Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1889-11-30
GIVE THEM A CHANCE.
A Few Solid Facts to Ponder Over in
Regard to Our City-Lend Your
Ear and act in Accordance

BY reference to a map of the Will
lamette valley 1t will be seen that
eight lines of railroad are in opera
ton in the valley, viz: the east and
west side o. & c., east and west side
N. g., o. r. & N. Co., n. p. r. r.
P. w. ", 80. p, and two other
lines will be in operation in less than
a year, viz: Albany and Astoria and
Hillsboro and Astoria and still an
other company has orgonized and
ready for business, the Oregon Wes-
tern; making in all eleven lines of
railroad within fifty miles and more
than one-half of them within fifteen
miles of Salem. Out of this immense
investment of capital and these well
recognized facilities for building up
cities and developing the country.
Salem has one railroad and it is a
prominent fact in the history of the
city that some hostility was shown
toward that line when it was built,
resulting in the present arrange
ment of the passenger depot in the
vicinity of Turner and plug switch
for freight traffic.
During the past twenty years the
railway system of the Willamette
valley has been gradually taking
shape and inside of the next five
years will be fixed for all time.
Eight towns much smaller than
Salem have now two or more rail
roads each and there never was a
time in the history of the valley
when the citizens of the different
trade centers were 80 thoroughly
aroused TO the importance of secur-
ing good transportation facilities at
the present time, In every other
respect except transportation facili-
ties Salem Is very far ahead of any
city in Oregon except Portland, but
the Indifference of the citizens of
the Capital city upon the vital point
IS unaccOuntable. Salem has never
given one dollar towards getting a
railway, and now th at a company
is organized and claims to have the
capital and right of way necessary
to build a motor line between Salem
and Silverton, thus giving a second
direct line to Portland, there has
been no action whatever taken by
the city or any of its citizens to dis
play any interest in this under
taking or any desire that 1t
might succeed, while on the
there have not
been lacking those who are ready to
suggest objections and to place diff
culties In the way of its construc-
ton; this is the more remarkable
when it is considered that this com
panv have never asked for any SUBJ
sidy or bonus except the right of
way into the city, and the building
Of this line would double the value
of real estate in Salem; 1t would
give such an impetus to business rs
has not been felt here for twenty
years, 1t would be a strong induce
nent in the way of getting trans.
line, and the improve
nent in real estate values and busi-
ness resulting from its construction
would so encourage the property
owners of Salem and increase their
in the future of the city
hat no difficulty would be expert
,nced in raising 100000 to be used
Is a subsidy to induce the building
If the transcontinental line through
Salem and to the sea, all of this
the investment of single
lollar; and yet from present appear
'nces the entire project may fail
the expression of single
word of regret.
In all other respects except that
If securing railway facilities, Salem
8 second to no city in the valley, In
enterprise and liberality. A re-
liberal subsidy was raised
or the wooden mill. The Salem
Street Railway company has re-
,eived In subsidy and donations an
almost equal to the capital
tock Iof the company. Numerous
eal estate companies have been |
Ormed with large capital, cheerfully |
md confidently subscribed for the
plating of new additions to the city,
making extensive improvements
md doing general real estate busi-
less equal to any city Of its size in
he state. The success and prosper
ty OF these companies in common
With that of every business man and
owner In the city requires
Increased immigration and the pro-
notion Of the growth of the city; il
J well established fact based upon
he experience of the past fifty years
hat no city can grow and flourish
nd become trade center, much
sss can 1t compete with rival cities
kept In proportion to transporta-
ION facilities and the time has come
'hen Salem must have either more
nd better facilities or else give up
II aspirations in the way of its
rowth and prosperity.