bodies of most valuable timber
and other resources requiring
development are adjacent to va
quina harbor. And, as seaside
resort, Newport is unequalled on
the Pacific Coast.
"As we practically have no
adequate facilities for transpor-
tauon, either for passengers or
commodities of any kind, we
therefore ask your company to
build a railroad running over
your right Of way, beginning at
Newport and thence following
the course of your survey north
ward to a terminus in Portland.
AS an inducement for such an
immediate undertaking would
you consider a bonus of not to
exceed One Hundred Thousand
Dollars ($100,000) to be raised
by us, this money to be placed
In escrow until such time as
you shall have completed and
placed in regular operation the
first fifteen miles of road out of
Newport, the construction of
said road to begin not later than
sixty days after the acceptance
OF this proposal?
Hoping that Won NAV give