The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-08-17

i
with it an appropriation of $50, coo for va
quina improvements. Ten years ago this
summer the first work was commenced on
the south jetty, since which time a tritie
over 5000, coo of Uncle Sans money has
been expended III jetties and other improve
ments to the Yaquiua bar. The bar, since
the work began. has gradually been work
ing westward until it is now located some
| 800 feet west Of its original position. At
| that time the lead line indicated but nine
| or ten feet of water on the bar at low tide,
Eut through the judicious expenditure Of
| the money appropriated by the government,
| this depth has been increased until now
twenty three feet is had in the shallowest
place at mean high tide.
Only $4,000 will be required to complete
the present project and nearly $4,000 of this
| amount remains over from the last appro.
priation. The money expected from the
| appropriation bill now under consideration
| before congress will be expended in an en-
tlrely new project, now under consideration
by the engineers.
Lieut.. Holcomb confirms the opinion of
many regarding the practicabilty of load
ing grain fleets at Yaquina direct for Liver.
pool, which would avoid the present useless
expense of transporting valley grain to San
Francisco where it is reloaded for foreign
points. Something should be done in this
direction without delay. Since James A.
Do ~, ,otaI
about fourteen years ago and shipped
cargo of spars from Yaquina to Japan,
nothing has been accomplished toward de-
veloping foreign trade from this port.
Yet during this period over 100000 has
been expended in improvements to the har-
Dor. If congress is expected to continue
the expenditure of money at Yaquina,
there must be disposition evidnced on the
part of residents Of this ssection toward
building up her shipping interests. The
gross tonnage over this bar is not Increasing
as it should and unless the matter of foreign
shipping is looked to in the near future,
appropriations Will be shut off.
The harbor is all right. 1t affords an
adequate depth of water at all seasons of
the year to admit with safety, the average
siz ID sailing vessel now employed in the
gram carrying trade. Millions Of bushels
of wheat are raised in the valley for ship
ment to the Liverpool market. The Ore,
gon Pacific extends from the valley to Va.
quina, and is in a position to transport the
crop to that place for shipment, but instead,
it is loaded at YaGuina onto some coasting
vessel and taken to San Francisco for re-
shipment.
The price of grain at Yaquina. should be
the Liverpool price less the cost of trans
portation. which would be reduced to
minimum by loading at Yaquina snch yes
sells as now receive their cargos at Portland
and San Francisco. OF course such pro.
ducts as are exported from the lower valley
AMI from the inland Empire should be mar
keted by the way OF Portland; but all
stuff raised in the willamette valley south
of Salem should find its outlet to foreign
markets via Yaquina bay. This, however,
will never be accomplished until the people
of that locality evidence some concern in
behalf of their own welfare and future and
the Importance of Yaquina as commercial
center.
Another notable instance Of ;he failure of
Bay people to take advantage of their natu-
raj resources is the lack of enterprise dis
played in dairying. The Yaquina valley
is nothing if not adapted to extensive oper-
ations i'll this profitable line of business.
The grass upon the thousands of hills along
the river remains green the year around.
Much OF this land is worthless for agricul.
tural purposes because of its rough, noun.
famous character, and can be utilized only
for grazing purposes. The winters are
mild, and therefore comparatively little
feeding would be necessary. Still, with all
their advantages u large proportion of the
butter used at the Bay this season is shipp-
ed in from Siuslaw and other points.
Land along the coast is not adapted to
agricultural purposes, but grass, fruit and
vegetables do finely in such localities, and
if the residents of Lincoln county, particu-
larly those living about the Yaquina valley,
ever eSpect. to get anywhere, financially
speaking, they should tnrn. their attention
in most vigorous manner toward stock.
raising, fruit-growing, dairying and garden.
ing, and cease waiting for the extension of
the Oregon Pacific in the vain hope that
it's completion will boom the price of their
land d,-upon which little has been done
except by the hand of the Creator,-and
enable them to sell out at fabulous prices
and retire to private life with fortune.
These suggestions and criticisms are not
made in captious mood, but they rever-
berate the expressions of many Observing
persons now at the coast, and the GAZETTE
merely wishes to point out the opportunities
and advantages with which nature has so
richly endowed the good people of Lincoln
county, in the hope that they will be seen
and taken advantage of. The interests of
Benton are, in MANY respects, identical
with those of Lincoln, and her welfare and
therefore, should not be lost
sight of by this journal, which, for over