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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1889)
28 THE WEST SHORE. So the benefits which a free river would confer have, in a great degree, been lost, not because there are in superable obstacles in the way, but because tne ope rations for removing the obstructions have been ham pered by the insufficiency and uncertainty of govern ment appropriations. The importance of the improvement of the Col a umbia should remove it from the catalogue of ordin ary works of this character, and entitle it to special consideration. The vast volume of commerce seek ing passage in and out of the Columbia argues strongly for the removal of such perils to navigation as can bo removed with a reasonable expenditure of funds. But urgent as the improvement at the mouth of the river is, the work at the cascades and the dalles is even more important, because there is a rich em pire now laid under tribute to monopoly, that is anx iously waiting for a free waterway to remove its grievance. Eastern Washington, Eastern Oregon and Idaho will rejoice when the Columbia is free for navigation to the sea. The disposition recently manifested in congress for more liberal appropriations for river and harbor improvements of recognized importance gives in creased strength to the hope that the work on the Columbia will bo pushed with a less niggardly and shortsighted policy in the future. If the amount the engineers estimate could be profitably expended at the cascades, $1,000,000.00, should be made avail able for the work next year, and the policy thus in auguratcd followed up a few years, the object sought would be realized in a short time and at an immense saving to tho general government. The boat railway at the dalles is a contemporaneous need, and should receive similar attention. FROM ROSEBURO TO THE COAST. THE scheme for constructing a railroad from Rose 1 burg to the coast at Coos bay is being revived and with good prospects of being successful this time' The farmers of Douglas county are now realizing that their interests would be subserved by the construc tion of a railroad to tho coast, and as the preliminary survey was made some time ago, there is a definite ba sis on which to make calculations for such an enter prise. The greatest altitude which it would be neces" sary to attain in going from Roseburg to the coast is only nine hundred feet higher than the city of Rose burg, making a surprisingly moderate grade for a railroad in that region. Resides the immediate benefit to farmers alone the line, and indeed, to all who make Roseburg tS chief market place, such a road would open up new farming territory and mineral and timber wealth. There are vast forests of valuable timber fir, oak ce. dar, etc. that can not now be conveniently reached that would be brought in direct communication with good markets by the railroad, and it would also pene. trate some excellent coal fields that only lack ade quate transportation facilities to insure their devel opment. There is a movement now on foot to secure the necessary capital for this enterprise, when it will be pushed rapidly to completion, and it can scarcely fail to be a profitable business venture. The farmers along the proposed road offer to pay, for five years the same rates that are now charged to Portland. The distance from Roseburg to Coos bay by the route that the railroad would take is about seventy miles. Tide water would be reached at the bay and reliable connections made with boats plying to the large ship, ping ports. The railroad now running through Douglas coun ty has a general direction north and south, and along this line the greatest growth is now taking place. Places at considerable distances from the railroad must depend on water communication for sending out their products and getting in their supplies, un less the very tedious method of teaming is resorted to. This tends to retard the development of the interior. A railroad from Roseburg to the coast would leave only a comparatively small part of the Umpqua valley without reasonably good shipping facilities. It would add a competing line to the metropolis of the valley, which alone would be a benefit that the producers of that region can hardly overestimate. It will gives genuine boom to the surpassingly rich country through which it passes, as well as to its termini. One of the most gratifying prospects that Douglas county now has for an immediate and appreciable stride forward lies in the scheme for a railroad from Roseburg to the coast. Roseburg has been enjoying great prosperity the past year, which must be lareelv enhanced by the successul inauguration of this project The business men of the city have for a number of vears been look ing forward to the consummation of this railroad scheme. This line was even projected before the Oregon & California road wftH nnnatrncted. but it lost its importance for a time after railroad communica tion had been secured and rented until now without any active measures beini? taken to carrv out f W had been planned. The large and profitable busine that one line has been able to secure and aogment with the growth of the city and tributary country in dicates that a line to the coast must result in a profit able business for the enterpaise itself and for tho industries which will flourish along the route. Con struction work will doubtless begin in a few month
