The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1883-09-14
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.sFiously lisonsains The psoprlety Of
'akins some alspa looking toward direet
hi red ooulannication betveen Alba.
y. Bsownsyille and SPORES Ferry, IL
Lane county The difficulty that Che
farmers along The liae OF that read have
had in getting their grain 10
convenient markets, 6rss suggested The
idea that all their troubles Ia that
direction might easily be obvisted BY
an extension Of the Marrow Gauge
road % Albany from the point whore
sAia road q present inlerssoss
the Albany and Lebanon road
near Irvine's Station, about eight miles
southeast Of thia plaee.
Tho large yield Of grain and The
necessity Of dsvOting sAeir whole time
and energy 70 storing Il has thua Gar
prevented any concerted action in the
matter on the part Of those most Inter.
esled, bat the advantages Of railroad
sonmunicasion With Albany have been
undergoing discussion for some time
pazs, and the conclusion most generally
arrived at is that the most feasible
way Of accomplishing the much desired
end l. By means Of the change In the
Narrow Gauge suggested above. But
how to effect this was the next and al
Important question.
On account Of the difficulty expert
encsd in keeping up the bridges on the
SAntiam and its tributaries, the Mar.
row Gauge has never subssrved the
purposes for which Il was built. II
completion had tendency in the out
set 70 enhanoe tho value Of pro. .erty al
along The line Of the road. 4 new
stimulus was at once added 10 the farm
ing oonmuaity through which the road
passed and The prospects were that
hundreds Of acres that before that time
had simpiy been used for grazing.
would soon b turned into wheat zelda.
But the inefficient management Of the
b1ilders Of the road soon lost for lhsm
the confidence Of the people. Those
who had produce 70 chip. preferred
tho old and expensive method Of team
ing, rather than sntrnst their earnings
70 corporation that net only had no
soal, but which brief experience CON.
vinced them had not even bead nor
tell.
When the Marrow Gauge road came
into the hasds of the present efficient
nanagemsnt, the change was hailed
With joy, and i Vas hoped that new
sra would soon dawn Ia the life Of >
road that bas such grand possibilities.
The Narrow Gauge, from the point
where it intersecls tbs road leading TO
Lebanon, to its southern terminus at
spores Ferry, . distance Ofthirty miles
n more, passes through . belt Of wheat
producing country that Z unsurpassed
n the valley. On the line Of the road
8 the city Of BrovnsvilIe, noted
hroughout the State Tor the superior
Iuality and texture Of It's woolen goods,
. we'll as fer The thrift and enterprise
{ It's citizens. This town is The busi-
less centre Of . large stretch Of serrito-
,, extending east up the CalapoOia
river for twenty-five miles, iich In
umhsr and possessing . soil that only
'eeds 70 Be tickled by the plow-share
. smile forth a abundant harvest.
Nor l. this all The whole belt OF
onntry lying on the east side Of the
larrov Gauge, extending back 10 the
'Ascade Mountains, i susceptible Of
ieh state of cultivation, and Its re-
ourcss lie dormant for the simple
sason that the people, who are just
themselves homes along the
have no means Of reaching
ae markets, aud 90 . rule do lot at-
,mpt 70 raise much more than they
N nee at their farms.
The farmers along the line Of the
Earrow Gauge, and Immediately on
ither side thereof, possess splendid
.rms, and as present they are compel-
d to reach the market by teaminz for
istanoes varying from six to twenty
ailss, and even more. the nearest
hipping points being Halsey, Shedd,
'angent and Albany. The business Of
bis county naturally gravitates toward
be latter place, owing 70 its location
: the centre Of population Of the coun-
y and being the county seat, Our
'itizsns have business here that cannot
V transacted in any other place, and
he advantages that would accrue to
he citizens Of the county generally By
N extension Of the Narrow q Gapge as
proposed cannst be estimated. Nor
would they alons profit by The proposed
change. The present management Of
Ihe road would Likewise reap = rich
harvest in the way Of passenger and
freight traffic. True, By the proposed
change no small amount Of shipping
that now finds It's way to stations