Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 25.djvu/281

 division ten from Roseburg to the head of the Willamette Valley; and division eleven from the head of the Willamette Valley to the navigable waters of the Columbia.

"It will be seen by the above table," says Elliott, "that the whole road can be built at an average cost of less than $48,000 per mile, or $1,960 per mile less than the average cost of Railroads in the State of New York and $18,062 more per mile than the average cost of Railroads in the State of Ohio. In comparing the estimate cost of this road with the cost of Railroads in other states, we find that the Boston and Providence Railroad cost $81,270 per mile; the Boston and Lowell Road $78,630 per mile; the Hudson River Railroad $80,000 per mile and the New York and Erie Railroad about $80,000 per mile. Besides this we find that the six railroads in Maine cost an average of $39,886 per mile; five railroads in Vermont $40,824 per mile; twenty-three railroads in Ohio $29,938 per mile. With all the improvements in engineering and material required, I think the estimated cost of our road will be found to be impartial and accurate."

The Barry Survey was made the year following the efforts of Elliott. The report of the survey was printed before that of Elliott. Barry finished his survey in October, 1864, and immediately presented it to the Oregon Legislature through Gaston, in an effort to obtain aid. The Legislature in response passed an act granting to any company that would construct a railroad in the Willamette Valley, a loan from the proceeds of a one mill tax on all taxable property in Oregon. The amount, however, was not to exceed $40,000 a year. The aid was a simple loan for which the State was to receive 6% interest and was to have it all paid back to it at the end of five years.