The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-04-01
HEAVEN HELPS THOSE WHO HELP
THEMSELVES,

he i'm the secrets of the railroad war
being waged in the East, l'ass along
the street of any town in this valley,
we care not which, and he will be
stopped for news twenty times.
The questions put TO him will be
eager and excited, and deep disap
pointment will be expressed if the an
swer is that the Albany papers were
a little premature in their announce
lnent that Col. Hogg had succeeded
III getting the whole of the Oregon
Pacific bonds subscribed.
1t is as clear as the sun at noon-day
that the valley people have adopted
this cause as their own. They know
that the value of their farms, the tu-
ture of their families depends on the
decision of thetransportationquestion.
The fact cannot be hidden that the
valley is menaced by the absorption
of all its avenues and outlets in one
huge grasping hand.
Every week is marked by some
progress in this policy OF control. !"
And the people are looking to va
quina Harbor and the completion OF
The Oregon Pacific railroad for their
dcliverance. They know that by Sc
curing this fresh and unstained out
let they save themselves.
They hear with Indignation, though
not with surprise, OF one calumny af-
ter another, started to deny the posi-
blities of a safe entrance to the har-
bor. They read of the explosion of
one mine after another, laid to injure
the reputation of the securities pro
posed tor the building of the road.
They hear of efforts TO detach infiuen-
tial support from what they call their
road, and to destroy the character for
fair dealing of those who have the ell
terprise in hand.
The news of the vindication of the
titles of the road lands, and of their
being cleared by fhe United States
Judge in Portland, and then by the
Congressional Committee, from the
slurs cast on them, is received as if
the personal possessions of each val
ley farmer had been at stake.
1t is this sense of the popular sup
port and interest which cheers and
encourages those on whom the bur
den of this fight has fallen.
1t is nore easy to continue the con.
test with the energy and persever-
ance that has hitherto marked it,
when it is made clear that it is not
mere individual success and profit
which is at stake. Still more so when
it is demonstrated that success will
be esteemed personal gain by an in
dustrious, faithful intelligent pop
ulation
The question has been raised again
and again during these last few
months, what can / do to testify my
interest in the Oregon Pacific what
sacrifices within my means can ]
make 10 aid the work ?
Various suggestions have been
brought forwards. Among them the
idea has been started of contributions
by the farmers in grain towards the
funds of the road For many reas-
ons this seems inadmissible now. The
preliminary stages of the work which
such a movement might have aided,
have been successfully passed.
The Oregon Pacific is not suitor
for such aid. 1t seeks,to make no
bargain with the farmers of the val
ley on this basis.
But the fact remains, that onthe sue
cessful issue of the harbor works at
Yaquina largely depends the immedi-
ate success of the efforts for obtaining
funds to build the road to it.
Nothing can give fairer promise of
success. Vigor, earnestness. and in
telligence mark the conception of the
harbor improvements. Economy is
studied in the steps taken to carry
out the plans
But to obtain speedy result, and
one thatwill,tell on the public estima-
ton, the engineers should not be
stinted in the funds: Congress last
year granted $40, 600 and this, year
has inceeased this sum by $lo,-
600 more. These amounts will keep
the works going actively forwards
till the end of the summ.r, or early
in the fall. Unless Something's. done to
supplement them, the works will
have to stop until the issue of further
applications to Congress is known.
Not only will valuable time be lost,
but in view of such suspension Of ac-
tivity, large portions of the funds
will have to be expended in securing
SO far as possible, the unfinished