Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-05-21
THE CORVALLIS GAZETTE.
TUESDAY, MAY 81, 1901.
THOSE OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED

at Corvallis, it was the intent OF
the GAZETTE not to discuss fur
ther the reasons for or against the
proposition, but since Comrnis-
sioner Knots has spread nulner-
Gus objections thereto upon the
records of the court, and as they |
have been published in the
county paper, at the special re-
quest of a friend to the opposi-
ton, the GAZETTE deems it
proper to notice them and show
the falacy and want of sufficient
reasoning therein to establish his
conclusions
Replyinr to his objection char
acterizing the free ferry at Cor
Wallis as a radical departure in
county affairs and a doubtful ex-
pertinent at best, it is sufficient
to say that within the last two
years Mr.. Knots, we understand,
assented to establishing two free
ferries across the Long Tom
stream in this county and filed no
objection thereto. 1t seems that
establishing the free ferry at Cor
wallis is following in line with
the former action Of the court
and not departure.
AS to his further objection that
Linn county should bear half of
the expense and the city of Cor
wallis the other half, that is simz
ply question which the legisla-
ture has decided and is not within
the province Of a county COM
1nissionerto pass upon. His sug-
gestion would be contrary to law;
because the law of 1898, under
which the free ferry is establish
ed, specially authorized Benton
county to establish and maintain
the ferry and there is no law au.
thorizing Linn county or Corval-
lis to bear any part OF the ex'
pense separately. If it had been
proper for Linn county or Cor.
wallis to establish the ferry, nc
doubt the legislature, being the
law making power, would have
o-provided in the law. AS thu
legislature by law has fxet
the duty upon Benton county t
establish and maintain the ferry
it is not part of the duty of
commissioner of the county t,
annul the law by endeavoring t
become wiser than the legislator
and refuse to carry it out on i'm
aginary reasons peculiar to him
self; but it is his duty to carry ou
the laws as he finds them.
His reference to the fact tha
Albany has recently changed he
free bridge to a toll bridge, in
stead of being an argumen
against free ferry is the strong
est argument found in favor c
Corvallis adopting a free ferry be
fore the impatient citizens of tow
and county force upon US the bur
den of building a free bridge a
has been done in nearly all Of th
county seat towns situated on th
bank of the river. About te,
years ago the question of fire
bridge at Corvallis was agitate
and voted upon and came nea
carrying. Quite a number of ou
citizens at that time KNOWN
that a free bridge was more ez
pensive than small town 1ik
Corvallis, and Benton count
could carry, undertook the nee
essary measures to authorize
free ferry at Corvallis, which ca
be maintained at a nominal ez
pense as compared with FIRE
bridge.
To his'suggestions that the e:
tablishme11t ofa free ferry at Cor
wallis will cause people from nea
Peoria and Albany to beseige th
commissioners with petitions t
establish free ferries at thos
places, it is sufficient to say ths
by reading the law thorough
Mr.. Knots will not find any az
authorizing the county to estat
lish a free ferry either at A1ban
or Peoria, hence he need not boz
row trouble over imaginary shad
ows; but there is a law author
izing the county to establish tn
ferry at Corvallis.
His assertion that it is elaine
that because the Corvallis pre-
cincts contribute large porto
Of the county revenue for tha
reason it is urged they should re
celve Special and greater cen
sideration at the hands of th
court" is only imaginary wit
him. None of the people of Col
wallis lprecincts ask or expee
special consideration from til
court. On the contrary th
court, especially Mr.. Knots pa,
of it, has always, as we under
stand, Disseminated against Co,
Wallis and Corvallis precinct
when opportunity offered. Th