The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-04-08
THE LINN COUNTY GRANGE.

THE LINN COUNTY GRANGE.
Tn these days, when corporations
and monopolics run riot, and when all
the ancient rights of farming popula'
tions are made playthings OF, to amnse
and enlivcn the spare hours Of the
Presidents, who are rushing into prin'
one after another, it is refreshing to
meet sixty or seventy representative
men and women, who know their pur-
poses and aims, and mean to carry
them into execution.
There, in that council chamber
there was more common sense talked
on this transportation business. than
would fill this paper. 1t would have
done some people good to see how
the completion of the Oregon Pacific
and the opening OF Yaquina Harbor
was absolutely proved TO lie as good
as ten cents bnshcl profit to the Val
ley farmer. And that is practical; i
it not !? When our people in Benton
county know it too. and Marion, and
Lane. and Polk, and Yamhill, and
Washington, aye, and Douglas too.
then all that nonsense about the Ore
gon Pacific not being needed, and
about the people OF Oregon being
well supplied with transportation, and
about getting the narrow gauge peo-
pie TO come in and lay their little
track down TO the bay, will pass into
the empty air it is. The people are
there, the country is there, the pro
ducts are there, the need of develop
ment is there, to ensure. absolutely ell
sure, the immediate completion Of the
Oregon Pacific.
Is it not not natural though to make
sure of the Harbor Is it not true
thatto complete these harbor improve
ments the engineers estimate of cost
is about $4,000? Does not every
one know that this jetty or breakwa-
ter is completed and the rocky points
and edges Of the reefs blasted out,
there is eoery probability, short of GER
tainty, that the Improvement is per
manent and effectual? Aud is it not
equally familiar TO all onr minds that
then this harbor will be second to
none on this Pacific coast, between
San Francisco and the Straits of Fuca?
Is it not provable to every sea cap
tain, who sails to this North Pacific,
that he is less than half an hours dis
tance from deep blue water to his
wharf? Will not the whole maritime
world soon know that instead of being
malcted and fined for pilotage and
towage until they are sick of paying,
that few dollars paid to the harbor
tug will frank them from FIVE fathoms
outside to alongside the warehouse ?
Will not the chart then show them
that the harbor once reached is safe
and land-locked, with good holding
ground for anchorage, and room to
swing in deep water right alongside
the landing stage?
And is 1t to be supposed for mo-
ment that unscrupulous misrepresen
tation can permanently obscure these
facts, and keep the investing public
from supporting an enterprise built
on solid advantages like these /?
L. it not known to all who have
any confidential news from Washing
ton that the opposition to Yaauina
was there at this last short session in
full force and pay? And that thus
even the moderate demand of S25..
900, put forward by the U. s. Enei.
neers, was cut down to 10000 !?
Is it not trne that to supply the
shortcomings OF Congress and put the
Engineers in funds for the vigorous
prosecution of the works, would be
but . trifiing effort for the farmers of
this valley? What would be easier
than for each man to contribute SO
many bushels out of the coming crop.
and send them to the warehou Sc at
Albany, to be taken charge of and re.
allied by the Council of the Grange
and the proceeds paid over as the
disbursements of the works require,
after the sums already appropriated
are spent? And would not the val.
ley population respond as one man to
an appeal SO supported, and made to
them, not by interested parties, but
by their own best representatives.
having no motive but the comm On
good :? These were the topics discuss