FRIPA Y, APRIL 5. 1929
VERNONIA EAGLE, VERNONIA, OREGON
Umuntia üaijlr
THREE
Scene along the
road between
Issued every Thursday
$2.00 per year in advance
Houlton and
Entered as second class matter August 4, 1922, at the post
office at Vernonia, Oregon, under the act of March 3, 1879.
Wilark, on the
ADVERTISING RATES—Foreign, 30c per inch; local, 25c
per inch; local readers 10c per line; legal notices 5c per line;
classified lc per word.
MARK E. MOE........................
highway to Ver-
Editor
i nonia.
ON TO VERNONIA
It seems to be the tendency of some, who are
not directly benefitted by any march of progress,
to block or hinder any project from which they
will receive no direct personal gain, not taking in Highway Cuts Through
consideration the fact, as in this case of the pro
Some Heavy Timber
posed extension of the West Side highway that,
The scenery between Forest
not alone this section, but the whole of Oregon Grove
and
Timber,
presents
would derive the gain of a better and shorter route. some of the most beautiful wood
This road meeting is not being called together ed lands in the northwest.
Houlton and Wilark,
for the purpose of presenting the facts to the Cham on Between
the main highway between
ber of Commerce and Commercial clubs of cities St. Helens and Vernonia, the
encounters some of the
along the proposed route, but for the purpose of tourist
wonder senic beauties of Ore
presenting the proposition to the citizens who live gon.
in the cities along the new route and a welcome is Along the highways between
extended to all who are interested in better roads Houlton and Forest Grove, vir
forest shades the
roads,
and shorter routes, which means that in these days gin
and the proposed extension of
where nearly all own their own cal’s and use the the West Side Pacific highway,
Rainier
and
Forest
highways, that everyone possible should attend a between
would be a delight for
road meeting which proposes and aims to sponsor Grove,
the tourist, who has not pre
a shorter direct route.
viously traveled
along
these
So let all who possibly can attend the meeting lanes.
Along a few sections of the
Monday, April 8, at 2:00 p.m. in Vernonia, and timbered
highways, logging com
hear from the committee in charge and prominent panies are operating, such as
speakers just what this new extension will mean to Wilark where the big concern
Clark & Wilson is working,
the state of Oregon, and to those who favor a of
but regardless of these few log
shorter routing to Washington cities by the way of ging concerns which have reach
Rainier across the new Longview bridge which is ed the edge of the road, the
between Forest Grove
now under construction and should be completed highway
and Rainier is considered one of
January 1, 1930.
the most beautiful and interest
COOPERATION NEEDED
If we see another section of the country strive
for better roads we are pleased and proud that
Oregon continues to carry on its good road pro
gram, but when it hits home, we must all put our
shoulders to the wheel and assist in every way pos
sible to make the proposition, which in this case
means a better and shorter route, a reality.
The first duty for every citizen especially in
Vernonia and cities nearby is to attend the road
meeting on Monday, and all who attend will be
convinced that this new extension will be the life
and „backbone of this section of Oregon.
The future of this section of Oregon depends
on a road building program of this nature.
Eugene, Corvallis, McMinnville, Hillsboro,
Forest Grove, Rainier, Vernonia and other cities
along the new extension will be the great gainers
in this new proposed route, but the state of Ore
gon and its citizens, and the tourists at large will
also realize benefits from a shorter and better
route.
CHOOSE WITH CARE
The ultimate results that will be accomplished
by the meeting of the delegates from the commun
ities served by the west side Pacific highway and
its proposed extension north through Forest Grove,
Vernonia to Rainier will depend largely upon the
caliber of the men selected at that meeting to di
rect the destinies of the organization which will be
formed at that meeting If the project is to be suc
cessful it will have to be directed by men who are
representative in the communities from which they
are chosen, men who have the interests of their
communities at heart, men who have a knowledge
of road construction and the necessary steps to be
taken to put over a project of the magnitude of the
proposed extension. It is to be hoped that this meet
ing will not suffer the fate of the large majority
of such meetings; but out of it will be born an
aggressive working organization that will function
until the project is completed. •
VERNONIA HELPS
Vernonia can well be proud of the honor be
stowed upon her by being chosen as the meeting
place of the various delegations from western Ore
gon for the purpose of forming an organization to
promote the construction of a highway that will be
of unlimited value to all of western Oregon and
especially the communities directly affected by the
proposed road. Vernonia is located on the section
that is yet to be completed; but has bent her efforts
towards a goal that will in the near future be real
ized. This can only be accomplished by joining
hands with other communities along the west side
Pacific highway and adopting the age old slogan,
“In Union there is strength.”
