East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-03-30

Ontario, Or, March 29,-The sixth
session of the Oregon-Idaho Devel-
opment congress, which closed in this
city Saturday evening, was the larg-
est and most enthusiastic meeting yet
held, and as one speaker expressed it,
THE high water mark of the con-
gress." Large delegations were pres
Caldwell. Burns, Nyssa and Jordan
Valley, Portland, Salem, Eugene, Ba-
ker City and ether cities.
The Burns Commercial club quar-
tet, Prof. Rhyner's Encore hand of
Ontario, the Ontario Ladies Stringed
orchestra of IS instruments and the
high school chorus of 40 voices, fur
n:shed excellent music.
Talk of District Railroads.
At the closing session, William
Hanley the prominent steckman and
great Harvey county booster, launch
ed the district railroad building prop
osition by starting a fund 10 carry on
the preliminary work. He asked the
city of Ontario to subscribe $4,000,
and read a telegram from David Will
son of the Ontario Townsite company
at Spokane, pledging 5000. Mr..
Hanley also subscribed 5000 and Col
onel Wood pledged $500. a telegram
from the Boise Commercial club
pledged $3.50.
]. r. Blackaby, president of the
Ontario National bank, C. E. Kenyon.
cashier of the First National bank
of Ontario, and E A. Fraser, a lead
ing merchant of Ontario, was named
as committee to raise the $4,000 for
Ontario. Thus was formally launch
ed "The oregon Plan" of railroad
building.
The spirit of the large body of peo-
pie in attendance was reflected in nu-
merous resolutions that were enthu-
s!astically adopted. These resolu-
tions commended the legislatures of
both oregon and Idaho for the pas
sage of bills in both states which
shall make it possible for the state
10 create districts which shall have
the power to build railroads where |
they may so elect" and that sit is the |
sense of this congress that the build
ing of railroads within the two states
be encouraged in every manner pos
sible;" and that, "to that end we en-
dorse the movement which shall ere
ate districts for the purpose of rail-
road building" I'VE indorse the
building of a railroad at an early date
from Boise to Coos bay" and 1--WE
recommend that said line be extend
ed from Boise to Butte to the end that
the markets Of the magn ificent min
inf region lying between Boise and
Butte may be opened to the products
Of this country, and for the reason
that this extension will open a terri
tory covered by the Great Northern,
Northern Pacific, Chicago, Milwau-
kee & st. Paul, Chicago & Northwest
ern and the Burlington system as a
market for the products of Oregon
and Idaho"
1t was also resolved that "it is the
purpose of this congress to bring
about the construction of additional
railroads in Oregon and Idaho in
harmony with and in a spirit of
and cooperation with any
other railroad company or system
which may now or at any future time
be in operation in either state"
Wants Improvement of Bay.
The congress also recommended to
he national congress the Immediate ,
Improvement Of the Coos Bay harbor
% as to accommodate any ship in the !
gorld and called upon for the i'm
lrovement of the Columbia river from
Iewiston to the sea and the opening q
o navigation Of the Willamette by i.
elimination of the tonnage charges at y
oregon City It called upon the fed +,
.ral government TO take no the mat ,