The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-02-06

through great difficulties, requiring unusual
energy and perseverance. The incessant
rains and storms were not to be regarded.
The enterprise was crowded to successful
completion. The great work is accomplish
ed. You are one of us, and IN behalf of the
good people of Corvallis and Benton county,
bid you welcome. lCheers.l
RESPONSE BIZ HON. ]. N. DoLPH.
Mr.. Dolph responded as follows:
Judge ChenoscetHs and Citizens of Benton
County: exceedingly regret that the pres
ident of the company, Mr. Willard, or Mr..
Koehler, the manager, by whose energy the
construction of the railroad to Corvallis in
| spite of the obstacles mentioned by you, are
not here to listen to and respond to your
very fattering address. But in behalf of
| the men who had sufficient faith in the fu-
ture of your state and the resources of your
county to furnish money for the construc-
tion of the road, and of the president and
| manager of the road, thank you for this
demonstration and complimentary address.
You have referred to the early history and
condition of Oregon when the means of trans
portation were few and the principal occu-
patton of the settlers was the pasturing of
their hocks on Uncle Sans domain, and
| that the growth of the state had been slow.
| We were so far removed from the eastern
states and the great centers of population
that immigration to our state has been re-
! tarded. There are other causes besides
| the gold excitement in California Which have
| tended to prevent rapid increase in the
| population of this valley. Western Oregon
has furnished from the beginning considera-
! BILE proportion of the emigration to Eastern
Oregon, Idaho and Washinton territories,
ann this is one reason why railroads and 9TH
| er facilities for transportation have come
| slowly. You hare reason to congratulate
yourselves upon the completion of the rail
| road to your city. As to whether it will
prove profitable investment to its projec-
tors may still be considered problematical
question. So far as heretofore constructed
it has not been profitable. But you have a
road, good road, laid with steel rails frem
st. Joseph to Corvallis, and when well bal
lasted will be the best road in Oregon and
equal to any on the Pacific coast. Whether
it is in advance of the demands of the eoun-
try or not, you may congratulate yourselves
that you have it [Applause] congratulate
you also upon the the beginning of better
times, not only for Benton county, but for
the whole state Among the signs of in
creasing prosperity / will mention the pro-
posed construction by the Oregon Railway
Navigation Co. of a standard gauge road
river to connect with the Northern Pacific, |
and one other standard gauge which may be
constructed to bring Oregon in connection
with the the railroad system of the United
States. 1t is significant for more reasons
than one. It gives greater transportation
facilities to the Columbia river valley, and |
directs the commerce of the fertile region of |
Eatsern Oregon and Washington territory
towards Portland, the metropolis of the |
10 nd 4h,c ind.
county and the whole state, for each portion
is interested in the development of every
other portion. / will mention also the |
construction of two hundred miles of the |
Northern Pacific from Snake river eastward |
into the wheat growing regions Of Washing
ton and Idaho. The money expended in the |
construction of these roads viii give stim-
ulrs to all business enterprises Of the state
and thus increase the general prosperity
and the construction of the fifty miles of the |
west side road during the past season marks |
the beginning of anew era in Oregon's prog
ress.
While Judge Chenoweth was speaking of |
the early history of Oregon, contrasted the
progress of this state with that of Michigan.
spent the winter of 1857 in Jackson county
in that state, i'll portion of a county that |
had been settled twenty years previously.
By their proxemity to the older settled por-
tions of this country and the early construc-
tion of line of railroad extending through
the state, in had every appearance of an old
settled connJry, farms being highly cultiva-
ted and having good buildings and fine or
chards, and to-day the southern part of that |
state is traversed by three through lines from
east to west, with numerous intersecting
lines You said that farmers were benefited
more than any other class by railroads.
hardly think SO. 1t is true that there land
will be appreciated, and production stimula-
ted, and thus they win be greatly benefited.
But every other enterprise is dependent on
their labor. Labor is the source of wealth |
IF these fertile plains had lain here idle and |
uncultivated as they were when occupied by
Indians, your beautiful city of Corvallis
would not have had an existence. If labor
had not produced the wealth of the rich Will
lamette valley, Portland, (the metropolis of
the state,) of which we all are justly proud,
would never have been built. Therefore, I
say after all, whatever increases the pros
perity Of the farmer, proportonately in
creases the prosperity of every other class |
Every effort should be made to secure cheap
transportation for the produce of farmers as
a means of increasing the general prosperity |
of the country.
As a striking contrast to the want of faith |
of the judge mentioned by Mr.. Chenoweth |
as having refused to preside at the railroad
meeting in 1864, will mention the govern
or of New York, who had the faith and fore |
sight to project the Erie canal, which made
New York the Empire State" and the city
of New York the metropolis of the United |
States. Though the Erie canal has been in
a great measure superseded by the railroad
system of the state, the foresight of Dewitt |
Clinton marks him as QUE of the wisest men |
of his day.
Your allusion to an incident of 1864 re-
minds me of another that happened the same