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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1885)
260 THE WEST SHORE. Eastern Oregon about tho management of the State Board of Immigration. The complaint is not of iuoom linry or pM of immigrants, but of favoritism. It is charged tlmt the Board in directing it effort solely for the Ixmofit of the Willamette Valloy mid those por tions of Western Oregon by nature tributary to Portland; in other words, tlmt it is maiuitvl in tho interests of Portland an a short-sightal and narrow-minded man would eoiiceivo them to le. It in assorted that the litera turo circulated by the Ilonrd is calculated to convoy tho iminxiitii that Western Orison is the agricultural reg ion of the KtnUi, while pant of tho mountains the country is suitahlo only for cattle ranges, ignoring the fart that the latter oontiiina thrice aa much available agricultural land and producoa more grain than the former, in addi tion to iU great w'ool and cattle interests. It is also charged that the Board, in securing atoji-ovor riviligia and x-cial rate for immigrant, haa neglected Eastern Oregon. Why, aays the M'tueo County Sun, " miiHt the immigrant go 170 mil. past Umatilla to Portland and subject hi in to pay Iwtck chargos at full rata over this 170 mile if he wishes to go to Eastern Oregon. We do not ijiu-xtion the right of the Willamette Valley coun ties to mako to the immigrauU a good allowing and to getting a reduction of faros, etc; but that done not call for the Hoard of Immigration not to allow the immigrant to atop at Umatilla and go where ho ploasos, and give him ami tho eastern xrtion of the State the aame privi lege of sixty daya' over-la and fair prices for round trip aa ia given to the aame man if he goea to Portland" If there ia any disposition manifested by the Board to light Eastern Oregon it ia most reprehensible and a Ix-trayal of the truat rojxised in them by tho Governor aa representative of the whole people of the State. Tiir. Wkst Siioiik baa always maintained that the true inter eU of Portland nover have called for and never will require the development of the Willamette Valley at the eoime of the interior. If Portland expocU to be aimply local trading point for a amall aection of country then such might m the cane; but if ahe expire to be a com mercial uietnHiiia ahe must foster the development of every region within her reach. The gentlemen oompoa ing the Board were aoloetal from among the foremost buiuM men of the State, men who have sufficient intel ligence to rooognUe the SUte nature of the work they are engaged in, even if their sense of duty to the xople who furnish Uia fuii.U did not iuiMl them Ui di justice to all sections. One of these ia a citiaen of Eastern Oregon, a man of atUinmenU aud position, possessing the confi denoe of his county sufficiently to be iU chosen rcpre aenUtive iu the SUU Sonata It i. pF,umod tlmt he was aelectal to look after Urn interests of his xirtion of the SUte, ami if it is niisreprtwonted in the printed immphleU, or baa no e (TorU made in iU behalf with the railroads, he is the man U.ii whom bis coustitucnU should fix the mspoiwihility. As far as priutal matter ia ooueoruod a remedy f.ir that ia witliiu Uie power of the complainant. Noarly every county west of the mountains has organised a local immigration sociaty, haa issued iU own printed matter and placed it in the hands of the Stato Board for distribution. When the counties timt of tlio luuuiiUiiia exhibit Uib Buuio enterprise aud adopt a similar plan thou they will be placed upon an equality, so far as literature ia concerned. The Board is about to issuo a new and revised edition of its general pamphlet, and now is the time for the representative of that section to see that it receives just treatmoni Much of the difficulty in regard to facilities offered immigrant to examine Eaatern Oregon arises from the geographical situation and tho fact that the Board does not come in personal contact with tho immigrant until he reaches Portland The only adoquate remedy for this is an increase of the appropriation sufficient to enable the Board to maintain a branch office in Eastern Oregon, whore the immigrant can report and receive all the fnvors aud courtesies he now obtains only in Portland. It is the duty of tho Board to establish such a branch as quickly as the finances will permit, and mako arrange ments with the railroads for the samo stop-over privileges and special rates from the branch office now obtained only at the general office in this oity. Eastern Oregon is in a poaition to assort her rights, through her business men, tho Legislature and hor representative on the Board of Immigration. OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY. AT Eugene City, on the 28th of July, the corner-stone of the now building of the Oregon State University waa laid with Masonio ceremonies. Tho day was pleas ant, and a largo oonoourse of people witnessed the im pressive rites and participated in the procession. Tho organizations present were Eugono City Lodge and Chapter, Ivanhoe Commandory, a delegation from the Oregon Commandory, Portland and the Grand Lodge of the State, in all 175 Masons. The ceremonies were con ducted by the Grand Lodge, and the oration was deliv ered by Professor J. W. Merrit, of Jacksonville. Tho casket deposited in the stone contained eighty-two dis tinct articles, covering a wide range, some of which, a century hence, will have much value. The old build'ng being unequal for the growing needs of the University, the Legislature made an ample appropriation nt its lost session for another. The Board of Regents adopted the plans of W. II. Williams, of Portland and began the construction of a building which will cost between fJOfim and fciTi.OOO. The new edifice is 110x72 feet, and haa a largo eutranco in front and ono on either side. From tho ground to the tap of the oorners it is seventy, five fuel. On the first floor are five largo class rooms, while the second floor is devoted to one largo hall, with a stage and two waitiug-rooms at the end The ceiling of tho hall ia high and the root ia aupjxirtod by iron trusses, Tho whole buildiug will be heated by a furnace iu the cellar. Both externally and internally the struc ture is ornamental and pleasing. On another page are given engravings of the two buildiuga aud the corner htono ceremonies. The University ia now Worthy the pride of svery eitiaen of the SUta