The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-05-01
GOV. GEER
SHOYELS
DIRT
At Opening of the Bohemia
Railroad
Gets a Great ovation at Cot
tage Grove, Lane Co.

COTTAGE GROVE, May 1.-Th,
greatest gathering here In many yeari
assembled at the breaking, Of dirt OF
the new railroad into the Bohemia min.
ing region. The affair was got up or
two days notice.
The Exercises.
Rev Beck offered q prayer ana tho
mayor, B. r. job, called to order and
delivered an address on the great en-
tcrprise here launched He paid a
glowing tribute to the peerless re-
sources OF Lane county. lie grew elo-
quent over the undeveloped lumber and
mining business and introduced Gov.
r. r. Geer. He received great DEM
onstratlon Of applause and referred
humorously to the strife that formerly
existed bStween Cottage Grove and
Lemati, but now all dewitt in peace and
harmony Gov Geer said he now re-
peated what he had often said, that
Lane county enjoyed a greater degree
Of prosperity than any county in the
state, and It was due to her enterprise
ing people and great natural resources.
He refwred to the envenious mining
Industry and practically inexhaustible
timber wealth, paid deserved tribute
to the beautiful county seat OF Eu-
gene.
This railroad would develop Cottage
Grove and the Bohemia country and
no part OF the country can prosper
without all being benefited. Bohemia
had long needed this railroad and was
destined to become one OF the greatest
mining camps In the west He spoke.
OF the great wealth coming from a
GRAND soil and climate, but II was stlll
to be capped with climax Of industrlal
wealth that would flow from THIS en-
terprise1 He said that Cottagg Grove
was truly the place where ~sfe rocks
and brooks and wales with milk and
honey flow, the meadows graen with
yerdure and the mountains tlad with
snow
A. he closed Mayor Job Offered him
b shovel that seemed a great 0eal too |
short for the Governor, and he humor-
lusly remarked that this was not the |
irst sod he ever broke. As ha de- |
Icended from the platform he wasfol-
owed by the crowd to the starting |
,oint Of the railroad.
"Sed the Governor dlg!" Hes all
lghtl" were the cries that rent the air
y he threw the first shovelful OF dirt
'hrec great cheers rdnt the air and
hen tiger was given with good viii.
Later a reference to Mrs. Geer being
resent brought "a round OF applause
rom the thousands Of farmers and
own people present.
About twenty stalwnrt SWedes were
Itching a camp nearby preparatory to
ding to work at grading Another
ang arrived from Eastern oregon on
he next train and there is great llfe
nd activity here,
The city OF Cottage Grove has raised
bout $4,000 to help buy the right of
ay which Is all secured for the 22
lilies that A. contracted. The whole
ne viii be 80 miles long The road
ins through several belts OF fine tim
er on the Row river ana viii be made
, pay as a lumber line from the start.
The Evening Reception
urpnssed I'm cordiality anything that
ls ever been witnessed In this part of
ne state. Al s o'clock the largest hall
] the city was packed To the street I
nd the ushers had tO clear passage
~ Gov. ana Mrs. Geer and the other
uests of honor The hail was pro-
isely decorated ln the national colors
nj oregon tir ana as the party en- !
red the audience rose and cheerei. ,
fter music by the band Mayor. job
llled to order The audience was one
those splendid oregon assemblagts .
Iat are unequglled anywhere i'm the {
orld for looks ana average In 1
lligence. Gov. Geer got another oya-
pn when he was introduced. after the
md had played, and playfully allud- a
20 the fact that he had once before v
IdrCssed them ana no one should he 4
lnlshed twice for the same offense.
lie pictured the great changes that
"a occurred since the country was C
tiled. all of which he had witnessed d
nee his boyhood. lie pictured a still a.
ore hopeful future for oregon and
owed that a rapidly increasing pop
alton would produce still more won 3
rful changes, lie said the state OF q
egon was In better condition today n
nm ever before, and that no state In
n Union was I'm better condition than =
egon industrially or financially APP u
tusH a
Among the visitors who sat on the 4,
,tform al the evening reception and
,de speeches were Senators Booth
q Kuykendar and = n. Friendly " q
Ig,ne. N