THE Q UARTERLY OF T11E Oregon Historical Society VOLUME V1I MARCH 1906--DECEMBER 1906 EDITED BY FREDERIC GEORGE YOUNG J. R. WHITNEY, STATE PRINTER SALEM, OREGON I m l rD WM. H. WINTER. Ley were soon scattered over ended to cultivate the soil, THE QUARTERLY I prepared for the coining ployment at the Falls, and of the ccupation or object in view, h the country, taking hold Oregon Historical Society. red, or suited their inclina- to do, and there was in the VOLUME VII.] JUNE, 1906. [NUMBER 2 e real necessaries of life. r a time, with being per- THE GENESIS OF THE OREGON RAIL- lentiful subsistence. And i WAY SYSTEM. ;reatly exposed, during the By JOSEPH GASTON. with excellent health. t upon the country. The It is not intended in this first paper to present a com- inesome, and to fear that it plete history of the railroad development of the State, but r distant wilds of Western rather to outline the events which, following each other in Property was of doubtful a natural and evolutionary way have in spite of the opposi- !ipations were fading away. tion and mismanagement of men in control, resulted in a te Indians, of the approach railroad system which is entitled to the name of " The Ore- ople; but the reports were gon System." And if it may appear to some readers that wn heralds; for, not until small details are treated of in the beginning of the great Iof our coming. Instantly work, yet that possibly may be excused as being quite as 11ents went rapidly on, and interesting to the student of history as the much larger were again excited. We events of a later day. And although this system, now age of about one hundred 'I apparently divided by the line of the great river of the on both sides of the River West, the work of many opposing interests and diverse Xlaughlin, Chief Factor of I minds is yet forced by the decrees of nature to work Iest of the Mountains, and towards one general end and purpose, and so promoting ie West, by H. Burns, and the vast interest of commence and transportation, that the welfare of the teeming millions that are to fill up the great Northwest will be.benefited thereby. The first steps to build a railroad in the State of Oregon, followed up by connected and continuous efforts and or- ganization, were taken at Jacksonville in Jackson County in October, 1863. Sporadic meetings had been held and Jp -. I - _ - - I a n - We _ , Mm 106 JOSEPH GASTON. GENESIS ORD corporations formed prior to that time in several places in California in May a in the Willamette Valley proposing to build railways, but ber. Before reaching J nothing had resulted but talk not worth recording. That a letter to the writer of the first substantial effort to develop the State by railroad sonville, requesting hin transportation should have taken form at a small interior aid in paying the expe town three hundred miles from a reliable seaport is quite he performed. Upon i remarkable, but not unreasonable. Jacksonville was the Belding disagreed as to a county seat and trade center of the beautiful 'Rogue River of the line of survey thr Valley which has been more benefited by railroad trans' ing that under their agr, portation than any other community between the Colum- and Mr. Elliot as stout bia River and San Francisco Bay. Steamboats could run i' I party and the original p up the Sacramento River one hundred and fifty miles entitled to such control. from Sail Francisco; and other boats could get up the fatal to the ambition of Willamette River one hundred and twenty-five miles from their party of twelve n the ship landing to Eugene, and teams, pack trains, and months and there was r stage lines could serve a limited trade and population in subsist the men and tear all the region on the north and south route between these and their proposed raili river-boat termini. But limited to these pioneer trans- left the party in possesE portation facilities the trade and population of all this turned south to Califorr region must forever stand still. There are in what is proceeded to his home ir known as "The Rogue River Valley," of which Jackson- nection of both gentlem ville, Ashland, Talent, Medford, and Gold Hill are trading The subscriptions in i points, about a million and a quarter acres of fine agri- railroad (not considerin cultural, timber, mineral and grazing lands, and of which and the first money exi in 1863 not more than one tenth had been taken up by of such road, followed actual settlers. The pioneer farmers saw the necessity work until the road was and the immense benefits to be gained from a railroad the following named pe which should pass through their valley from Portland to D. E. Stearns, G. Naylor San Francisco, and resolved, although poor in purse, to Hargadine, E. Emery, make the best effort they could to secure such a road. gate, John Murphy, J. In the spring of 1863 S. G. Elliott, of California, had I! - Enoch Walker, Wagner arranged with George A. Belding, a civil engineer, of W. Beeson, J. G. Van Portland, Oregon, to make an instrumental survey for a Rogers, John Watson, E line of railroad from Marysville to Portland, on their Wright, Frederick Heb joint account. They commenced their work at Marysville Joseph A. Crain, J. T. G p. i STON. GENESIS OREGON RAILWAY SYSTEM. 