The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-04-10
THE FEREMEN's EXCURSION.

TUESDAY was made lively day In Corvallis,
by visit from the Albany Fire Company, accom-
panied BY large number Of citizens. The p. T..
Company, (s'the soulless monopoly" as Bro. Ab-
bott would call it) placed their splendid steamer
"Reliance" at tho disposal of the Fire Company,
free Of charge, for the benefit Of tho Albany Fire
department.. Each passenger was charged fifty
cents for tho round trip, which went into the treas
ury of the Fire Company. Tho steamer mado
a fine display, ar she steamed past, and then Raily
rounded to our wharf. with colors flying, fine
band Of music playing, and tho decks crowded
with the beauty. youth and ehivalry Of our neigh
boring city. Preceded by the band, tho company,
in uniform, paraded through streets for while,
strulled through city. and ut noon congrcgated
at the City Hotel, where bountiful repast had
been provided for them. Here they were made
the guests, and rendered the hospitalities Of cur
city, in a neat and appropriate impromptu address
by Judge Chenoweth, City Attorney. Which was
responded to in a very happy manner by the fore
man of the company, Mr.. Joseph Webber. Not
being present, we cannot speak from observation
of the dinner. The Major never docs anything
IN his line by halves So Of course il was good.
The day was fine, with the exception Of shower
or two, and our visitors appeared TO enjoy them
selves very we'll. About half past p. NJ, at the
sound of the whistle, they rushed on board the
boat, and as she steamed away, amid tho shouts Of
those shore. and answered by those on the boat.
the band struck up and played 'lIome, sweet
of the Democra. Van cleyc, Of the Register,
was barely visible"
The chief reason why we were not
there should have suggested itself to
the editor of the Gazette. 1t is that
of sickness in our family. Mr.. Brown
was not along because he was in Port
land to receive his mother, just from
Iowa, whom he had not seen for sew
eral years.
One word relative to the fling about
the ''soulless monopoly" We have
called the p. T. Co. ''soulless monop-
oily" The term is not at all original
with us. It is applied to all incor-
porated bodies of men who have no
opposition to contend against BY it
we do not intend to say-as some in
the interest of this Company would
have the public believe-that the P. T.
Company, individually, are not gentle
men, or that as Company they arc in
capable ofany good or praiseworthy ac-
tions. They may be a soulless mon
opcly-they may buy off and run of
all opposition, and brow-beat editors
and others who oppose thcm-they
may get enormously wealthy through
the necessities of the people of the
Willamette Valley, and yet they may
occasionally do a very handsome
thing. There is nothing strange in
this at all. We have read history
some little, but we do not now re.
member to have read of one tyrant
who did not, on some occasions, per.
form some noble deeds. If we rccol.
lect Alright even Nero, one of the
most brutal tyrants the world ever
produced, was no exception to this re.
mark. On the same principle is the
action of and actuated by similar mo-
tives, is the poisonous reptile that daz
zles, and bewilders, and charms its
victim till the opportune moment ar
rives, and then remorsclessly crushes
it to death and gulps it down for q
meal. It was kind in the p. 7. Com.
pany TO place "their splendid steamer
Reliance at the disposal of the Fire
Company, free of charge, for an excur
sion for the benefit of the Albany Fire
department" Whether they did Sc
from purely benevolent motives or not
is another question. Il may be that
they desired to regain some of the
ground they have lost in the public
confidence and regard, as we'll as tC
help the Fire Company. There is .
great deal of philanthropy now-a-day'
that is spurious; and it may be thai
the P. 7. Company,-to whose coat
tail the editor of the Gazette clings Sc
tcnaciously-is not always actuated
by the purest motives in their acts o
benevolence. The public can form
their own conclusions on this qucs
ton.
p. S. Since writing the above W.
have had some facts related to Vi
which we will briefly state. Tuesday
the day on which the excursion t.
Corvallis was made, was the regular
trip-day of the boat To Corvallis. Th,
Reliance would have gone up OF
that day anyhow. She raised steam
and started at her usual hour and b,
being so early many persons in Al
bany who intended to go up were lef
behind. The Fire Company thus los
a nice little sum of money, which the
might now have, had the boat tarrie'
a little,-as people had right to sur
pose she would under the circumstar
ces. Arrived at Corvallis the "Rel
ance" discharged and took on board
large quantity of freight, and tarrie
but a short time beyond her usus
hour. The placing of the 'Relianc
at the disposal of the Fire Company
free of charge" was not, therefors
such fearfully magnificent thing a
ter all said and done. It did not ir
terfere particle with her regula
/