Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 25.djvu/300

[If- 262 JOHN TILSON GANOE MM hN* The policy of financing the East Side road seems not to have involved any attempt for local support other than attempts to gain public favor. Their policy from the be- ginning seems to have been one of gathering stock to watch it become valuable and to gain what money they needed not from actual cash subscriptions for stock but from the sale of bonds. 38 Their only local aid seems to have been grants of right of way through certain farms, al- though the usual thing was the payment of an exorbitant price to the owner rather than a gift from him. 2. West Side Company. From the inception of the idea of railroad building the policy of Gaston was one of gaining aid. The Califor- nia and Columbia River Railroad Company had struggled for aid from both the State and the Federal government. The Oregon Central Company, West Side, had struggled for the grant which was finally given to the East Side Oregon Central Company. Failing to gain this, Gaston turned his efforts, as we have seen, to gaining a new grant from Congress and in this was successful The grant was largely the same as that given to the East Side Company. This company was to receive alter- nate sections on each side of the track and was also re- stricted in the sales prices by a limitation of $2.50 per acre. The grant was also dependent upon the amount of road constructed. During the years 1871 and 1872, after Holladay gained control, the company was very active. The road was built from Portland to Forest Grove and from there south about forty-seven miles to the terminus named in the act. The act had provided a grant of additional land should the road be extended to Astoria, but this was never built and the grant was for- feited. The actual amount of land embraced by the grant, Iy 38 The actual financing of the road East Side—see page 265. be discussed under Finance—