107 hat time in several places in California in May and reached Jacksonville in Octo- sing to build railways, but ber. Before reaching Jacksonville they had sent forward lot worth recording. That a letter to the writer of this paper,. then residing at Jack- velop the State by railroad sonville, requesting him to canvass Jackson County for ,n form at a small interior aid in paying the expenses of their survey, which work a reliable seaport is quite he performed. Upon reaching Jacksonville, Elliot and ble. Jacksonville was the Belding disagreed as to which of them should have control the beautiful Rogue River of the line of survey through Oregon; Mr. Belding claim- enefited by railroad trans' ing that under their agreement he should select the route, Lunity between the Colum- and Mr. Elliot as stoutly claiming that as chief of the ,iy. Steamboats could run * party and the original proposer of the undertaking he was hundred and fifty miles entitled to such control. But the question which proved er boats could get up the fatal to the ambition of both gentlemen was the fact that and twenty-five miles from their party of twelve men had received no pay for six Id teams, pack trains, and months and there was nothing in the treasury to further i trade and population in subsist the men and teams. The whole party was stranded south route between these and their proposed railroad venture wrecked. Mr. Elliot 3d to these pioneer trans- left the party in possession of all its equipment and re- nd population of all this turned south to California, and Mr. Belding also left and ill. There are in what is proceeded to his home in Portland, and this ended the con- alley," of which Jackson- nection of both gentlemen with this preliminary survey. and Gold Hill are trading The subscriptions in aid of this first work on an Oregon Luarter acres of fine agri- railroad (not considering mere portages on the Columbia), razing lands, and of which and the first money expended in the actual construction ith had been taken up by of such road, followed up by connected and continuous armers saw the necessity work until the road was in operation, were contributed by be gained from a railroad the following named persons: C. Boxiery, John Robison, ir valley from Portland to D. E. Stearns, G. Naylor, John Holton, M. Michelson, R. B. though poor in purse, to Hargadine, E. Emery, Lindsay Applegate, 0. C. Apple- to secure such a road. gate, John Murphy, J. C. Tolman, P. Dunn, H. F. Baren, Elliott, of California, had Enoch Walker, Wagner & McCall, B. F. Myer, W. C. Myer, ling, a civil engineer, of W. Beeson, J. G. Van Dyke, John S. Herrin, Amos E. instrumental survey for a Rogers, John Watson, Emerson E. Gore, M. Riggs, William lle to Portland, on their Wright, Frederick Heber, S. B. Vandike, John Coleman, )d their work at Marysville Joseph A. Crain, J. T. Glenn, Wm. Hesse, W. K. Ish, H. A. I . --,I.I RI.1011 R10 01" I _ - r z r r r- I -' F- GENESIS OREG( 108 JOSEPH GASTON. structed through the W Breitbarth, McLaughlin & Klippel, W. H. S. Hyde, John River valleys, the proce( E. Ross, Aaron Chambers, Mike Handly, Granville Sears, public lands granted to Or R. S. Belknap, U. S. Hayden, John Neuber, H. Ammer- This bill was referred to man, Beall & Brother, Wm. H. Herriman, Haskell Amy, rations, which reported a Alexander French, Albert Bellinger, James Thornton, mending the passage of a Woodford Reames, E. K. Anderson, D. P. Anderson, the dollar on all the tax Joshua Patterson, D. P. Brittain. J. V. Ammerman, Ply- apply the proceeds of sue male & Bros., and Joseph Gaston, all residents of Jackson terest on the constructioi County. the proposed road. The Upon consultation with the above subscribers to this I utilized. fund the writer of this paper was appointed agent to col- I A III Immediately following lect and disburse the money subscribed by these men in :1 prepared a report of his subsisting the surveying party until May, 1864, and to I of the line, which, togeth( procure further subscriptions along the proposed line to of Oregon (the first ever continue the survey north to the City of Portland, and tary of the company, was to organize a company and apply to Congress for a grant ing of the session in De of land in aid of the construction of a railroad from the the winter of 1863-4 Hot Columbia River to San Francisco, passing through the had introduced in the H( Willamette, Umpqua, and Rogue River valleys; and in California and Oregon RM pursuance of this authority this original subscription of ing a railroad from the C money in aid of such railroad was collected, the surveying fornia, through the Sacrf party subsisted in Jacksonville until May, 1864, when it northern boundary of th( again took up the line of survey where Elliot and Belding company as the Oregon 1 had abandoned it, and under the supervision of Col.