The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1878-09-21

relating to tisheE1es and to the Hahine interest
ire faithfully carried out. They should be /
also to consider the subject Of tbs
Introduction, propagation aud culture of fish
u the waters Of this State, and, if deemed /
sxpedient, to provide for stocking our rivers
with valuable varieties of fish by the known
scientific methods. The commissioners should |
be given power to appoint seine inspectors,
ETC., to cooperate with the commissioners of
other States and to do all other Things neces-
sary to foster this important interest. To
this subject call your special attention.
The president and secretary of the Portland
Board of Trade, In their last annual report,
claim that the receipts Of our salmon fisheries
for the present year were over half million
dollars less than for the previous year, an at
tribute much of this diminution Of trade to
the want Of proper legislation on this subject.
submit for your consideration the following
extract from that report :
g The catch for last year--1878-of canned
salmon amounting to 395. 600 cases, the aver
age price obtained for which was about So, or
-, $40, 900. The catch of this present year.
ending August lst, is about so 600 cases less,
or only 345, 600 cases; while the price is also
reduced at present to S5 20, at which price it
realizes about 81, 500, 900 to our eanneries.
In 1876 the production was 43S. 730 cases,
so that i'll two years our canned salmon
has decreased % per cent.--a serl-
Gus matter for the careful consideration
of onr next Oregon Legislature, who have in
their hands. by wise or imprudent legislation,
the power either to increase and develop our
fisheries, or to let them decay each year
las the above figures show they have been
doinel until that valuable article of COM
meree viii be forever lost to our people.
We have each year so often pressed the
importance of legislation on this vital ques
ton, that it seems scarcely necessary to re-
peat the same. As the matter now stands,
Congress believes it has no power to regulate
our salmon fisheries, and therefore the Terri
tory Of Washington and State of Oregon can
alone mntusliy pass laws on this point.
Washington Territory has done her part,
having passed law which was very carefully
framed in accordance with the experience and
wishes of the preprietors OF eannerIes on both
sides of the Columbia river and the salmon
protection committee of this board, and which
law can only take effect upon lll legislative
enactment of the State of Oregon, and t2) on
the Oregon Legislature ratifying and adopting
the same law, verbatim, which the Territory
of Washington has passed.
RIVER AND HARBoR IMPROVEMENTS.
For years past, necessary appropriations
have been made for the Improvement OF
our rivers, but the harbors on the coast of
Oregon have not received these Dement'S to
any considerable extent The commerce OF
the coast Is now growing so rapidly that
improvements are absolutely necessary to
afford facilities for this increasing trade.
In some places they not only change their
location but bank up so that loaded vessels
cannot cross them. 1t often happens that
vessels entering without cargoes and load
ing inside for the outward voyage are land
locked for months during the winter by
these shifting bars. Persons engaged in
business at Coos Bay and 1oquille river
have had some very severe experience in
this respect. For the extent of its coal de-
posits, and for the variety, abundance and
excellent quality of its timber, Coos Bay
cannot be surpassed in our State, and per-
haps not on the coast. But the important
ana growing trade of this section is greatly
retarded every year by the shifting of the
bar at Coos Bay, and also at the mouth of
the Eoquille river. II is estimated that the
loss of business there this year on this ac-
count, will exceed a half million of dollars.
Such a bar can be improved and perma-
nent channel kept open by the aid OF jetties
within the harbor. In 1878, the currents in-
| side the bar at Coos Bay formed natural
| jetty and passed out where there is &C pres
| ent q sand spit to be seen at all stages of
| the tide. The water on the bar at that time
| was thirty feet in depth. But there was
nothing to fix these eccentric currents, and
causes during the next year as to open up
| new outlets, and the bars were shifted to
| different places, the water over them being
reduced to less than half its previous depth,
| The Columbia River and bar also require
| attention. It is not necessary To enlarge
| upon the importance of this want. 1t will
| be most unwise to wait until the valuable
commerce of this river is injured by heavy
| sand deposits within present channels. The
| time will come when jetties will be needed
| at the mouth of the Columbia, and we
| should begin at once to press upon Congress
| the importance of this improvement. There
| are other harbors in our State that should
receive similar attention.
In order to and our Senators and Repre-
sentativesi in their efforts to procure the nee
essary appropriations for these improve
| ments, you should, by joint memorial, urge
| the matter on the attention. of Congress.
Appropriations have already been made for
! the survey of Coos Bay and Coquille river.
This should be followed up by an urgent
request for further congressional aid to
| make such improvements as may be found
| to be necessary. The works which have
| been projected, and which are now in prog
reSs tor the purpose of opening up the Co
lunlbia river to general trade and COMPETE
| ton, will be of a very substantial character
when completed, and will be of immense
value to the people of that section OF the
State. Let the same aid be given our coast
harbors which has been extended to our
rivers, and ali obstruetions to free and
healthy trade wall soon be removed.
SWAMP LANDS.
1HGf6 is urgent De6u OF sOf1e dQQ1LlODal
legislation with reference to the sale of
lands belonging to the State of Oregon.
The present law does more to embarrass
than TO aid the Board of School Land Com
missioners in disposing of these lands. The
chief object which the State has, or ought
to have, in view in accepting this grant, is
| TO sell the land acquired under ii at tue ear
/ lleSt possible moment, for its own benefit
and for that of the purchasers. It is OBJ
vions. therefore. that the sooner it is dis
posed of and the money paid into the treas
ury the better it will be for all concerned.
The law of 1870, however, instead of declar-
ing the title to the grant to be in the State
absolutely, and directing the proper offi-
GERS, as soon as selections could be made, to
sell the lands outright and give the full and
final conveyanceS to the purchasers imme-
diateiy upon the payment of the price, was
50 framed as to postpone the issuance of
patents for an indefinite period, and indeed
to render 1t extremely uncertain. Under
this law the applicant is required to drain
the land applied fer, or otherwise to render
| it dit for cultivation. Cultivation of the land
for three years 'in either grass, the cereals
| or vegetables, is declared to be a sufficient
reclamation within the meaning of the act.
The modes of freciarnationsare not definitely
stated /; but it seems that the law contem.
plates that the land shall be drained in all
cases. tits claimed, however, that the most
of this land is of such a character that
drainingi it would destroy its value entirely.
II is more profitable at present for its
III uSSVo tldsi IOI any 6lst, anu W pro-
duce these it is best that it should remain as
1t is. Besides, as fast rs it is needed or can
be renderd valuable for other uses, it will
be maize available by its owners without
any legal enactments on the subject. 1t is
to The interest OF the owner of land To apply
it to that use for which it is best fitted and
which VIII yield him the greatest returns;
and in this regard his interests are identical
with those of the public. 1t drainage will
improve the swamp lands and make them
more valuable, the purchaser will drain
them without being required to do SO. On
the other hand. il drainage will diminish
their value it ought not TO he demanded by
the Legislature. In either ease, whatever
is best for the purchasers is best for the State
also.
The restrictions imposed by the present
law upon purchasers of swamp lands cer-
Applicants do not feel like paying for drain
ing land which, when drained, will be
worthless to them. They may dig few