Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-06-03
WAGON ROAD TO BEACH

That the whole Willamette Valley
would be benefited and that Polk
County would be the principal gamer
by the construction of a first-class
highway from Falls City to Newport
is the opinion of every citizen who has
given the proposed improvement any
study and consideration.
The people of Falls City. through
their Commercial Club, have interest
ed themselves in the building of such
road. and are meeting with marked
encouragement and support. The Sa-
lem Board of Trade has given assur-
ances of its hearty sympathy and CO.
operation; the business men of Dallas
will lend loyal support. and it is be-
lieved that the people of Newport will
enter enthusiastically into the project
A delegation from the Falls City
Commercial Club, consisting of Presi-
dent J. E. Beezley, B. F. Boughey,
Fred Belcher, w. T. Grier and NJ. L.
Thompson, appeared before the Polk
County Court, Wednesday, and thor
oughly explained the details Of the
plans for building the proposed high
way Briefly outlined, their plan is to
improve the existing road from Falls
City into the Siletz Basin by widening
the roadbed, avoiding the steep hills, 1
and improving the present grades, (
which latter, by the way, are few on I
the route. The committee informed |
the court that by following the route
he 7aIl Ilp 10,
the Siletz Agency would be only 99
miles in length. The distance from
the Agency to Newport is only 16
miles. By building this highway, the
residents of Portland and the william
ette Valley would be able to reach the
beach in a 55-mile journey, over a
comparatively level road.
With this highway open to travel,
Polk County would offer to Summer ,
visitors to the beach the shortest and ,
hest route in Oregon. Residents of the ,
valley could easily drive to the beach
in day by buggy or carriage; in legs
than two days by wagon, and in four :
ierstood that the people of Portland ,
are becoming interested in this pro-
posed road, which would enable them i,
to make the trip easily in a day ,
they are unable to do over /,
any route now open across the coast !
!,
In addition to the extensive Sum-
mer tourist travel, the building of this !
road would prove of inestimable wall
1e in stimulating the development of !,
the rich river bottom country Of the !.
Siletz and the Yaquina. Much of the !,
trade of this vast region would be inn
diverted to Falls City, Dali :
as. and other valley towns. while New :
port would benefit by the increased !,
rsvel to its beach. F.
1t is believed that once the project =,
s taken hold of by the people of the =
willamette Valley. Lincoln county will :.
10 its share by building the road from .
Newport to the Siletz Agency, and
POSSIBLY further toward the summit Of
he Coast mountains.
While the greatest development in a
POLK County at the present time is in u
he valley and foothill regions, il must
e borne in mind that the time is rap el
lily approaching when the scene OF III
ctivity win be shifted, in a large =
neasure, to the vast timber country u
wing between the valley and the coast.
my steps taken now to hasten this II
evelopment will soon pay back an ~
undred fold every dollar expended. &C
1t is to be hoped that the people Of pl
ok County will take broad and lib CT
ral view Of the proposed improve .
rent and make II known that assist
nee of a substantial financial nature pi
y the county win be heartily approx Je
! by the taxpayers. The County Court M
as taken the project under advise ha
Ient, and no steps should be neglect az
J by the people in getting work start Ell
on the proposed highway at the an
lrliest date possible. The construction
first-class valley-to- the-sea high We
ay would mean much. not only 20 Ia
alias and Falls City. but to every Sc
'rtion Of the great Willamette VAL II
y tio