The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1889-06-07

the advantage of the most direct noaSsI
The Oregon Pacific maintains line Of rsxe<
steamers operating liz con junction with thas
railroad, so its influence Is felt along tAS
Willamette for a. considerable distance.
The Oregon Railway and Navigation Compa~
nies compctes for the river business to cone
meet with its transportation. lines at Pore~
land. With such strong corporation as
the Southern Pacific also in the field, it may
be seen that Corvallis by no means tarex
poorly in the matter oftransportation of advan-
tages by both rail and water. The river al
ways stands as regulator Of freight charg-
es, and the competition of Other lines, Is u
sufficient guaranty against extortlnn ons
goods not subject to the influence OF thes
boat lines
In the line of manufacturing, Corvallis
has Touring mill, run by water power, obs
tanned by means of ditch leading out Of
Mary's river a short distance above the city. .
a saw mill, planning mill, furniture fac>-
tory, two brewcries and foundry and ma
chine shop, all run by steam power. There
are six large warehouses for storing gram
and wool Thcre ought to be large estab-
lishments for the manufacture OF wooden-
! ware, furniture, wagons and carrIages.-
plowS, harrnws and other farming imple--
ments; also fruit and vegetable dryers ant
canneries cheese factories and creaneries.
There is a go ID field for large Touring,
mill plant at Corvallis, so that instead of
sending the wheat out of the country, 1T.
could be shipped in the form OF Hour, anh
the refuse retained at home where there Isl
| a market for it.
| 1t seems surprising that the minerals;
about Corvallis are not worked to any great;
! extent. There are indications of rich iron,
| ore very near the city; indeed the track OF
the Oregon Pacific railway in the city bal
lasted with fair quality of iron ore, ALL
through the hills to the westward there are
| strong indications of rich iron deposits, anh
| it is strange that there have been no ats
tempts at mining. Excellent bricks are,
made in the two brick yards near the city,
and pottcr's clay is found in abundance ina
many places. Corvallis offers greet induces
ments for men OF capital 20 build up mann-
featuring enterprises at that point, and they
are well worthy the careful consideration of
| investors.
The plan of bringing water ina ditchfrona
some point up the Willamette river TO fur
nish power for factories is now taking fosnh
with board of trade. That stream has a.
quite rapid fall, and it would not be- vasY'
expensive to lead portion of its water i'll a.
large ditch with sufficient fall for fne.
power at Corvallis. The Touring mill has.
already demonstrated the plan to, be a sue.
cess, and all that has to be done. is to enlarge.
and that project to meet larger demands.
Benton county has by no means reached u.
state of full development. Its agricultural
resosrces, which are Chief are susceptible OF
growth, and it needs many people than 1T.
now has to till the soil. The land is very
productive. No section of the west excels.
this county in the abundance and variety Of
farm products the climate is mild and
healthful, with the same pleasant feata.es.
that characterizes the climate OF the
Willamette valley in general. The sum.
mers are dry and the winters moist and ex.
trcmes of temperature are unknown. The
climate of the portion west ot the noun
tains is little more moist than IN the VAL.
, ley, and vegetation is green there the year
round. Sometimes there is snow III the rai--
: ley for brief time in winter. Durlnss
nearly half !: century that Benton county
has been cultivated there has not heena ellis
gle failure of crops and the ordinary yiel',as
are proverbialy large. All the. coln,n"'a
grains, vegetables and fruits are. raisest- aalk
even the more sensitive grapes and: peaeAes
are successfully grown. the fruit interest;
could easily be quadrupled by the es essablish.
. ment Of curing facilities, There ars larges
, quantities of cultiyatible land still unoccupi-,
ed on both sides of the mount aims, but the.
western slope has fewer settlers, than. the,
, eastern, because it is a newer sectlon ant.
, has not the modern cunvenienoes OF the val-
ley. In the foothills on. the east side,- Al:
well as on the west. there is a great deal of:
1t is not necessary to go into tho rou-h
country to get lapd Tor farming. For graz
. lag purposes, the foothills of the mountainss
: contain the choicest land; but for cultivati"ns
. the more level surface down in the valley IL,
r preferred, and such farms may be ohtalneds
in good locations near market from SlO to.
! $50 per acre. Improved FARMS, of. COURSE.
:, cost more than the wild lands. Many of the,
> landi halders now own hundreds of acres
, more than they can use. aud they are now
= | manifesting disposition to cut up these,
; large tracts anal dispose OF the surplus lani,
:. to immigrants seeking homes in the west.
\ This section, does not offer very strong IN
, ducements to mere spectators and adyent.
urers, but IT has superior attractions for
home seekers, and, it is that class OF people.
q more than any other that is becoming inter-
: estel in Benton county. Though Corvallis:
= | was one of the first settled towns III the,
;. northwest, it has been under the disadvnn-
;, tage of being somewhat removed from the,
:, main lines of travel, and while other points,
. of no more merit have experienced lively"
. ! growth, it has plodded along more modest
. ly. and is but just now resching out for the.
patronage that will bring 1t increased PROS
!. perity. Ii is swinging into the line of enter
q prising cities of the country and making IT.
: selfknOwn abroad. But it is not inviting,
: outsiders to locate there merely to help.
:, :, those already there. Its citizens are taking,
| Lne lEltlaClNe dHu
. for. home improvements that will make that
:. locality much more attractive even. than 1T
;. has been. AS indicating the enterprisins
q spirit that has been. awakened. the new
n court house erected by the county. the pro.
"a posed eonsl ruction of fine public schooA
house and a city hall, the former Of which.
! is already assured, the establishing Of an.
:. electric light plant to the city,. the project
:. ed water power canal, the organizing. OF "a.
board of tradefor the special purpose of pro
i noting the city's business interests, an'a
!. many other things might be mentioned, LIZ
:. is one of the finest localities. both for resi-
+ dence and business. that can, be found.-
" Corvallis is surrounded by a truly smiling
9 9 land; and it promises to move forward with
/ arapidity that will surprise itself
is In addition to, the above it can be said
n that the electric light System, is. now ia ruI-
e ing order andis a fine plant, and that Benz
a ton county raises the largest Strawberries.
m and. all kinds Of other fruit. graip,, etc., iu
70 the state:.
"a
Sc. MEDICATED NAPOR BATHS.