ROAD IS EMPIRE BUILDER
standing along
the highway
I
resolutions were introduced and
supported by Portland interests
which had for their purpose the
construction of a short road to
the Roosevelt highway at a point
between Astoria and Tillamook
The sentiment for this proposed
road can only be imagined by
the tenacity that both sides for
and against, urged their views
throughout the entire session.
The senate at its final roll call on
the short road project voted 14
votes for the project and 16
against. Since the adjournment
of the legislature much interest
has been shown for the short
route and those interested have
openly promised their support
for the proposed extension of the
west side highway from Forest
Grove to Vernonia.
This extension would complete
the Prtland end of the coast
road to Vernonia and only leave
the uncompleted section
from
Vernonia to Seaside and Astoria
to be competed. Large sums of
Portland capital have been spent
in developing the coast sections
along the Oregon beach resorts
and the men back of these pro
jects would use their efforts in
aiding any movement for the
developing of the proposed Port
land to the coast route which
would place Portland within 80
miles of the coast and give the
wonderful
recreation
grounds
their week-end play ground.
Should this extension of the west
side Pacific highway be complet
ed, which now seems a certainty,
it would only be a short time
until the demand for the con
tinuation of the road to the
coast would justify its comple
tion.
County Court Orders
S .irvey of New Route
between
The Columbia county court at
a recen session made an appro
priation sufficient to make a
survey of the proposed section
of the West side Pacific high
way from Pittsburg to Apiary.
Preliminary surveys have been
completed and
the engineers
have reported that a route can
be located between these points
that will not exceed three per
cent and will be free from ex
cessive curves and of such an
alignment as will permit a max
imum rpeed of fifty miles per
hour o\er the entire distance.
/
Much of the proposed con
struction will be through terri
tory that is now logged off and
according to the engineers can
be gra< eu for less than $20,000
per mile. A much lower pass has
been found than either on the
Pittsbuig-St. Helens market road Ideal Camp Grounds
or the Clacskanie-Mist market
In Nehalem Valley
road and much of the curves
found in these roads will be
No place on the entire Pa
elimina ed. It is proposed to fol cific coast offers more induce
low a low pass to the west of ment for recreation than that
the Pittsburg-St. Helens, market section of the proposed exten
road and follow practically a sion of the west side Paciifc
direct line to Apiary.
highway from Forest Grove
The road from this point to through the Nehalem valley to
Rainier would follow the Rain- Rainier. The proposed road fol
ier-Apb.ry market road at the lows the Nehalem river for a
present time; but this section distance of more than ten miles.
would, according to the engin Great maples shade the road way
eers, require considerable
re in many places and along the
location and straightening if it banks of the river, which is only
was
subjected
to
excessive a few feet away in many places.
travel. The county court had ap It is not uncommon to see many
propriated practically all of the tourists lounging under the
available market road funds for maples and Alders and bathing
the present year on this connect in the pools of the Nehalem.
ing lin' but due to the fact that
The camping places are all
the construction of the Long- free and practically any place
view-Rsinier bridge was an un along the streams can be made
certainty at the time of the into a camp at a moment's
county budget
meeting,
the notice. Some of the maple
funds were
appropriated
on groves along the Nehalem river
other road projects in the coun compose many acres and the
ty.
