Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-04-08
SALEM
MEHAMA
ELECTRIC
Blocked by Failure to Get
Right of Way at StaytOn

Stayton Mail, April 5th: What
are the people of Stayton going to
do toward securing the Salem.Lyons
electric railroadG In a personal note
from Fred r., Waters. OF Waters
Bros, Salem, the gentlemen who Sc
cured the right of way for the Port
land-Salem line, and who are endeav-
oring to get the right of way from
Salem to Mehama and Lyons, Mr..
Waters says that the company will
begin operations soon, and that "the
indications are that Stayton will lose
the road" What are the people of
town going to do about it? Are they
going to let another railroad go by
without an effort to bring It to town.
IL this road does not come to Stay
ton, but Is built from one to Ave
miles north of us. property here viii
not command 20 cents on the dollar
of the price at which Il Is now held.
and the growth of the town will stop.
The sawmill. probably the leading
employer of help In town, will in a
few years be compelled to shut down
unless logs can be hauled I'm by train.
AS the dairy industry increases.
wheat growing decreases. and II the
time ever comes--as Il may-when
Gardner has to ship In wheat In order
to run his flour mill, he will have n
hard time to do anything but n small
local business, unless he can get
wheat to his mill by train. with the
sawmill and the -four mills only run
ming TO supply small local trade. and
no railroad into the town. what will
Stayton amount to? Mr.. Grover
Cleveland once said: "It Is a condl-
ton, not a theory. that confronts us"
That is the situation of we people OF
this town. In common parliance, II
Stayton loses this road, we will GER
tainly be up against II good and
hard.
So far, practically no inducement
has been offered the road to build
through town. The company asks for
free right OF way through the In
corporation. The council has offered
TO open street and give a free right
of way along that street for about
half the distance asked by the rail-
road. This does not suit railroad
people, and there the matter hangs.
The council has power under the
charter TO appoint a committee TO
appraise property and award dam
ages for the purpose OF opening
streets. Unfortunately at this time
there is no street running through
town in n direct line east and west.
There should be one opened, and It's
use donated TO the railroad COM
pany. under proper conditions. At
one time the company agreed TO give
bonds TO build the road and have cars
running In given time, provided the
right OF way asked for was granted
They probably will do so now. II so,
let the council accept a good and suf-
ficient bond that the railroad will
fulfill its part OF the contract. then
open street from the west TO the
east line OF the corporation and givo
the railroad a free right OF way. 10
will cost something, TO be sure, but II
will also insure the road. The man
who insures his home doesn't get any
thing In return unless he suffers
loss, yet he pays his dues regularly.
and Is considered a wise business
man. BY the expenditure OF a COM
paratively small amount OF money
Stayton can insure itself a railroad.
Are we going 10 do Il, or are we go-
ing 10 sit still and let Il 20 by 20
mourn later over another lost oppor-
tunity?