Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-11-24

have steadily worked to the ex-
tension of the production area.
Yet with it all the wagon or cart
road has continued to be the
principal element for the scatter
ment of civilizatian and of the
extension OF productive area away
from the main routes, while at
the same time it has been the
principal element of cost to the
producer in the marketing of his
product. Very few producers of
the raw material, that is to say,
other than of the metals, coal,
iron, ETC., are so fortunately sit
uated as to be able to load their
product, their grain, hops or
wool, stock or even wood or lum :
Der, in the field where produced,
or even nearby and adjacent
thereto; the vast majority find
the distance to the depot or
wharf a rather long one. It is
evident therefore that the country
road must be depended on to take
the product to the railway or the
waterway, which acts as the
common carrier for the district,
serving as the connecting link
between the country road and the
consumer. That the railway
without the independent connect
ing branch-the country road
would therefore be an unproht-
able venture is evident. Taking
this into consideration it is easy
to understand why the railway
and steamboat and steamship
companies take so great interest
in these "good roads" conven-
tions, and in the development
leagues of the country. Every
thing that enlarges the power of
| the farmer to increase his pro-
duction is in the interest of the
railway and other common car
rier lines, and everything that
serves to economic the hours,
that extends the power of the
farmer to accomplish things in
any way increases his productive
ability. Thus every hour or day
of time taken from the time re-
quired by the producer to haul
his product to market increases
the productive power of that
farmer or producer by giving
him increased time on the farm,
making possible his increased at
tention to the farm himself.
Increased production naturally
means increased carriage by
transportation routes. This
means that the railways and other
routes are thus given an impetus
that will lead through natural
channels to increased service
through the country; means in
creased attention to the needs and
requirements of the country.
This may not have been JUS
exactly the policy on all the
main lines of transportation in
the past, but there is no question
that it is becoming more and
more their policy today and will
be the policy of the future.
| However, as everything has its
compensating side, or its oppo.
site, SO has this ma tier of increas.
led production. While it requires
added service from the railroads,
who will question that it requires
added service from the branches,
as we are now in duty bound te
recognize the country roads to be,
I Increased production means in
creased wear and tear on the
country branch lines. That they
| will refuse to do their share oil
the service unless the owners O.
those branch lines do their part
toward maintaining them in q
jgood state of repair, or of putting
them in good repair, must be a.
evident as that the railroad can
mot handle the increased traffic
with the old facilities. Here
therefore is the work for the
stockholders and directors of the
branch system.
! They must prepare to handle thei
share OF the business, and az the stock
holders in these branch lines, like thos
of the main lines, want dividends. il
. decreased freight expenses, the branche
, must be put in proper shape, and tn
, stockholders will have to do as do tn
stockholders OF the railway, provide tn
funds before they are. earned. What i
, wanted of the branch line, the countr,