Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-02-19
Prospects for Extending the
Railroad ExcelIency.
A MILLION For YAQUINA.
Contract Is to Be Awarded--WolI
to Proceed at an Early Hour.

announcement that the cOnLTac
authorized by congress for the furthe
improvement Of Yaqulna hay is TO b
awarded. The; extention OF the jet
ties according TO the plans OF the neV
project will probably make the en-
trance at Yaq1ina one Of the safes
and best on the coast. The power o
man to meet and conquer the advers'
forces OF even the mighty ocean anC
TO regulate these forces for his owl
convenience has often been demon
strated, and the eight or ten feet o.
additional depth OF water under the
old improvement at YaquiDa Is
hint of what the new improvement
will accomplish. IL is more thar
probable that the result Of the worl
will be the adoption Of the harbor az
point Tor loading grain ships foreign
bound. That would mean a net saw
ing OF at least six cents and probably
eight cents on every bushei Of wheat
shipped abroad by that route, and a
consequent advance Of six or eight
cents per bnshel ip the price To thf
Benton county farmer. Benefit
like this are not matters OF specula-
tlon, but are facts capable Of exact
mathematical demonstration.
The event means also the perpet-
uiCy of the Yaqulna railroad line
from the valley TO the ocean, and
likewise its extension inso eastern
Oregon. Mr.. Hammond has practi'
cally promised the latter In the event
that the Yaquina contract should be
awarded, aud be is not man who
forgets his promises. Perpetuation
of the Yaquina road as a competing
line from the valley TO the sea Is the
best hope of the local producer. ii
Is the safety valye that prevents lm-
moderate freight exactlons by mon
opolistic companies. Extension of
the line TO Eastern Oregon procures
the development Of the great inland
empire and the establishment OF
agricultural and other industries at
points where now there are only
juckrabbits and sage brush, and the
delivery Of the products already
grown in the region by u cheap and
convenient line to profitable mark
cts. All Oregon is the beneficiary Of
the proposed improvement, and so
long as government was In the bust
ness of improving harbors, none was
more deserving than Yaqulna. A
new hope for the future, new en-
Tor eudeavor will be felt
on many farm, in many a shop as
result of this work. For the very i'm
portant fact that they haYe secured
the promotion OF this improvement,
Mr.. Tongue ia particular aud the
Oregon delegation In common are
entitled TO the thanks OF all Oregon
ians for duty well done.
The YaQuina harbor is to be fur
ther improved. The secretary OF
war has yielded To the tremendous
pressure brought on HIM, and the
authorization of the contract has
already been made.
The dispatch announcing The
event says that telegraphic instruc'
lions have been wired the local en-
Iineer az Portland o. proceed at once
20 preparing the details Of the plan,
aud as soon as that preliminary is
10 advertise for bids.
As all know the plan Of improvement
provides for the extension OF both the
north aud south jetty about 1000 feet
The engineers have de-
,lared IL probable that such extension
will throw the sand bar outside the
outer reef, aud give the entrance a |
lepth OF at least four additional feet |
II water. The estimated cost for the |
work is one million and twenty-five
thousand dollars. Experts, however,
leclare that 10 will cost much less, An
stimate of almost an exactly equal
AMOUNT was made for Grays Harbor
Improvement, aud Il was recently let
,y contract for something over six
thousand dollars.
News OF the act OF the war depart
nent in authorizing the letting OF
he contract reached Corvallis Satur-
lay noon. IL came in telegram
rom Congressman Tongue to Edwin
,tone. aud IL had an electrical effect
u hosting smile signals on CORVALLIS
The word went round
Ike an epidemic, and every body was
elighted. At Newport there was
uch joy that anylls were fired, and
here was held public meeting at
ihich there was general congratula.
iOa aud universal How OF soul.
The pressure brought TO bear In
rder to resurrect the contract is one
I the things the general public will