foliage is so thick that the sun
How ver, the county court has seldom penetrates in the sum
agreed to use all available funds mer time. Many tourists who
in the future for the construc have visited the natural camp
tion oi this section and until it ing places along the Nehalem
is completed. It has been point have stated that they have never
ed out by the county engineer seen anything to equal it in all
that i nless
some
additional of their trave.s and go away
funds ire made available it will wishing they could spend all
be a n after of five or six years summer.
until flie road can be finally
finishe I with the market road Declare Monday a
funds now levied. According to
Holiday and Come to
the pr ponents of the road this
will be too long a period to use
The Road Meeting
in the construction of this sec
tion ar I a move will be made to
Roads were built for your
get a< litional help from other convenience and pleasure, and a
sources
good opportunity presents itself
Monday for you to hop into your
car, taking a short holiday, and
Arra’ gement* Being
drive to Vernonia, attending the
Ma Je For Large Crowd big road meeting and we are as
sured you will become a real op
The road meeting at 2:00 p. timist regarding the future of
m. in ,’ernonia at the Joy thea western Oregon. And if you are
tre M nday 8, should be well interested in Oregon you natural
attend« d judging from the in ly are on your tip toes to learn
terest displayed in the extension, the best means of serving the
and t’ e theatre in which the state to the best of your ability.
The first step in this line of
meetin ; is to be held will seat
duty at the present time would
over 650.
be to attend the West Side Pa
A committee from the Cham cific highway extension meeting
ber o. Commerce will aet as at Vernonia, Monday, April 8,
guides for out of town visitors, at 2:00 p.m. where delegates
and arrangement have been made and all interested in the welfare
with 11 restaurants to handle of this section of Oregon will
the visitors, without any delay. be on hand to hear the propo
Vernonia is very enthused over sition presented by expert en
the new extension, and with the gineers and sponsorers of this
Rainier Commercial
club,
is new extension.
working out a snappy publicity
Welcome to the big mill town
progra n so that invitations can of Vernonia Monday, April 8.
be sen. to all surrounding towns,
to attend the road meeting.
Forest Grove
ing highways, and in the sum
mer months thousands of tourists
camp along the roads between
these two cities.
Those attending the meeting
Monday, April 8, at 2:00 p.m.
in Vernonia from the
south,
should go from Forest Grove to
Timber, and Timber to Vernonia.
A committee from the Com
mercial club will be on hand to
direct the visitors to the Joy
theatre, where the big road meet
ing will be held.
Prominent speakers and well Special Edition Pub
known road engineers will be on
lished to Advertise
hand and prominent citizens, in
cluding Senator Norblad and
Meeting Here Monday
Representative
Glen
Metsker,
have been invited to address the
The
resolutions
committee,
meeting. All interested in the
proposed extension of the West who have charge of the big
side Pacific highway are invited road meeting April 8 at Verno
nia, held their first meeting in
and urged to attend.
the directors room of the Bank
of Vernonia Thursday afternoon,
“We’ve Had the Worst
April 4, mapping out their cam
Kind of Weather, So It paign on publicity. J. A. Schune-
of Rainier was appointed
Must Improve,”—Lee sen
chairman of the committee with
Lester Sheeley
of
Vernonia,
“April 4, glad it hailed today, Dean Rogers of Corvallis, E. C.
and snowed itself out, for we Apperson of McMinnville, Loyal
are assured by our good friend Graham,
Forest Grove, and
Dean Collins that the day of Judge Wood of Rainier compos
the big road meeting Monday, ing the committee.
April 8, will be a beautiful mild
On account of the short period
day, with blue skies and birds, left in which to reach the people
flopping from telegraph
poles living along the proposed route
to radio poles.
of the new extension, the com
“The stores in Vernonia, who mittee decided to have the Ver
up until today displayed rain nonia Eagle get out a special
garments in their show windows, West Side highway edition, of
changed their display to straw 2506 copies which were to be
hats and palm beach suits, which distributed by special cars be
was the proper spirit, in which tween Junction City, north of
we wish to impress our visitors Eugene, to Rainier and points
here Monday,
regarding
our throughout the Nehalem valley.
weather conditions.
