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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 26, 1889)
WKST SIIOKK. '.1,1 Probably no city in the I'nited States has done less for itH own adornment, and has taken lo-w forethought fur itn future Is-auty, well Wing or tin pleasure of its citizens, than Portland. Parks, boulevards, fountains, etc., are to be neon almost everywhere nave in thin eity, which might, if it would, rival theui all. To he mire, we have a eity park in the rough, which, even if Uau tilled as it should lie, will lie woefully inadequate to our needs ten yoara hence, and we have one fountain, the gift of a departed citizen, hut we have no grand avenue, though jMtHsessiug facilities for making one of surpassing magnificence. Through the heart of the eity, from the hilla on the south to II street on the north, a distance of one and one half miles, runs a tract one hundred feet wide, dedicated to the pithlic mm a park. For the purine to which it is devoted it In practically useless, as a long, narrow strip of that kind can never lie utilized bh a park, hut for a grand avenue it in most eminently fitted, and at a comparatively Hinall oxjienso Portland could make here one of the grandest driveways in the world, lined on either hand ly beautiful shade trees, llowers, foliage plants and ornamental shrubs. The greatest dillieulty to he en countered is a legal one, since a diversion of the prop erty from the uses for which it was dedicated to the public can only lie done by obtaining the consent of the heir of the original donors, and by securing title to those blocks Is tween Taylor and A streets, which, ow ing to legal complications, failed to limilly Income tin property of the public. These hitter must U- purchased, ami to secure a fund for this purine an idea has ken suggested by a prominent attorney who has given much thought to the subject. On either side of the bkk runs a street, and if a strip twenty-live f.rt wide were vacated by the city council, title to that strip would vest in the owners of the abutting prosrty. H Wri the vacation ordinance in passed, an agreement could Is prH ured from such prox rty owners to pay into fund an agreed sum, such fund to ! applied upon the purchase of the bhs ks mentioned. The scheme is l-erfoetly practicable, but would require mm h patient and zealous effort on the part of some one taking d-. p interest in its success. Initial proceeding" might I taken by tho Ixwird of trade, in the apN.intment of a serial committee to take charge of the matter and put it in shaM. for aetion by the city council. A Inter source from which action in this matter could sprmg would I an improvement ass-iation of bus,.-., mm and pr..HTty owners formed for the spnial pur. ..f promoting the improvement of the city, and u h society could find ampl' ' for it nUt. m IWt land. Theoutiim-softhiHs, hc have ben lut sug gested herewith the h. that "' f ur mL-rpri- ing.ud patriotic citizens will lake hold of the ,...t.r andwhatcanlK-avmplishnl That h " nue would lie most dsirable, that such a pursue Is tho 1hhI to which the rk block can lie devoted and that this can U done much more cheaply now than at any time in the future, are three considerations that suggest the advisability of immediate action. The alarming frequency of accidents on the rail roads of the northwest because of the efforts of cattle to drive locomotive from the track ha Isvoine a question of deep public concern. Nearly every tate in the Union ha a statute coiuclling railroad to fence their right of way and build cattle guard at all crossings, and it is time such a law found it place on our statute Isstks. At common law the railroad company hasjust the same rcsmsihilitics as an individual in the use of its property, and is not only not required to fence its Mal hut is not liable for damages by reason of acci dents caused by cattle straying iihiu the track unless gross carelessness is shown in the management of (he train. It was early recognized, however, that a hsie motive rushing at gnat speed along on Iron track was a mighty engine of destruction which could not In any way be compared to anything ordinary indivldualsctn. ployed in using their property, and In most stales, as in Oregon, statutes were enacted rendering a couiny liable for all damages resulting from a iieglevl to fence the track Hut most states have gone a step Uyond this, ami the lime has Mine when this step must also lie taken here. Ilehind the rushing locomotive and completely at the mercy of him who controls the Iron horse, are millions of human l-ings annually, whose lives are too precious to l placed in Jeopardy simply to save a railroad company the rene of building a fen.v along its track. It Is not enough that the mm ponies I compelled to pay for all damages Inllicted, the chief thing Is to render a sn ure a sible the lives of those who eiilrnsl their persons to thelf rare, snd so long s the trat k is on to the appro h of cat tle, those lives are placed ill needless Jeopardy. Il is a question whether the accident are not re ei n- sive Ihnu would I the construction and inalnlenauew of a fi-ii.-r. and rvsluing this, the companies may do as m- as ire of reollomy what ought to m required of them as a simple matter of public safety, Al all event the duty of all legislatures i plain In tlm matter, and the i I rigid law should I d and up.rted with adequate lialtle lo an lire their rnfurerliM'lit. Il is unlawful for t atlle. hor, h p or swinn to roam at lare through the street of Portland The re straint of tie creatures within lit" city limits Is d. mand.-l a matter of public and Individual safety ftt.d convenience and the law I generally dnvr.. , ftholcsotlir attempt is l-ins; made beyond the Vi. I,,,,. He to aUte th fjUatioii Army iiukvi.. fnnii