miths Mills, Marysville (Corvallis), Albany and Salem. Grading began in 1851. Stephen Coffin took the contract for laying the planks. The first plank was laid September 27, 1851, amid ceremonies. In September, 1851, Thomas Stephens became superintendent. For further work, see advertisements in The Oregonian in 1851. The work soon lapsed for lack of funds (article by George H. Himes, ibid., August 14, 1902). The first plank was laid near the present Ladd School. The route was surveyed by Daniel H. Lownsdale. The road was badly damaged by rains in the winter of 1851–52 (ibid., January 10, 1852). A statement of the work on the road appears, ibid., April 3, 1852. The sum of $14,593.83 was expended up to that time. On May 10, 1852, the third and fourth installments to stock subscriptions were called for. In the summer of 1852 a scandal, or rupture, occurred in the company, and new directors were elected (ibid., August 7, 1852). An earlier road, built by F. W. Pettygrove, passed through what is now Washington Park.
Canyonville, Douglas County. Canyonville is an historic community of Oregon, and is situated at the north end of Canyon Creek Canyon, where this defile opens into the valley of the South Umpqua River. It was in this canyon that the immigrants of 1846 had such great hardships on their way into the Willamette Valley. The canyon was known, in pioneer days as Umpqua Canyon. For a graphic description of the difficulties experienced here by the pioneers in 1846 see Bancroft's History of Oregon, volume I, page 563. For information concerning the proposed location of a railroad in the canyon see Scott's History of the Oregon Country, volume IV, page 5. The railroad route finally selected ascended Cow Creek from Riddle and joined the old stage road not far from Glendale. The stage route for many years continued up Canyon Creek and today travelers over the Pacific Highway may see where there have been earlier
