The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1889-12-13
rus onnass rAelrlc nooMlsa.
A Trip 10 the lFrons.

~-
About twenty-ave gentlemen of Albany
at the Invitation of Vice President Hoag
went to the front In special car Sun.
dsy TO take look at the work now belrl
done on the o. r. extension. The inevlt.
able DRMooRAr reporter was along,snd h
deems Il hls duty TO relate to the public
what he saw. The train pulled out OF ths
depot at 3 o'clock q. IN. and went speeding
across the unsarpassingly magnihesnl
Albany prairie. New residences and out
buildlngs,as well as repaired fences, marks
ed the march Of Improvement In the rural
districts. But here Is Knox fu.te,and be-.
Tore we have time to make nese the train
rattles over the substantial Iron bridge on
the Santlam, and In few minutes we
reach Munkers. This station Is about
three miles from Seio,frem which place TO
The latter the pluck and energy OF The ei-
sizens OF Sclo have determined TO build a
moter line. We have only space to say
may they soon succeed. But we are
whifllug along and pass the junction OF the
Narrow Gauge and so on TO Batss,a mere
"slding at presenl,and on 10 Kings, where
we are teld new town Is laid out. With
out stopping we speed on to Lyons, a
sp. lightly ,aourlsIilng railroad town. A fter
a short stop we dash on up TO the prosper.
sus town Of Mil clty,whsre stoppage Is
made to enable the party to take view OF
the fine lumber mill OF the Santlam i.um
ber Company, with its magnificent water
power. Here we must stop to .ay that
quite number of the party had never
been on the road frum Albany 10 the
front,and they all expressed their surprise
and delight at the excellent running COM
dlllon OF the road, as we'll aA the superior
substantially OF It's construction. The
running i aa smooth and free from Jars
as roads ordinarily are that have been In
use six or eight years. but We pass on
mp the North Santlam and Ia few min.
utes reach Gates, another new town that
has sprung up on the road. AL along we
see moro or iess evidence OF thrift. The
settlers mostly raise stock, and especially at
Gates does the hog Industry seem 10 be
thriving. but again we whirl along un
the river through lmweasc forests OF fine
fir and cedar that are destined In the near
future TO be scenes OF busy life In the
manufacture OF lumber which Albany aha
other markets will impcriously demand
from this time on. But here we are at
Breitcnhnsh, stream nearly as large as
the Santlam at their junction, but we push
on and finally reach the enx of the track
sixty mites from the Queen City of the
Willameile-Albany. from this point It
Il thirty-hve miles to the summit Of the
Cascade Mountains. The first seven miles
OF this thlrty-hve Is graded and ready for
the rails, and they are being rapidly laid.
The next six miles needs some dressing
up when Il Will be ready for the rails. Five
miles are graded at the summit. leaving
but seven miles more of grading 10 reach
the summit. The work IL being peshed
as rapidly as possible. about 7co TO 500 men
being employed, and II the weather does
not prevent before the ides OF March the
whistle OF an o. r. engine will be heard
At the summit OF the torldy Cascades
After partaking oil a substantial meal ai
the table Of the track layers, sail aboard
for Albany from the gentlsmaniy and
genial conductor, Mr. HeadrIek, and at s
o'clock we arrived at Albany. All Tho
gentlemen were highly pleased with the
very permanent character OF The road work
and the very promising prospect that tbs
work viii be vigorously pushed forward
TO completion.