The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-07-23
HILLSAND Wales OF BENTON COUNTY
Unsurpassed in Fertility and Richness.
IS LOCATED HEART FAMOUS
ISA T-O
VANTAGES

than are the girls and women raised
in the Alsea. Such delightful scenes
pure water and rich air, just from the
shores of the sea-air that has beer
waited along the great forests of pine
fir and cedar, over carpets of living
green, until like the bee. it has bee,
laden with the necessities of life Tho
| fisherman, the hunter, the tired toileI
and the invalid find a veritable paradise
in the Alsea.
On the west bank of the Long Tom
at a point about II miles south oi
Corvallis, is Monroe, a charming little
village of 300 inhabitants An extensive
business is transacted by the merchants
with the farmers to the south and west
1t is amply furnished with good schools
and churches, and is surrounded by
wealthy settlements in the heart OF a
rich agricultural district
Located in the northwestern portion
of the county is Kings valley, which,
will be remembered, has become his
toric ground, as it was here that Sheri-
dan was once stationed in command
of body of troops. One OF the wealth
lest spots along the coast is this fertile
valley.
An important factor in the develop
ment of Benton county, as well as the
entire Willamette valley, has been what
is now called the Oregon Central &
Eastern railroad Colonel T. E. Hogg,
a fnancier of considerable repute, late
in the '7os, conceived the idea of con-
Meeting Corvallis with the Yaquina bay
by rail- The harbor of. Yaquina, lying
70 miles distant from Corvallis, was only
accessible to the smallest coasting YES
sells, but government surveys established
the feasibility of deepening the channel,
and assurance was had of natural aid
for this purpose. Colonel Hogg inter
ested Eastern capitalists in the scheme,
and active work was soon commenced
and the last spike was driven December
28, 1884.
The original name of the railroad was
the Willamette Valley & Coast railroad
but before its completion to Corvallis,
the directors determined to push it
across the state, and form connection
with some Eastern road, and with this
in view changed the name of the prop
erty to the Oregon Pacific. In 1886,
the line was extended to Albany, and on
into the mountains distance of 20
miles from Corvallis. The following
year it was completed 50 miles further,
nearly to the summit of the noun
tains, and through magnificent timber
region bordering the Santiam river and
its tributaries About this time, how
ever, the directors were confronted with
serious financial difficulties, which ac-
cllnaulated unit! the property Pr passed into
the hands of receiver in the fall OF
1901 After an unfruitfu1 career in the
hands of several receivers, the road was
Bonner and Hammond, two prominent
Montana capitalists, December, 1895,
who gave it its present name.
These gentlemen realized that they
had become the possessors of valu-
able property, and at once began ex-
tensive Improvements. They purpose
eventually building several branch lines,
or feeders, and also extend the road to
an Eastern connection. Under their
management, the road has enjoyed
heavy increase in business, necessitating
this employment of two large steamships
on the line between San Francisco and
Yaquina. The general offices are at
Corvallis, and the proposed branch line
to Eugene will be built from that city.
People of Benton county owe to the
Oregon Central & Eastern road much
of their present enjoyment of low
freight rates.
The mildness of winters makes it pos
sible to bring dairying to its highest
perfection. Homemade butter com
mands high price, compared with the
imported article For table use we pay
from 20 to 80 cents per pound, and
good, fresh butter is always in demand.
In fact, the Oregonian and other lead
ing journals of the state have time and
again suggested that more of our peo-
pie should engage in butter-making, so
as to supply the demand. Good dairy
ing stock has been added to the county
breeds, and the environments have been
such that the creamery business has
proved to be great advantage to the
producer and the consumer. The lack
of knowledge of the dairying business
has been recognized by many of our
thorough-going citizens, SO that state
boards have taken the matter into CAFE
full consideration, the state agricultural
college having already made provisions
for dairying in the school during the
coming year. Experienced dairymen
find here splendid field for the estab
lishment of remunerative business.
Benton county has an abundance Of
white, yellow and red fir timber, be-
sides great quantities of ash, maple, ce-
dar, oak, cherry, laurel, alder and pine.
The oak, ash, maple, yew and cherry
take high polish and are therefore very
valuable for furniture, and ash lumber
is being exported to neighboring states.
Native oak is of solid texture, and
has proved to be very valuable. Wagons
made of native oak by Elias Rowe
some 30 or IS years ago are now in
daily use. While some who desire to
advertise materials of Eastern growth
may deny the value of our native woods,
they will ever be confronted with the