232
THE WEST SHORE.
miles. The Hi unlaw ig the natural railroad route from
tho upper end of the Willamette valley to the ocean.
The bay offers a good harbor, easily accessible now to
coasting vessels, and capable of being made bo for ships
and steamers of deep draught The bay extendi inland
in the form of an estuary a navigable distance of twenty
five miles. That a railroad will sometime be constructed
fioiii Eiiyoiiu City to Siuslaw bay admits of little doubt,
and that the bay will be the ocean terminus of some
transcontinental route is extremely probable. Both the
Chicago and Northwestern and the Union Pacifio are
looking closely into the question of routes across Cen-
tral Oregon and ocean terminal points, and the advan
tagns of the Siuslaw can not escape their attention. The
Oregon & California road travorses the county from
north to south, passing through the m.mt important
towns and cities. This road will soon be a portion of a
through route between Portland and Han Francisco, as
the gap in Northern California is being rapidly closed
np, and connection of the two roads is expected to be
effected liefore the close of 1887. From Junction City
to Corvallis, the terminus of both the west side division
of the Oregon & California and the Oregon Pacific, run
ning to Yaquina bay, a line has been surveyed, uniting
tho two divisions of the Oregon & California. This
will, no doubt, le constructed, and give Lane county an
other route to Portland, as well as an outlet to Yaquina
Imy. Hleamers ascend the Willamette as far as Eugene
City, and offer additional transportation to the Portland
market The narrow gauge road of tho Oregonian Kail
way Co, entera the northern end of the county, termi
nating at Coburg, seven miles north of Eugene. Ita
other terminus is at Hay's Lauding, on the Willamette,
above Oregon City, whore it connect with steamboat
for Portland
The following communication from Dr. J. P. Oil), an
old and influential resident of Eugene City, states suc
cinctly some of the advantages amWieeds of Lane county:
Sixteen years ago I came up the valley from Port
land, having just arrived from San Francisco, after a
trip across tho plains and mountains. We passed ovor
so much riub soil from Chicago to the Rocky mountains
that we could not help asking ourselves " why leave all
such flue land and journey to a laud so far away?" We
did not fiud Utter land, but we found land good enough,
and when we got to the head of the valley and anchored
io Eugene City, we could not wonder at the exclamation
of delight of Vioa Presidout Colfax, when looking north
down the valley. With cool nighU after the warm days,
with freedom from noxious insect, mad dogs, cyclones,
destructive lightning, and so many other pests that in!
f.t the summers of the old homes we left behind, with
out the snow and ice of tho winters, I say to fiud our
solve away from these make it seem that we are in fa
bled Elysium. What have we at the back of all this?
We raise plenty to eat and a largo surplus to sell. We
have great undevelojietl mineral resources. There are
nunilers of poor men rosecting in the mountains, and
their fluda iu any other country would I worthy the at
tention of capital; but here where capital is lacking our
mineral wealth will have to wait tillcapital aids, or till
the poor miner can work a plan to reduce his own ore.
I hear of men who feel confident they have ores that can
be reduced by cheaper methods than have commonly
been UBed. This beautiful town will one day be a great
center for legitimate mining enterprises. I know of
rich ores that would be bringing in vast wealth to the
state if found in any other state than Oregon. Oregon
inns are an agricultural and pastoral people, entei prising
enough, but no speculation in them. The poor man can
not find any provision made by the legislature to help
him to an assay or working test The state has profes
sors in her colleges to make scholars for any business
but what the state needs a development of her ores.
I don't think we turn out one well qualified expert in
mines and mining from the colleges of the whole state.
The county seat and chief commercial point is Eu
gene City, lying at the head of navigation on the Wil
laraette. It is one of the most beautiful, prosperous and
enterprising cities of Oregon. The view on pages two
hundred and forty-four and five will give a good idea of
the general appearance of the city, the site and sur
roundings. It is the natural trade center of a large
tract of country, and has no rival within forty milea -It
has a population of two thousand people, .intelligent,
thrifty and prosperous. The streets are broad, laid out
at right angles and are lined with, handsome Bhade trees.
It possesses twenty-nine substantial brick business blocks
and a number of handsome residences, two banks, eight
general stores, twenty-two other stores, two breweries,
five hotels and a large number of shops and places
whore minor industries are carried on. Its manufac
tures embrace leather, flour, woolen yarns and hose, fur
niture, carriages, vinegar and evaporated fruits. Other
and largor industries would find this a desirable loca
tion. Three newspapers, six churches and a public
school building costing 112,000.00 testify to the intellec
tual and moral character of the people. The State Uni
versity, a view of whose imposing buildings is given on
page two hundred and thirty-three, is located here, and is
one of the loading educational institutions of the Pacifio
coast The edifices cost $100,000.00.
A few miles east of Eugene City is the town of
Springfield, with a population of three hundred, and
containing three stores, several shops, a flouring mill
and a sash and door factory. It is an incorporated
town, in the midst of a good farming country, lies close
to the railroad, and has an abundance of good water
power which may be had on reasonable terms. Cottage
Grove ooutainB two flouring mills, saw mills, planing
mills and a population of three hundred. Junction
City, a shipping point on the railroad near the northern
end of the county, has a population of about four hun
dred. Other towns on the line of the road are Latham,
with saw and flouring mills; Creswell, with a flouring
mill; Irving and Goshen. Pleasant Hill, Willamette
Forks, Lowell, Long Tom and Siuslaw are interior vil
lages. Florence is located on Siuslaw bay.