The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1891-04-03
THE BRIDGE QUESTION.

cite at that place. It has been
suggested that the county court oil
@ Benton county ought to assist in
the building Of the bridge because
6 it would unite Benton and Linn
: counties at that point.
The fact that Polk county rem
dered such assistance in the con-
struction of the first bridge at Sa-
lem has been mentioned as a pre-
cedent in this connection. The
Albany bridge will no doubt be of
benefit to the lower portion of
Benton county. Many residents
in that locality transact most of
their business at Albany, and they
will be benefited accordingly. But
the great majority of taxpayers Of
the county have no interest what
lever in the construction of bridge
lover the Willamette river at Alb
any. Their interests can in no
way be promoted by it. They do
not transact their business at Alba
ny, and when they have occasion
to 60 there they find the trains the
easiest and cheapest mode of con-
veyance.
The residents near Albany who
do so there frequently might with
propriety render such private aid
in the building of the Albany
bridge as in theirjudgment is just.
But for Benton county to appro-
pirate money from the county
treasury for that purpose would
not, in the opinion Of the GAZETTE,
be subservient of the best inter
ests of the taxpayers of the county.
The Polk county precedent is not
one to follow in this case. The
conditions are not the same by any
m cans. There is a vast difference
between the relative commercial
Importance of Salem and Inde
|pendence and that of Corvallis and
Albany. Independence, though a
promising young city, is to the
state capital as one is to several.
Albany, on the contrary, is to Cor
wallis more nearly as six is to half
a-dozen. Therefore the conditions
are not similar. Again, a court
composed of human beings might
by reason of inexperience or lack
of wisdom, err. We do not allege
that such is the case but still
court might do such a thing.
Therefore the precedent of our sis
ter county having helped Salem is
no reason why Benton county
should help Albany.
1t has been intimated that if
Benton county should assist in
building the Albany bridge Linn
would doubtless reciprocate when
Corvallis is ready to build bridge
here. 1t is not probable that the
county court of Linn county would
commit themselves to such an
agreement. If they should it is
questionable whether or not their
successors in office would be bound
by such an agreement. 1t is fur
thermore not likely that such an
action would meet with the ap-
proval of the taxpayers of Linn
county in general. OF what
special importance to them is the
construction of bridge at this
city? 1t is highly probable that
the city which first completes her
bridge will be Indifferent as to the
building of a bridge at the other,
or any other point. Supposing,
however. that Benton county |
should make liberal appropria-
ton for the Albany bridge, and |
that, when Corvallis is ready to
build, Linn county should make a
corresponding appropriation, how !
much better off would either town
or county be? Obviously they
would be in the same condition as
at first. IF Corvallis was a little
town of Insignificant Importance |
and with no prospect of a bridge |
q I IL