profitable place in the Oregon system. It is now doing a large business in hauling lumber and must sooner or later find a useful and necessary purpose in the development of the country.
THE WORK OF MR. KOEHLER.
Besides these independent lines the work of development by branches, feeders, and extensions of the main system, has been going on steadily for years, as population and business would justify. Many such additions have been added to the lines east of the Cascades, as well as in the Willamette Valley, showing the purpose to cover the whole territory of the Columbia River water shed with a network of branch line roads. The most notable of this work is that carried out by Mr. Richard Koehler, who has held the reins as general manager of the Oregon & California road for thirty-two years. Under his management over four hundred miles of track have been added to the railroad mileage in the Willamette Valley and Southern Oregon. And in addition to this the roads under his supervision have been entirely rebuilt with new steel rails, new bridges, expensive embankment fills, reduction of grades and straightening of track. In this work Mr. Koehler has disbursed for his employers many millions of dollars, and in every way more than doubled the value of the property under his care, not only to its owners but also to the farmers and business men along the line. Such a long term of service as this in one position of such power and responsibility shows with what fidelity Richard Koehler has discharged his responsible duties to his clients and the people. Taking hold of the property when it had been practically wrecked by Holladay, and when it paid nothing to its owners, he has been compelled to discharge the onerous and thankless duties of watching every detail of operation, service, expenditure, construction, and
