Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-10-16
ON THE OREGON PACIFIC FRONT.
Report Of a Tour of Observation,
Made Along the Line.

| udN' " ste lue llluCl tall keu OF WORK
ON the o. P. railroad, for himself.
The stage for Mehama makes close
connection at the O. & c. depot at
Turner, the fare being one dollar.
1t passes through Aumsville, Sub
Unity and Stayton, and does good
business owing to the large amount
of travel. The road is getting badly
cut up by the many heavy freight
teams But these will soon be les
sened greatly in number between
Salem and Mehama, as the cars
will be running into Tie latter place,
from Albany, by the week after
next. Then Albany will BE- the
base of supplies.
1t looks like a great pity that the
moneyed men of Salem did not more
deterninedly push for branch line
from somewhere near Stayton. In
evitably a great deal of trade and
travel will be diverted from the cap
ital to Albany. For instead of
long, dusty or muddy stage drive
from Stayton or Mehama to Salem,
purchasers will soon be able to step
on the cars, and ride smoothly, re-
turning in few hours. And when
the road is finished through to East
ern Oregon, and the eastern states
many who would take tickets to
this city if we had branch line,
will alight at Albany, and often be
captured. But Salem will wake up
to all these advantages, and to the
needed action and liberality some
time in the twentieth century.
[Our correspondent anticipated
just what is now taking place in the
minds of the Salem business men-a
general awakening and harmonious
action. Regarding this further, see
article in another place. Ed
Passing some good farms, a cheese
factory, and w. II. Byar's Angora
goat ranch, we reach the town.
Here is the county bridge over the
Santiam, so long needed, and so
much appreciated. Indeed, every
where Marion county commission
ers are praised for their willingness
to make requisite Improvements,
while the Linn county court is
grumbled at for reluctance and re-
fusals. One man, whose ranch is
nearly all on the Linn county line,
threatents to move over to ours, be-
cause he wants to live where there
is more disposition to dispense the
revenue impartially. Great COM
plants are heard about Stayton be-
cause there is no bridge, and again,
Linn county is blamed for being the
stumbling block, as it is understood
that Marion county stands willing
to do her part.
Pros. w. H. Davis, teacher of the
public school, and myself, being un-
able to hire, beg, or borrow team,
started afoot, on Il tour OF obser-
ton along the extension of the O.
p. railroad. So interested were we
that we did not stop for mud or rain
until fifteen miles had been travers-
ed, and it was time to seek quarters
for the night. We were Hospitality
entertained by Henry Bar2ee and
wife. From here, east, up the Mimic
pass, long pack trains take supplies
to the front, which they say Is to
reach the proposed tunnel this year,
that the men may work in it during
the winter.
All along the line government
land has Of late been eagerly sought
for, and the settlers report it about
all taken up, as far as the road is
graded. Mills City and Gatesville
on Mt. Horeb are new towns. At
the former, a very expensive. ditch is
being dug for "A mill already in pro-
cess of construction, which is to cut
$4,000 feet of lumber per day. The
fine timber claims are rapidly being
taken up. Nineteen soldiers from
Albany have taken up homesteads
intending to fill out the balance Of
the five years, after deducting their
service in the army. The mill men
are cutting down considerable tim
ber allowing, near the railroad as
high as $50 per thousand, stumpage.
The adjacent country is much
more settled than one would sup
pose. Improved farms in Fox val
ley and Kings Prairie, have been
occupied for from fifteen to twenty
years. There is much fine stock
country, the best Of it already taken
up, of course.
1t has been a quiet, sober section,