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