The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-12-10
Mg. R0GG AID HIS PROPOSED RAIL
WAY.

The Oregomien gives every INTEREST of
the northwest fair hearing. Therefore it
prints letter from Mr.. T. Egenton Hogg
in reply to communication signed "Ex-
aminer," which appeared in it's columns
about month ago. Into the details of the
controversy thus raised we do not intend to
| enter. A word or two, however, on a lead
ing phase of the subject may not be amiss.
From the tene of Mr.. Hogg's letter it is
evident that he conceives ne has a mission
| to change, and, in fact, completely reyolu-
tionize the course of commerce in the north
| west. This is large undertaking. yet we
can not but regard it as inspired by a praise
worthy ambition. It Is just such a thing as
any man has right to do if he cam Mr..
Hcggs letter shows that his main plain is to
| supersede Portland and render it super
furious and unnecessary factor in the COM
| mercial development and economy of the
northwest. This too is commendable am
bition We find no fault with it. In fact
| we feel like encouraging him to proceed.
For this, among other reasons, we print his
letter. We have no idea tnat it will great
| ly alarm Portland. For ourselves we can
| say with confidence that the issue will give
us no trouble, as we can any day remove
| The Oregonian to Yaquina Bay, and publish
| it there. Others, we suppose. can pull up
| as easily. Puget Sound people, however,
! insist that Port1and is to be taken up and
| carried over there. On this subject there
may be rivalry between Yaguina Bay and
Puget Sound But Portland will try to
| preserve her usual equanimity.
OF Mr.. Hogg's resources for carrying out
his plans we have no positive knowledge
and are not made aware that any one else
| is as yet more highly favored in this re,
gard. But we may suppose they are ample,
| in his Judgment for the undertaking else
| he would hardly say SO much about the
matter.
But seriously, this subject has given rise
| to more controversy than there is any pos
sible occasion for. If Mr.. Hogg can work
his enterprise forward, by all means let him
do go. 1t appears, however, that it involves
| the primary difficulties of making harbor
at Yaquina Bay and changing the course of
commerce of the northwest from channels
established in the first place by nature; and
now confirmed by converging railroad lines,
either completed or in course of construc-
| ton. and by representing capital amounting
| to twenty millions of dollars, or more. To
be plaiu about Mr.. Hocg's scheme, it seems
to be an adventure, based OF no solid cap
1 ita1, but depending on an effort to obtain
money on lands of no defined quantity or
quality, and of no definite, or at least at
/ the present time of no ascertainable or posi-
4
magnitude of the proposed undertaking.
| The prospectus issued by Mr.. Hogg and his
associates was based on the assumption
that this route, if it were opened, would do
almost the entire business of Oregon at
profitable rates. Even supposing Yaquina
Bay were made practicable harbor and
the road were built, it is apparent that the
competition of so many other railroads, not
to speak Of river transportation, would pre-
vent this expectation from being realized.
Let us wish Mr.. Hogg all possible success
IN pushing his proposed scheme, but let us
have some common sense in the presenta-
tion Of it. That is. let the absurd notion
be dropped that this is the great enterprise
destined to swallow up the commerce of
Oregon and close all other channels If
Yaquina Bay can be converted into a har-
bor, and railway be built to it, the enter
/ prise will be one Of much Importance to a
portion of the State. But as far greater
and more powerful interests are drawing
elsewhere, this is not likely in any event to
| become our line of commerce, as Mr.. Hogg
seems to imagine it will In fact the sub
| ject from this point of view hardly appears
worthy of serious statement, particularly
since nothing has yet been developed which
tends to show that the proposed undertak-
Il