The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1880-12-17
rnk WAGON RoAD llsD GRANT.

tain road company to the present own.
ers, John A Crawford, Of this city, who
was President of the w. V. & G.. NJ.
w. r. Co, sets him and the 0,eyoaian
up in this style
70 The Editor Of thc 0regoni.a
In the paper of the sth you publish
teleglaphio dispatch from Washing.
ton, headed can Oregon Fraud" and
on the 9th inst leading article begin
ming discovered at Last" Both are
based upon a report said to have been
rendered to the general land office by a
special agent named Prosser. In your
leading article yoa use the expression,
"a fraud which has long been notori.
Gus in Oregon" When anyone, wheth.
or Especial agent of the land Office" or
not, says one thing and writes tho OPP
posite, the public should know it, espe-
oially when he is made the organ of
charges of gigantic and notorious dis
honesty.
Mr.. Prosser was introduced to me at
Albany about the 2lst of September,
and told me that be was a government
officer deputed to so over and examine
the road, from complaints that had
been made at tho land Office that there
was no road and that it was fraud on
the government. l asked for and he
then showed me his instructions, which
included letter from hIr. Barnes,
making these statements. lie proposed
to buy or hire an Indian pony, under
the belief that there was no road. lie
was amazed to find that two-horse
carriage could so over the road. l in
troduced him To Mr.. Jason Wheeler, of
Albany, and arranged for him to have a
two-horse carriage, and they started.
Before they started Mr.. Prosser had
conversation in my presence with Dr.
w. +, Alexander, who told him that
he had weighed on Fairbanks scale
six wagon loads going over the noun
tains, and that with single team they
took 1900 ard 2500 pounds, and double
teams flom $500 to $500 ounds, with
out any trouble. He also saw Mr.. w.
K. Price, who told him hat his team
was a small one, but he took 1900
pounds over ihe mountains with ease.
They returned ON the evening Of the
10Th of October, and faw Mr. Prosser
at bis hotel. lie toll ne that be was
very sgreeaIly disappointed, for the
road was evea better than lad been
represented by me- 70 lin, and that the
man that pu: in the report to tie land
Office put itin With some design, and
that it was lie f,on the word 90. lie
said that the road vas the best noun
tain road be had travelled in this or any
other country, and that it must have
cost an Immense amount Of money aud
labor to make such read through so
rough country. He said il would be
better for one or two more bridges. /
told him that they had been put there
originally, but that the mountain fires
bad burned them out and stopped the
travel, and that it had becu found bet
ter to grade down TO forda. inE,es.l ~"d
clear the streams for passage. He also
remarked that between Ochoco and
Camp Harney-that is from $50 miles
to 293 miles from Albany-where the
water in places had washed the dirt
from among tho rocks it had LEFT it
little rough for wagons, and that it
needed some repsirs. l remarked that
1 did not think the company was
obliged to keep it in repair beyond the
part who're they .ook tolls. But that
knew that all the company bad re
ceived for tolls and more had always
been expended on the road. He told
me that be had seen and talked with
many of the settlers along tho road,
that they were ell we'll pleased With
the road, and that he considered it the
greatest enterprise he had seen in all
This western country to open up that
eastern country to this Willamette val
10y.
Except as above stated Bfr. Prosser
made no complaint about the road, but
ou the contrary expressed bis admira-
lion and satisfaction with il.
l tIave'ed the road myself first in
1871 with a party which went from
Albany out to Camp Harney, 293
niles. The road was then in good fix
md in condition at which We were all
surprised. We had four horse team
Ind two horse carriage. We went
rom 20 TO so miles a day and bad no
whatever. We found good
.oad all the way, bridges Wherever nee,
,ssary, and no difficulty in crossing any |
streams that we're not bridged, in fact
n tie eastern section bridges were not
necessary or desirable, for the streams
ire small and shallow and even if
bridges were there traveller would
vOuld take the ford in preference, that
,e might water his stock.
l am not one Of the original stock