, 1880-10-02


TAs aesas of tie OregJ JniAn Railway
Company have introduced bill Into the
Oregon State Legislature now in session,
to take the public levee from the city OF
Portland, and TO give it to the Railway
Company with other, privileges, which IN
cludes the right OF way through the "hois
length of Front street, with nigh, TO take
possession Of and Use the foot Of "rery
street terminating on the river for depot
and shipping purposes in short, 1t pro-
poses to deprive the city of Portland OF Its
entire water front, for the purpose OF gir-
ing merciless corporation complete ana
exclusive control, not only of the com
merce of the Willamette Valley, but, to
q very great extent, that OF the Upper
Country also.
The fact that Portland Is, at present.
the soleentrepot for the Pacific North vest,
of which Walla Walla spart, induces US
TO unite with the Portland press IN an
emphatic condemnation OF the measure
The very audacity Of the proposal Is ITS
most astounding feature, and but Tor the
knowledge we possess that 1t Is beng ur-
gently pushed at the State Capitol by
those who have the means tOmake friends
we would ieer at the prospect of the pass
,ge of such A measure as the climax Of
legislative ahsurdities Ii Is because OF,
this active lobbying that the citizens oi
Portland are Justly alarmed; AT this late
day. the history, and the evil effects arls-
ing from legislating in favor OF railroad
corporations, more especially on the IA
cific Coast, is so uell known, that even
the obtuse intellect Of an Oregon State
Legislator cannot fail to be Impressed
with the palpable and repeatedly demon
strated fact that nothing but disaster can
come Of it. With the notably glaring ex-
ample which the effect ofceding her water
front to a railroad corporation has had on
Sacramento staring It ia the face, the city
Of Portland cannot be otherwise than
greatly alarmed lest this threatened legs
lative step should precipitate her from,
and forever prevent her again attain
ing her proud eminence as the sole great
maritime and commercial metropolis OF
the Pacific Northwest. Sacramento trad
ed Of her water front birth right for
mess of railroad pottage; in return for The
cession of her water front to the railroad
maQnates, she was to be the heart and
center of the Pacific Coast railroad sys-
tenn: all her natural facilities for becom-
ing the great commercial emporium of
California were to be fostered, aided and
abetted to the fullest extent, by the pow
er of railroads, and by all the Influence
of their projectors, Sacramentos head
was turned by the fine promises OF her
deceivers, on their representations she
gave them good title 10 the whole length
of her wafer front, and they, by the most
audacous display Of "chey k, having Sc
cured property now worth more than a
million dollars. quietly but promptly IS-
nored their former promises, and the
doom Of Sacramento WAS sealed.
Stockton was wiser; she retains her
water front to this day, and although the
abroad was spitefully built mile or so
from the town she is making greater pro-
gress, comparatively. than Sacramento.
We leave the elaboration of the details "i
the above suggestive facts To the Portland
press; the proposed steal should never he
permitted To receive executive approval
during this session, for the Importance OF
the subject demands that 1t shall receive
the fullest discussion IN order that the
people at large and future Legislators
shall be fully informed on Just what he
steal proposes to accomplish. The com
merce Of the Columbia is already badly
handicapped with the difficulties of river
navigation, and corporation monopoly
Of the entire water front of .he city OF
Portland will have no tendency toreiieve
it. We hope That the Scotch Company
has been altogether too ''canny to be
successful IN lis attempt 10 steal great
public property. but if the legislature
prove corrupt then we earnestly advise
the merchants Of Portland To- quit that
city. bag and baggage for Seattle, and
lend their energies To the work Of con
Meeting Eastern Washington to Puget
Sound by direct road to tide water, and
If they should he only half as enterpris-
ing thee as they have been in Portland,
We will have second San Francisco IN
Washington Territory