Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-02-16
HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF GRANTS PASS
Interesting Facts of Early Day as
Told by a Formsr Editor
of the Courier.

Editor Courier-It is true that
have consented to write series OF
articles for the Courier, discussing the
early days of Grants Pass, much Of
which will be based upon the original
files of the Courier of which l am the
proud possessor. The Courier has
very generously given me full sweep
it dictates nothing; the only handi-
cap have to contend with is possible
incompetency, the extenuatiDg cir
cumstances being that I am 40 miles
from the scene of these early day oc-
currences with no one of the pioneer
actors to consult; my files do not go
back of Friday, April 9th, 1886
(whereas the town WAS more than two
years old at that time) the time when
1 became actively engaged with ]. H.
Stina in publishing the Courier and
aagin, dear reader, feel that several
years Of constant Juggling of long leg
ged rubber boots, oil slicker coat and
SOU u-wester hat is not going to add
much lustre to these duties. Prelimi.
nary to the main question, however,
l will say that good many years
ago the Oregon and California Rail
road Co. in order to acquire grant
to millions Of dollars worth of land,
timber and mines, along its right of
way between Portland and the state
line on the south, built railroad to
Roseburg, they then ceased operations
and the road slumbered in a deep
sleep for good many years, until in
1888 private enterprise built wagon
road from Waldo across the coast
range of mountains to the Crescent
City harbor; this made great inroads
upon their Southern Oregon freight
shipments the wagon tolls over this
road for the first years business
amounting to $1,000. This woke up the
railroad company and they imme-
diately began the extension of the
railroad from Roseburg, the objective
point being Ashland.
A reference to the map will
show the outlines of this aforesaid
grant. Somehow to me, it resembles
very much an overgrown case of skin
erysipelas upon the commerce of this
country; and when l consider that
this government grant plainly re-
served "all minerals excepting coal
and iron" and in plain violation of
this specific contract the railroad
company upon the sale of any of this
granted land proposes to reserve in its
deeds all minerals to itself, and in
fact for several years has refused to
sell this granted land at any price,
then am fully convinced the proper
name for this act of our over generous
government in thus tying the people
to the railroad and thus depriving
them of their natural rights, is not
railroad grant but instead should be
called government erysipelas. The
company could not construct |
this road without bridges and fortu.
nately for Josephine county our present
U. S. consul to China, Hon. Il. B.
Miller and his father followed them
along and built their bridges. When
Harry b. Miller reached Josephine
county, so favorably impressed was
he with its possibilities, its climate,
mines and timber resources that he
decided at once that right here he
would reside and do business. 1.-The
diversity of industry" said he, will
surely make a large city of Grants
Pass. =" The Sugar Pine Door & Lum-
Der Co. was the first result of this de-
,ision. At this time the writer first
became acquainted with Harry Miller,
as we always called him; he was
very outspokeu, enthusiast in behalf
If the future of Grants Pass and
Josephine county. We fully agreed