The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1890-01-17
WHAT THEY DID.

cials concerning the extension Of the
west side road, the Oregonian of the
18th, says:
The delegation of west side busi-
ness men who are here to confer with
Manager Koehler as to the advisablity
of speedy construction of the juno
ton Corvallis road, went over to the
east side local yesterday morning to
see if the Junction delegation had
come. Finding no trace of them they
repaired to the Southern Paciic's gen.
eral offices and presented themselves to
| Manager Koehler.
Mr.. Koehler was prepared to receive
his guests, and corL"iIy invited them
into his private office where all found
chairs.
81 saw by this mornings Orego-
nian," said he, ''that you were coming to
sec me, gentlemen, so | have been ex-
pecting you, and | assure you of my
perfect willingness to give you any
information in my power, and to do
any thing possible to further the inter
| ests of you towns
The party included DR.. G. H. Lee,
F. M. Johnson, and w. A. Wells OF
Corvallis; G. Braley, of McMinnviIle;
J. S. Cooper, E. c. Pentland and L.
w. Robertson, of Independence, and
ex-senator Laughlin, of North Yam
hill.
Without any great show of formality
DR.. Lee, of Corvallis, proceeded to lay
before Mr.. Koehler the object of the
delegations.
"We have not come," he sad, ito in
duce the Southern Pacific to build
from Corvallis on to Junction, fer we
understand that this work had been
decided upon once tor all, and that it's
execution was merely a question of
time. But what We desire to secure is
the speedy accomplishment Of the
building. We don't want it built in
two or three years, but we want it
built this year. Immigration promises
to pour into the Willamette valley
more in 1890 than ever before. We
want our share of the settlers and the
business it brings. AS it is, not one
tourist in ten who goes through the
valley sees the west side OF it, north OF
Junction, at all. We want to be in
the world. We want you to bring the
world to us. The Southern Pacific is
losing great deal of trade hy not
having this through connection for our
shippers. There are 800, 1000 bushels of
wheat now stored in our section, wait
ing for the water to rise so that the
Oregon PaciGc's boats CAN take ii
down. ...
II wish very much," said Manager
Koch ,.that you people would pre-
pare some statistics of this character.
which l can lay before the genera!
officers Of the company. That has to
be my course in the matter, anyway,
and with such papers at hand, very
good showing can be made"
GLOW long before All answer could
be had after the report was sent in!"
some one asked.
"Not to exceed three weeks How
ever, the vice-president of the road,
Mr.. G. P. Huntington will be here
this spring, and such matters as this
will form the subject of his investiga-
ton and consideration. The rise in
value of steel rails is apt to cut some
figure in the situation. Indeed, it is
question of ready money that has h,n-
dered the completion, hitherto. of the
west side road to Junction. The pro-
:ject had to be considered at tile same
time as the connection between Ore
gon and California, and of course the
less had to give way to the more i'm
portant enterprise"
Manager Koehler stated that the
right of way for the line had already
been secured, except in two Or three
instances in the vicinity of Corvallis.
The delegation assured him that there
would be no trouble whatever in ar
ranging for that.
The Eugene Corvallis road was
briefly alluded to, and DR.. Lee assured
Manager Koehlcr that Corvallis want
ed the Southern Pacific great deal
more than they wanted the Eugene
Corvallis line. 1t was of no particu-
lar benefit to Corvallis for the Eugene
people to tap the Oregon Pacific, but
for Corvallis to have through connec
ton with the Southern Pacific was of
vital Importance "We think we have
the best part OF the valley" said Dr.
Lee
81 think so too," replied Mr.. Koch
ler, "and when we have any visitors,
am always anxious for them to get up
as far as Corvallis on the west side"
Mr.. Koeher stated, in reply to
question, that when the road is built,
the probable arrangement of the
through travel will be that at Junction
the through train would be divided
and passengers allowed to take their
choice of the east and west side to
Portland. So with outgoing business,