Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1886-12-24
ROSEBURG IN 1901.
In Ailegory, By B. S. Pagne.


lethargy hanging over the place of whose fu
ture little was predicted in business way. Its
streets were muddy and out Of repair, it
seemed very unpromising place TO me the
day took the slow going train for Portland
when | paid SS TO ride two hundred miles.
My stay in the east was protTacted, but finally,
on the death Of wealthy aunt, was left
with an income of ten thousand dollars
year and determined once more 10 visit the
Pacific coast and Roseburg, the home Of my
childhood. This place was then growing IA
nous for its manufacturing interests, coal
mines, and numerous other industries.
1t was warm sutry morning on the 9th day
Of Sept. 1901, that | left New York, on the
limited express, and coming by wayof Chicago,
Cheyenne and Eagle Rock 10 Boise City,
thence by the Crater lake and Coos Bay rail.
road in four days | was landed in RISE
burg. The handsomely uniformed con-
ductor cried "Roscburg! Through passengers
remain seated; passengers for Portland, Van.
couvcr and Sitka take the train on the north;
for San Francisco and southern points the
train on the SOUTH" Hearing these words
my mind was bewildered, railroad 10 Sitka,
Alaska and the o. & c. r. r. completed.
Rousing myself from my seat in the luxurious
parlor car, alighted and found myselfin an
immense granite depot, twenty tracks running
through it, uniformed railway officials direct
ing the people whittier they desired to 90.
Finally reaching the waiting room inquired
if this could possibly be the city of R0seburg.
The official was courtly and pleasant with a
genial face and appeared very busy. Twenty
FIVE years had made change, yet l thought
recognized the face of the official, and ven
tured to ask how long he had been there. He
replied, "For thir,y-five years, my name Is
Williams, known as Johnny Williams. was
station agent here when the station consisted
1 of I5x2o foot building, when one track could
carry more than all the traffic offered and
Roscburg was town Of 1000 inhabitants"
| then asked him if he remembered a lack Pow
ers who had lived there twenty five years ago.
He said eyes, told him was the man and
he grasped me warmly by the hand and well
coined me warmly home again. was invi
ted into his private office. Passing through
numerous offices filed with many busy clerks,
l found myself in his luxuriously furnished
room. Sit down and I'll tell you Of my doines
since last saw you. When you left tweaty-
five years ago was about entering on my new
project as granger. Having established
''Prohi colony, which rapidly grew and
prospered, and was contente1. So many
dissentionS among the t'Prohis'' for office arose
however that the colony broke up and each
one looked out once more for himself alone.
Upon the completion of the Crater lake and
Coos bay Il. X. | was offered the charge OF
the depot, accepted it, and here you find me
not hard worked as in days gone by but enjoy
ing life. | asked for a hotel, when he
touched an electric bell, his colored waiter
came and l was shown to his private carriage
and driven to the Grand Pacific hotel. was
surprised at IFS grandeur, occupying as it did
the whole block, where DIR. Hoovers residence
was in days gone by. / walked stranger
where once knew every one and was known
looked upon the unfamiliar faces and lonced
for the sight of one l had once known. The
} once quiet town was now changed into live,
bustlng city. Dray wagons. handsome car
rlages ETC., rapidly passed the hotel. de-
cided TO take stroll determined once more
if possible to grasp the hand of an old friend
and find some familiar land mark. None ap-
; peared, stopped in front of large handsome
building and found il was the post office, max
ing my way throught the throng of people to
the postmaster's private Office found lanes
Cawlheld Esq, courtly and pleasant gen
tleman as postmaster. He failed to remen-
! Der me, but asking about the prominent bus
ness houses he informed me that Asher Marks
& Co., had their place not block away. /
betook myself thither and found a massive, five
story iron front building immense in its pro-
portions. Ii was with difficulty found the
head Of the firm; twenty FIVE years had made
/, a change in him, yet his countenance was as
5 genial and kindly as ever. He glanced at my
card and recognition beamed upon his face
and his grasp of my hand was the same old
cordial grip ss Of yore. nreply to my query
as TO how all this wonderful change had beer
accomplished he said, 'sIn the winter Of So 81
4 fire broke out in the frame houses below my
| fIa,, b..,,,1 ,la -
town. If the citizens had raised $1,000 70,
water works as had been suggested few
months previously, this catastrophe would
have been aycrted. NAfter This terrible lire, in
which tlfe greatest sullerers were The men who
refused 10 give the water works their aid, il
appearedf>as though Ne town would he ,
thing of the Past. Eastern capitalists, how
ever, examined thb wafer power, prospective
, railways ETC., and Started a wooden null wher,
! the grove used to be. They now employ looc
men, boys and girls. This was the start.
The city began TO grow, streets were widened
and Jackson street Is now 100 feet wide. TIL,
railroad from the east via Crater lake to Coos
bay was completed, and shops located here.
q They are across the river in that part once
called "West Roseburg." A large tanner,
: was the nextin order ID start, which nov
employs five hundred workmen and the sur
| NOullti1 iNlllSHCS dlIlnS nlucS, KOl
ling mills, foundries, nail works, machine shops
8 furnaces for the reduction OF iron ore, on
= = alter another were rapidly built The Goa
: " mines surrounding the city furnish cxcellen
coal and these beds are the principal source o
supply for the whole coast. Iron ore is in
exhaustible. The nickel and copper mine
:, employ hundreds, These industries openc,
= = up SO rapidly one after the othefthat Rose
: : burgers wondered cable cars were run owe
the surrounding hills the SUBMITS of which ar
as seats for the finest residences of the CITY
Roseburg now covers an area of ten souar
:" miles. Electric lights have taken the place a
the old coal oil lamps. The old lanterns
which the inhabitants carried on dark nights
" are preserved as relics. Instead of clos
non-progressive manner of conducting tn
cities finances, sound liberal disbursement
!, were made" Hcrea gentleman entered an,
y was introduced as Bishop ]. r. N. Bel
: formerly editor OF the Morning REVIEW
: : Old acquaintanceship was renewed and he pro
. posed showing me the rounds The lane
: office was visited but business there was YER
i slow as all the desirable land for settlers wa
: taken and it was though! the office would b.
J closed in about year; a gentlemen from
Il the Dalles was in charge. The u. S. sigma
= office was visited, the officer in charge wa
: busy, so also were his three assistants. Nu
,. merous meteorological self registering instru
. . ments flied the room. No change in th
e weather for the next forty eight hours was re
ported. We turned our steps then to the U
S. bonded warehouse and custom house frou
!. thence to the police court where hi
u honor police judgeC Ball presided. TIL
u usual drunks disorderlies etc., disposed oi
le A murderer was then tried beng ably dc
Tended by the Hon. Lafayette Lane the mo,
noted criminal lawyer Of the coast. Hi
st brilliant speeches and quick and searchin
of questions 10 the witnesses were listened TO i
n breathiess silence. From there We went to th
. county court house, a fine brown stone build
-, ing and in its rear were the massive walk SUI
= rounding the Jail. Being interested in churchs
= : Bishop Bell first showed me the handsom
~ cathedral and near this upon rise of groun
1, where the old RoscburC reservoir was dug,
!. large well fitted and pleasantly surrounde
= building which he informed me was the Cei
: trail High school. Having formerly been il
terested very much in the school question
he informed me with nride Of The ;rcreae;y,