Читать книгу Oregon, the Picturesque. A Book of Rambles in the Oregon Country and in the Wilds of Northern California онлайн

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We found the leaven of good-roads sentiment working strongly in Oregon during our sojourn in that state, and a little less than a year later it bore substantial fruit in a six-million bond issue which carried by a safe majority. This is avowedly only the entering wedge—it is safe to predict a repetition of California’s experience in adopting a second issue by a far larger popular vote than the first received. Six million dollars will not improve a very large percentage of Oregon’s immense road mileage, but it will serve to give the people of this state a demonstration of the advantages of permanent highways and the good work is sure to gain an impetus that will result in still more liberal provision for carrying it forward.

ON THE PACIFIC HIGHWAY

Courtesy of the Southern Pacific R.R. Co.

Efforts in both California and Oregon are at present being centered on the Pacific Highway and in the latter state perhaps half the mileage is improved in some way or other at this time. This is well enough, since this highway traverses the principal centers of population in both states and will no doubt serve the greatest number of people. It does not, however, compare in scenic interest with the coast road and it closely follows the Southern Pacific Railroad, affording one the alternative of seeing the country from the window of a Pullman car, which many will prefer while the highway is in its present state. The Coast road, however, traverses virgin wildernesses that can not be reached by railroad train and whose beauty will reward the somewhat strenuous effort which the motorist must make to penetrate them.