The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1894-08-03
JOHN MINTO REPORTS.

Mr. John Mimic makes n REPORT on the
.. P. extension, part OF which is as ioi-
lows:
At present the eastern most rail OF the
Oregon Pacific is at Idanha, Sc miles
from Salem, or counting the moutsins to
begin at Stayton and end at the Matolias,
the distance across the chain is 731s
miles, and of this distance SS miles OF
permanent, safe and cheaply operated
railroad is laid, through by far the
toughest portion of the range. Beyond
that, there is s miles graded ready for the
ties except two breaks by washouts. To
lay the rails down on that would take
the railroad 45 miles nearer to the COM
merce Of Central Eastern Oregon than
the Southern Pacific road is at Lebanon,
which believe is even further from the
east side of the Cascades than is Stayton,
and from which the wagon road con-
structed at great cost is laid to cross &
double summit, 20 miles apart, each Of
which were more difficult for road pur-
poses than the single dividing ridge over
which the o. Z. line is laid.
OThese statements are made in no spirit
OF rivalry or envy, toward the citizens or
towns of Linn county. Her citizens
never entered on, or consummated a
more worthy undertaking than the open
ing OF the w. V. & G. road. In that they
go one step in advance of Marion county
men. Now the entire Willamette yalley
and large area OF Eastern Oregon is
virtually interested in seeing this o, p.
line completed, or failing that, by reason
OF the lack of confidence amongst men OF
means at present, the interest is still so
fal tfO aE Il 1eNsi
to our own interests to make the road
now in operation an honestly paying
property, by constructing a good wagon
road from the end of the rail to Eastern
Oregon. 1t is now 20 years since the
route was viewed out and surveyed at a
cost to the county OF Marion OF some
$l,600. The duplicate OF that sum ju-
diciously expended would within one
mon:h enable wagons from Prinevllle to
receive their freight from the end of the
o. P. rail, verify believe. To preserve
the life OF that road as a paying property
is worth twenty times the sum allowed
named, annually, TO the commercial in
terests of Western Oregon alone; and to-
day men are leaving their location in
Eastern Oregon sick from the hope de-
ferred of its completion. The question
then is: What shall be done in this
matter? While the county OF Marion
and her several towns has the nearest liz
terest in making that route a permRn-
ent passway Tor commerce. other adjoin-
ing counties Crook ami Linn have
nearly equal interests-the former COM
paratively more. There are homes, and
many of them, in all these counties
which have been located and improved
in the belief in that road as a living en-
terprise. Many Of these home Builders
would loose years of time and all their
means il forced to seek another location
by the death of this road. There were
Sc votes cast at the last election at the
single precinct of Detroit in Marion coun-
ty- Many of these are willing to give
their laborfree in ai6 of the construction
of a common road as herein suggested.
as means OF getting the commerce of
Eastern Oregon to fiSw that way.