Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-11-21
Address TO the Members of the Portland Business Excursion
From the Citizens League, Corvallis
November II, 1905

GENTLEMEN OF THE PORTLAND BUSINESS MEMS EXCURSION:
~ Tom sa Richardson de5 ards n says you want to see the town, 50 we take you for
ranged a longer stay with u.s.
- The idea of this excursion lis most commendable M ard # nrst he
The cemenhng Of The. Commercial and social ties ubcp = : t tha exp pt hs ions
neglected. can but be mutually beneficial. Heretofore there has been mor y
less Jealousy existing throughout the valley toward Portland. We fear-that
this condition has been due to your failure to reciprocate The visits made bv
Next to being proud of the state of Oregon, W are proud of the city of
Portland. We realize the commercial. advantages of your CITY and her inn
potance to the state, and particularly to this valley. We recognize the benefit
that wi aecruet to the city of Portland and to the tate by the Improvement of
n coumba br n river, and stand constantly ready to asdst yu in further
The impression prevails that considering their wealth and opportunities,
he OF n willamette Valley have been forging ahead of the city of
Portland. Fully awakened to the possibilities of the state. a spirit of hustle
and improvement has become epidemic and ii a matter of universal con.
graduation nat Portland toos has caught the infection, and is rising from
mossbaekisnn % a appreciation of her real duty to the state and its citizens
It would be source of great satisfaction to us for Portland to become the
greatest city on the Pacific coast and to that end:we Ire ready to offer yu III
united strength.
Believing that you are o about to become better acquainted with u.s. e
desire to tell you what w ire and who:we are.
We are the biggest town on the West Side and the hest tow i, tho vii
1amette valley. "Best' because it's "drv" No intoxica+iro 1io,or. NO s,,d
in Bentou county. We have = nonn1a y noAcau liquors IRE sold
$525ooo. Corvallis has ne of the largest and] besteuuinned cra.raeIasi j.,
the northwest and its output commands a good premium in te Portland
market. We have two modern school bui1dinas nh nn nanI ~ ue ro1uahu
have a $4,000 court house, a $4,000 city hall, and churches ga1ore. Our
merchants. are substantial and their business shows a splendid increase dur
ing the past year. "Ess
The city of Corvallis has a modern sewerage system,s second to n % +ow in
tn state' Seventyhve thousand dollars of her bonds recently sold to a Port
land firm at premium. This money is being spent~in he onsruc4ion =,
modern gravity waters system, whose source is mountain stream, - uhen
you next v1st US we will serve you with watere equal to your W "Bul1 Run,
Benton county has the distinction of beingrout of debt and 81 hay;ng -
lowesttax levy of any county in Oregon. she 6as:f5e;5z;f s79p6oasE7Ts@ ~
any county on I cast cast very ether family lin Benton county "a Be reached
are busy, and she raises the best breeds of cat1eI .sheep, horses hogs and
poultry oaainabe. Her roads are good and her people are prosperous and
happy.
Porlands position today is the result of assistance she has:received from
h wluametre valley n hrW welfare yet is largely dependent on the same
source. Our intress arei identical. tits a fact that the advancement off, ctv
depends o the surrounding country and the Improvement IF that ountrv
must always be in advance of the improvement of a city. Looking TO -
own good, Portland hou bend her energies to the deve1opmentof the state
at large. The policy of discouraging the location of manufactu1n .enter.
prises in towns outside of Portland, can only result in retarding the erowtb of
city, may add in N number, it will most certainly result in a NEGATIVE dati-
sentiment. Our interests are your interests, and and~vtss tsst al res tel qga Of re
wish ito make son suggestions a to what will benefit Is both.
Instead of taking every excursion of Eastern peoplef ND or dowr tho w.
1umbda river, why not occasionally show them the ::Wi1amette val1eva In the
valley W have something to look at besides rocks.
Why has so much time and energy been spentin o1tiro u.:,:
locks at the Cascades and a canal at Celtic, withgnevera thought of the wi.
could have been purchased and the Willamette made nayigab1e to $50 ~
year round. While W do not take the position that nj interests are No.
mount to those of the Inland Empire, we do insist that tbev .s ~
potant.
Why cannot cassara bark, potatoes and other commodities, the products of
the Willamette valley, be sold f. c. b. canm Corvallis to Portland merchants
for as good a price as Eastern buyers will pay?
Why should the Portland wholesaler be iealouso of the co-r.1Es 49,.
because the latter does a little jobbing in his own local territory?
Complaint is made that Portland merchants charge Corvallis merchants
for case and carriage" while Eastern firms will sell at a price in ompetihon
with Portland to eliminate this charge. Should the Covais.merchant paw a
Premium for doing business in Portland?
The number of beef cattle raised on The farms of Willamette valley Isl n
significantly small when compared with the number marketed from ocora.
bonding area in Iowa or Nebraska. It snot because we baveYnot tha -
stock, nor because re cannot produce feed in abundance, tht:nore cst1s ~
not raised, nor is it because u people are not DESTROYS of PRODUCING r.
Possibly the fact that there is no packing estabIshmentinrthe state ufacisn+lr
large o handle the output may offer son explanation, while ONE of the
farmers think they should "a more than 90 per cent. of the price paid bv
the Portland consumer for his beef May it not also be true thata 1.rpa nd
pork, and eliminate the annual shipment of Eastern bacon. F."
We feel that the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, which controls 4ha
transportation throughout the valley is not keeping abreast IF HI deve1on
ment of this rapidly growing section. Not only here but all up and down the
valley, there is acrying demand for nor cars and better service Dnrnr
much of the time for several years past the company. has been unable or at
least has failed, to promptly furnish cars to meet the demand. sWithin the
last eighteen months a citizen of this county undertook to, deve1op a indus
try here, which would lave been of material benefit to the county. After
waiting for FIVE months for cars with which to ship1his output ande fsnat
get them, he went into bankruptcy and paid only Al cents ON thea
Corvallis has only t1-weekly freight service from Portland when sh. Sshor1d
have a daily service. Portland business men can render no ereater se-ioa -
the citizens of the valley, than by inpressing gupon the Southern pacifc
Company hi need Otm more adequate equipment and better service
We say hardwood lumber and ship it out oil the state. Whv is,+ =
manufactured in Oregon, into furniture and things?
While you are here We want to call your attention tt the, oregon o-.
cultural College, and its needs. While it is located, at Corvallis If is i,s+ os
much yours as ours. tits only recently that it has begun ito be appreciated w
Oregonans. It needs additional funds for buildings, euupmen nd+n,ia.o.
nee. 1t should have your assistance necessary to place it at Least OF ro-
with the Agricultural College OF Washington. We want you to sem vour
BOYS and girls here to school, for the courses and uuipnent At fo n ~
are just as we'll suited to the education of the chndmn of the business no, 81.