In order to get the paper off
“All rejoiced this evening
when it started to rain figuring the press on Friday in time
that it couldn’t rain much longer enough to give the publicity com
this season and would probably mittee a chance to get papers
stop raining long enough Mon throughout the valley and cities
day for the good road supporters along the route, the staff of the
to walk from their cars to the Vernonia Eagle were on the job
meeting place without getting from 7:00 p.m. Thursday night
when the first copy for the pa
soaked.’’
per was turned in, to 3:00 a.m.
Yours,
Friday and early Friday morn
“LEE.”
ing cars driven by members of
the Vernonia Chamber of Com
merce were out on the highway,
delivering papers
to
centers
along the line of route.
The first batch of papers
A number of influential Port from the press were rushed to
land business men, who have Rainier, to the group of road
been
interviewed
concerning boosters in that city, where W. Washington County
their attitude towards the pro C. Proctor secretary of the Rain
Road* to be Improved
posed extension of the
West ier Commercial club of that city,
Side Pacific highway from Forest handled the distribution for his
Grove to Rainier, signified that territory.
A
resolution was recently
they were very much in favor
Lester Sheeley, who is con passed by the Washington coun
of the project as it would aid sidered one of the best posted ty co-rt to improve a market
materially in the project from men in this section of Oregon road between Buxton and Ver
Portland to the Roosevelt high on roads, assisted the committee nonia. The stretch of road will
way, which was the bone of con in charge, by furnishing figures, run fr <m the Buxton depot nor
tention in the last session of the and giving al) assistance possible thward to the Cummings hill.
Oregon legislature.
to get the ball rolling for the, Beside
making important im-
At the last session of the leg first meeting for the proposed proven ents in grade and widen
islature a number of bills and new extension.
ing, the new project eliminates
a bad crossing over a railroad.
This step on behalf of Wash
live wires such as Judge Wood, Jos. McKay, J. C. ington
county will complete an
Schunesen, and W. E. Proctor are leaders in their important link of the north and
Commercial club and are sponsoring a project south highway and is looked on
with favor by proponents of
such as the West Side highway extension, which the
West Side Pacific highway.
Business Men
Favor Project
In the days of our fathers it was generally be
lieved that the coming of a railroad to a community
was the herald of progress but this idea has been
gradually displaced by the fact that most com would be such a benefit to the state of Oregon.
munities depend largely upon their highways for
transportation facilities and what railroads for-'
If a city is as live as its Chamber of Coifimerce
merly meant to cities now is furnished by our intri or Commercial club then Rainier must be the livest
cate system of highways interlocking practically small city in the world.
every community in the state. This is true of western
Oregon, where the proposed extension of the west
California would have never interested and
side Pacific highway will be built an deach com drawn the tourist trade if it had been the least
munity along the route will be benefitted by the backward in its road building program.
endless procession of tourists and home-seekers
who will pass through the country served by the
This section of the country should assist Ore-
proposed road, where many will locate and make bon in upholding its reputation as the state of good
highways.
their homes.
The city of Rainier can well be proud that
Virgin timber
The partner of progress is good roads.
and Timber.
charging the bill to the city, Columbia County
but cautioning the offender that
the second offense will receive
Market Roads Are
a severe penalty for having to
Almost Completed
stop or slow down as it is much
perferable to have them tear
down the main street, like a mad
In the original market road
steer, knocking things in all di system for Columbia county,
rections and cheating the city three market roads were desig
out of a few dog licenses.
nated and the county court has
used their efforts to complete
these before any other routes
Forest Grove Pleased
were laid out.
With New Direct Route The first one was the St. Hel
ens Pittsburg road; the second
Sentiment in favor of the was the Rainier-Apiary road and
proposed cut-off between Forest the third was the Clatskanie-
Grove and Rainier has reached a Mist road. The St. Helens-Pitts-
fever heat as a consequence of burg market road has been com
the meeting to be held at Ner- pleted for about eight years,
nonia, April 8. Forest Grove the Rainier-Apiary market road
sees in this road a long expect has been completed for about
ed and needed connection with three years and the Clatskanie-
the Columbia River highway at Mist market road will be com
Rainier which will make
the pleted this year.
