The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1889-08-02

cific is no longer a matter of con-
lecture. Its success is assured beyond
preadventure. For several years its
management has struggled against
failures and disappointments, never
losing faith in the greatness OF the en-
terprise which it was fostering, and
now comes the keen satisfaction of
being able to show to the most pessi-
mistic doubter the great possibilities
which are plainly before it.
A great section of the country
already too long isolated from the
paths of commerce, though possess
ing vast resources, lies between the
Columbia river and the California
line, and the Cascades and the o. R.
Il N. road. With the exception OF
the branch line into Heppner built by
the last mentioned company, this vast
area of our state, embracing many
Thousand square miles, is without
transportation facilities other than
those of the most primitive character,
at the best only the packsaddle or the
lumber wagon. It is scarcely possi-
BILE to realize the wealth of this isolated
inland country. The hardy pioneers
who SO far from its population have
little time to spread before the outer
world knowledge of their valuable
surroundings. Fer from the mats of
trade it requires unceasing labor on
their part to establish themselves in
comfortable competepcies.
Occasionally we read of great min
eral deposits too far away from rail-
road to be developed, sections of land
which would yield fine crops which it
were no use to raise for lack of a
market, and also Of greatness of the
two principal industries of this region,
wool growing and stock raising, in
both of which money can be made de-
spite the obstacles which we have
noted.
How much more prosperous then
will be the people of this region, how
much more extensive will become
their present resources and how rapidly
will they increase in number, when a
railroad pierces the very heart of this
unknown land, SO unknown, indeed,
that but recently so great paper as
the Scientific American characterizes it
as "a vast, sterile, unproductive plain. y
Every benefit which should accrue
to the railroad which does so much fol
this country will be reaped by the
IOregon Pacific. If there were no
other aim in its construction than to de-
velop central Oregon, the road would
be- financial success, as well as pub
llic benefit. But we do not lose sight
of the factfhat the bonds of this road
upon which the $5;0O0,000 for further
construction were raised, were guaran
teed by men well known in the financial
world, men whose names are promi
lnently connected with the Chicago &
Northwestern, road that has aspira.
tions TO be a transcontinental line, and
whose connection with the Oregon
Pacific at Boise City will accomplish
the desired end
The improvement of Yaquina bay
for which congress has been so ardently
and so successfully importuned in the
lpast, will also accrue to the benefit
equally of the people of the state and
of the stockholders of these two rail
roads. The management ofthe Oregon
Pacific has worked continually for this
Improvement, and pending its com
lpletion has not pushed the construction
of the. extension of the road so rapidly
as otherwise it would have done. TX
make the operation of this road com
plete success requires a harbor at the
western terminus Of the road, where
deep sea vessels can come and go with
out delay of any kind. By the time
this is accomplished the railroad viii
be built, and Oregon will have another
shipping point for her rapidly iacreas
ing productions.