Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1893-05-04
The Rock Creek Country.

Looking to the south we had a
splendid view fIali the prominent
peaks in the Coast range; Mary's
peak, now dressed in a mantle of
snow, Grass and Table mountains,
cold and grey in the distance, while
south and west one has almost
continuous view Of Rock creek and
the Siletz river and valley to the
Agency. The green meadows,
with here and there farm house,
with quiet herds feeding on the
highlands, calls ones thoughts
back from dreamland to the every
day proposition that the far west,
or wild life i'll the far west will soon
be dream Of the past, for Uncle
Sans broad dominions viii soon
be all given away, and where but a
few short years ago the dusky na-
tives fshed out of the many brook
lets that dent the Coast range, or
hunted the lordly elk on the ever
green hills, the tiacks of civiliza-
ton and the handiwork Of the ever
progressive pioneer can now be
seen. Looking due west Cape
Foulweather and the Pacific ocean
come into view. We could almost
locate Toledo and Newpor, Though
we had no glass. After taking in
this grand view we took Our dog
and chased fine buck nearly over
Senator Crosno and Mr.. Porter,
but it being the close season for
that kind of game they wisely re-
Trained from shooting, but sent a
huge granite boulder after it which
moved track for a half mile
down the mountain side, knocking
down small trees and bounding
over logs, reminding one Of the
track of Kansas zephyr.
The trip down the mountain oc-
cupied but half the time consumed
in ascending, but ones knees felt
shaky when the level was reached;
but hot coffee, bacon and eggs and
mountain trout, with a good camp
story from Commodore Lucas and
a lively song from Porter soon put
us in better cheer and at bedtime
we were happy and contented.
The settlers in this township
have great faith in the early exten-
sion of the Southern Pacific road
from Airlie, the present terminus,
to tidewater on Yaquina Bay, the
distance being only about SO miles,
Mr., Porter informed me that he
had run a level over the divide and
that a one per cent grade could be
had. This road, if built, will come
through Kings valley and up the
Luckiamute, cross the divide down
onto Rock creek and pass through
about ten miles ofas fine old growth
fir timber as there is on the Coast
range. Reaching the Siletz Indian
reservation 1t would pass through
about ten miles of as fue valley as
can be found In Oregon, striking
the headwaters of the Depot, pass
through the great coal belt to the
junction of Beaver with Depot and
on to Newport, the summer resort
of the Northwest. In my judge
ment there is not another 3S miles
of railroad In Oregon that has open.
ed up the natural resources that
this road would develop should /,
be built. There is no reason why
lumber cannot be manufactured and
shipped to San Francisco as CHEAP
as from this section of the country
as from the state of Washington.
1t Is an undiputed fact that the
Sound country depends upon hei
lumber and coal resources wholly
There Is no reason why Yaquina,
with her splendid harbor, should
not become a permanent coaling
and shipping point. If this road
was operating the Indians could
and would raise a thousand
bushels Of grain where they now
raise but a hundred. There is rock
enough in Granite mountain tC
keep fifty trains running daily for
a hundred years, and of a quality
pronounced by Portland experts tc
be equal the Maine or Quincy gran.
lite. There is water power enough
flowing rast the mountain to turr
the wheels that would drive hun,
dreds of saws and drills. More
salmon annually goes into the 81
letz river than into the AlSea ant