Practically all of the market
clatsop beaches and points in
the state of Washington within road funds of Columbia county
easy reach of the peuple ,uf the has been expended on these
Tualatin valley and give to the three projects and with their
west side Willamett ■ districts a completion the county will be
short cut north that will elimin free to expend such additional
ate considerable mileage and market road funds which are
make accessable much of the levied from year to year on any
tourist and beach travel hereto new projects that may be de
fore cut off from the district signated.
on account of inaci usability to
At the time that the Rainier-
the Willamette valh y cities.
Apiary market road was original
This road would lead through ly constructed, there was little
huge forests of virgin yellow fir agitation for its extension to
which heretofore has been shut Vernonia. With present interest
away from the toerist on ac of the northern extension of the
count of inadequate highways. west side Pacific highway, the
The highway comm.ttee of the people of Columbia county have
Forest Grove Chamber of Com become wide awake to the pos
merce has gone on record in sibilities of this extension. Ac
favor of this proposed short cut cording to the assessed valua
and will, according to President tion of Columbia county, the
Gillette, take the ne essary steps market road funds available each
to aid in the early formation year is approximately -40,000 a
of an organization to promote yeur. This amount diminishes at
the rate of about $2000 per
this project.
Forest Grove feels that it is year on account of the valua
entitled to a more direct route tion shrinking at the rate of a
to Washington and lower Colum $1,000,000 per year.
bia river points and will be pres
It has been pointed out by
ent at Vernonia on the 8 of officials of the county that un
April at the mass meeting call less the county construct its
ed on that date w;t.h a strong main highways while the tim
delegation headed
by
Loyal ber is uncut it will be unable
Graham, ex-state representative to more than maintain the pres
and premier good roads enthusi ent roads within a few years.
ast of Washington county in an It has also been pointed out
effrot to put over he proposed that the market road levies are
extension of the west side Pa no additional taxes on the pro
cific highway.
perty of the timberman and if
expended judiciously will con
struct all of the connecting
Nehalem Watershed 1*
links over a period of four or
Sportsmen’s Paradise five years.
Hunters and anglers who fre
quent the Nehalem river and its
tributaries vision this section as
Dogs As Scarce A*
of the few favored spots in
Hen Teeth Here one
northwestern Oregon where the
Why there are no dogs in fish are always hungry and the
Vernonia may interest many, deer can be enticed with a pinch
but this city claims the distinc of salt. The word “Nehalem,”
tion of having less purps as which is a corruption of the
boarders than any other city of Yamhill Indian name meaning
its size in the world, and the hig hunting ground, and is im
reason is that the speed limit in misnomer if reports of fisher
the city is unrestricted.
men and hunters are to credited.
It’s hard on the dogs, and
There are approximately 350
the undertakers are
working miles of good trout streams in
three shifts, but still it draws the Nehalem water shed and the
the tourist trade, when they hills abound with deer during
know they can visit a town and ! most of the season. The state
dash down the main stem 50 game commission
has alloted
miles per. Our cops have been more than four times the num
instructed to wave a fat mitt at ber of trout planted in the Ne
the speeders and to assist any halem river and its tributaries
unfortunate tourist who may last year and from early reports
have had the misfortune to have the streams will offer more in
a blowout by helping him change ducement to the sportsman than
his tire and load his gas tank, ever before.
To Cut Through
New Territory
Present plans of those who
have outlined
the
completed
West Side Pacific coast highway
include the construction of a
road from Pittsburg, four miles
north of Vernonia to Apiary,
nine miles south of Rainier. This
would involve 12 miles of new
construction and would provide
a scenic road, short in length,
which would open up a new sec
tion of Columbia county for set
tlement, as much of it is rich
agricultural land.
The Nehalem valley is but
sparsely settled at present,, and
this is due entirely to the fact
that it has not been blessed
with good roads, close to markets
which could be reached quickly.
Lot tor bond
med by Co
lombia
rivor
Longviow
Bridge
Co.,
•bowing bow
rhe bridge
will look
when it is
finisbod.