The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-08-19
yaQuINA BAY.

that in April last meeting was called
at Albany by the Linn county grange
to consider the propriety, Of making
a.strong and combined effort to rails,
in the Valley counties a fluid for
the continuance of the harbor works
until congress meets again. AT that
time the immediate carrying out of
the plans o. the Oregon Pacific rail
road was not SO general an article Of
faith amongst our people as it is row.
The results of the efforts to secure
the necessary funds for the road had
not then become known. Perhaps it
was not TO be wondered at altogether
that timid counsels prevailed.
Whatever the cause, the meeting was
adjourned alter the appointment of
committees in the several valley
counties to collect not funds but sigma
lures, to memorial to Congress in
favor of further appropriations. Was
it not lame and impotent conclusion
to so much good talk? What has be-
came of the committees? Has any
one heard of them? Has anything
been done? Nothing.
How does this matter stand today?
The several objections. suggested at
the meeting in April have one by one
been utterly removed. Was there
apprehension lest the government
officials might be removed as soon as
the present appropriation was expen-
ded, SO leaving any funds contribu-
ted by the public to the tender mer-
cies of chance? Now the secretary of
war has formally assented to the
present staff being retained, and al
lowed not only to continue the work,
but to render vouchers for their ex-
penditures to any committee on rep
rescntatives of the parties finding
the funds. Was it matter of doubt
whether the method of improvement
of the bar suggested and IN course
of execution under the e, S. En-
gineers would succeed? Nature has
answ cred that question for us in the
following manner. Last year the
usual North West winds blew stead
lily through the summer months.
The channel known as the South
channel was opened by the waves;
large quantity of tidal water was
driven through it, and the depth OF
water in the clear middle channel,
now being improved, was at once
decreased to about fifteen feet: and
this was the state of things when
Mr.. Polhemus made his survey.
This year there have been absent
the North West winds: the
South channel has not been open
ed, and in consequence the high
water depth oftwenty feet or therea-
bouts in the middle channel has been
and is now maintained. Thus the ef-
fect which will be produced by
the proposed breakwater solid
ly closing the variable south channel
has been demonstrated. And con-
sequently the Engineers go confident
ly on with their work, secure of the
result of confning the vast tidal in
flow and outflow within the rarrow-
er limits.
Was there any reasonable doubt
felt that the railroad would speedily
be built? That too has disappeared,
with the knowledge. that steel rails
to the quantity of 5000 tons are now
afoat for the railroad, and that the
vigorous prosecution of the construct.
ion will be pressed forwards as soon
as the surveys are complete. Surely
then the time has come for the
Willamette valley to say, this work
shall not stop Be it remembered
that the great proportion of outlay
needed to provide plant and mater
ial for the works has already been
incurred and paid for the trained,
efficient staff is there at work. One
point more. The idea is certainly
not to take the matter out of the
hands Of Congress by any means.
The people will demand of their
representatives their best efforts for |
renewed appropriations as soon as
Congress assemblies. And now there /
need be little fear that those efforts
will not succeed. fthe first appro-
priation was granted when all was
yet uncertain what doubt can be of I
getting all that can reasonably be
asked when 20 much has been done
and is in course of fexecution to prove
the absolute necessity Of the work
We cannot for a moment believe
that any funds sraised by the people
will not be most willingly repaid
by Congress when once the full facts
Of the case are presented.
We wait then for the word of the