Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-11-13
WANT FREE LOCKS.
FigureSthat Mean Much to Val
ley Farmers-And Others.

There is probably no subjec
under discussion in the William
ette valley today that so vitally
concerns every person of this sec
ton as does the one of free lock.
at oregon City, which is attract
ing attention from all classes
That toll on freight passing uE
and down the Willamette should
be removed, thus saving a vast
sum of money yearly to VILLAIN
cite valley farmers and business
men, is asserted by everyone,
and hoped and believed that the
time is coming when the injus
tice will be ended.
An article on the subject of g
free river appears lin the Oregon
Journal and is reprinted because
of the information it contains on
the subject. 1t says:
How it has happened that the
people of the Willamette valley
have SO long tolerated this rank
injustice to their interests with
out seeking relief is mystery.
The lockage charge is in effect
a toll of so cents per ton on
every pound of freight that goes
in or out of the valley through
Portland. 1t means, as has been
shown in these columns, the
taking of one and one half cents
from the sale price of every bu-
shel of wheat grown in the re-
gion. 1t is toll of III cents
on every sack of potatoes, 2H
cents on every sack of sugar,
~ cents on every sack of salt,
4 cents on every bale of hay, S
cents on every barrel of -four, S
cents on every bale of hops, with
corresponding exactions on all
other products or supplies, and
so strongly is the toll taker en-
trenched that the toll has to be
paid before the transaction is
complete. If the so cents per
ton lockage were removed,
the steamboats, would carry river
freight for so cents per ton less,
and that would force the rail-
roads into similar reduction.
The immense importance of
the subject to the people Of
the Willamette valley and Port
land is shown by the fact that
during the past year the estimat-
ed receipts of the private corpor-
alton on freight passing through
the locks, were $25, 900. 1t is
conceded that fully three times
as much freight is carried to af-
tected points by rail, a fact that
would place the excess freight
rates the lockage fee turns over
to the railroads at SIS. ooo>last
year. The figures are believed
to be extremely conservative, but
thus estimated the total toll the
lockage charge forced Willamette
valley people to pay the past
year, is 500, 900.
The sum is very large one,
under the circumstances. 1t is
S per cent on 81, 900, 600. The
$25, 900 that the private corpor.
alton collected in tolls at Oregon
City is5 per cent interest or
$500, 900, the sum that govern.
ment engineers give as the esti.
mated cost of the new locks or
the opposite side of the river
For Willamette valley people tt
be required to pay 500, 900 eacf
year simply because the lockage
fee adds so cents per ton to rive
freight and thereby allows tn,
railroads to charge an additiona
so cents per ton, is palpably ane
unquestionably unjust, and sit
uation for which relief ought t,
be afforded.
This is subject upon which
the people of Portland should be
come aroused, and in which th
Oregon senators should iuteres
themselves. Portland people ar
directly concerned, for, in tn
saving of this 500, 900 per yea
to Willamette valley residents
who will profit more in an in.
direct way than will Portland?
The way to help Portland i
to make her easily accessible t
the people of the Willamette re.
qiou. TO the peor1e of the inlan,