The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1890-09-19
HEART OF THE VALLEY.

THE CITY OF CORVALLIS THRIVING PLACE.
WHAT THE SALEM STATESMAN
SAYS ABOUT Us.
r. J. Hendrick, editor of the Salem
Statesman was in our city few days last
week. The following extracts taken from
an article which appeared In the Sunday
morning Statesman is what he says about
Corvallis:
Corvallis, ''heart of the valley"
There is not town ON the coast with a
better outlook for steady growth and de-
velopment than Corvallis, Benton county,
Oregon. For this statement the writer has
number of reasons, suggested by visit
and a personal Investigation of the resources
and possibilities. The chief one of these
reasons is the location at Corvallis of the
State Agricultural college, an institution
that already enjoys very liberal patronage,
and which will without doubt grow as fast
as the conviction that it is really, in fact
and in purpose THE agricultural college of
the state of Oregon. This it really is, and
the nucleus is there for great and grand
institution, the pride of the hone and sinew
and brawn and brain of the state.
Then Corvallis is the county seat of Ben
ton county, comprising rich and growing
country. She is surrounded by a rich farm
ing country, one of the most fertile sections
of the great Willamette valley. Her trans
portation facilities by river and rail are
good, with prospects of extension.
THE CORVALLIS OF TO-DAY.
The Corvallis of to-day is city of some
2500 people. Located as the city is on the
west bank of the Willamette, with the
ground sloping gently back, good drainage
is furnished, and an opportunity for good
sewerage. Add to this continual fresh
ocean breezes drawn through the pass over
the coast range occupied by the Oregon
Pacific railroad, and it will be readily con-
cluded that Corvallis has healthful loca-
tion, an important point in favor of school
town-or in fact, any other sort of town.
| The Corvallis Water Co., of which DR..
G. r. Farra is president, supplies the city
WitII WdGCI lEOul Gnt w llldW6GG6 DY
two Worthington pumps, one with ca
pacity of 100000 gallons a day, and the
other 1000, 600 gallons. The water mains
extend throughout the business and resi-
dence portions of the city, and the pressure
is very satisfactory for either domestic sup
ply or in case of fire.
The Corvallis Electric Light and Power
Co., of which L. l.. Hurd is the principal
stakeholder. has an incandesccut motor-a
fac simile of the machine that did the work
for Kemmler-driven by powerful VAST
inghouse engine. and illuminating the
stores, Offices, residences and streets of the
city with $50 incandescent lights. There
is talk of putting in an arc circuit for light
ing the streets and larger stores at an early
date.
The Benton County FIGURING Mills Co.
has this Year put up steam mill with
capacity of $50 barrels day. Their ware
house has storage capacity of l25, ,O0O
bushels. This is an important addition to
the manufacturing industries of Corvallis,
and helps materially in furnishing to the
farmers of the surrounding country an ac-
tive mark ct for their wheat
The Corvallis FIGURING mills are the
property of H. Fisher, and their capacity
is 100 barrels a day, and the storage capac-
ity of the warehouse in connection there
with 100, 900 bushels. These mills are run
by water power from Mary's river. They
are old established mills, and have been
very successful.
The amount of wheat manufactured into
-four at Corvallis, stored and shipped from
that city this season is estimated at 225, 900
bushels. and this is conservative. Some
70, 900 bushels of oats have found or will
find market at this point.
The city is we'll supplied with smaller
manufacturing industries, such IS saw mill,
wagon and blacksmith shops, foundry (now
idle on account of litigation), sash and door
factories, etc.
Nearly every branch of the mercantile
business is represented in Corvallis, and the
recent growth of the trade of the city has
Inuuc6u some Oh Cno business men 10 go
into exclusive lines. sign of the evolution
of the city from the town or village. The
business men and citizens generally of Cor
Wallis have sometimes been termed moss
backy; but the writer does not think this is
deserved. The merchants are generally car
rying large stocks, and keeping up with the
times and improvements of the age, and |
the citizens of Corvallis have in the past |
several months exhibited much enterprise !
and public spirit. 1t is an old habit of pro.
jectors of undeserving questionable en- |
terprises to term those who fail to appre. |
ciate or patroize moss-backs.
TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES.
Corvallis is at present the terminus of |
the Southern Pacifc's line from Portland |
up the west side of the Willamette valley. |
This line will be extended at once to juno
tion, where it will meet the main line of |
the Southern Pacific, giving the city
through connection bv rail north or south |