Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1891-04-30
Communicated.

few reasons why shall vote against the
county road bonds
First-At the meeting OF the gentlemen
from the different parts of the county,
held at Hoquiam, for the purpose of en-
Tightening the county board as to what
roads should be built, there was not the
first effort made to get together and lay
out system OF roads that would be of
the greatest benefit to Chehalis county
as u whole. But, from the moment they
were called to order until they adjourned,
1t was continuous quarrel to see who
could get the most Does any voter who
has read the report OF the meeting sup
pose that the delegates from Elma
stopped to think, or even cared, whether
the roads Aberdeen wanted were the
ones most needed by the county, as
whole, so long as they could get the
money to build the road or roads they
wanted? Did Hoquiam stop to consider
the need of the roads Montesano wanted,
in the fight to get the ones they were
after? l say, no! 1t was just grab, for
each one to get the most, with never u
thought or a consideration for perfect
system OF roads to open up the county to
the greatest advantage, at the least cost
to the tax payer. And, yet, it is pro-
posed to eXpend an enormous sum of
money on a, so-called, system OF roads
gotten up in that manner.
Second-The records OF Chehalis county
show that the money expended on roads
in the county has been spent about
equally east and west OF Montesano, with
the result that east of Montesano there
are fairly good roads, while west of that
city there are practically no roads. And
the reason for it is that in the eastern
end OF the county the settlers have got
out and done work ON their roads and
kept them open, while in the western cad
they have in the main used their boats
and let the roads grow up, and they will
do it again, for the amount OF money
called tor will not begin to build the roads
that it is proposed to build, under the
call If the county board tries it, the tax
payers will find that the county has Il
road bond debt saddled on it, with roads,
or more properly trails, started in all
directions and finished in none.
The only passable road on Grays har-
Dor TODAY, that | know of, is between
Aberdeen and Hoquiam, and that road
cost about six thousand dollars per mile
On the road from Hoquiam to Grays
Harbor City there has been spent $1,000,
yet there is 81, 00J more asked Tor in this
bond call to complete it. The distance
is but three miles, and it will cost 5000
per mile From reliable Information it
can be proved that frntn $25, 800 to $50, 00j
has been spent tlie lad from the Ho-
GUAM river ne Humptulips country
and today itlo utterly impossible to haul :.
load of freight over it yet it is proposed
to build road up the Hoquiam to stew
ems Prairie for $4,000, and another
| flom Aberdeen to AFFORD Prairie, fcr the
same sum. 1t is proposed to build 4
road from Mcntesano to North river Ter
"a 900, and | venture the assertion that
| the amount stated will hardly build .
a pack trail between the points named
| One thing more, we hear il said by our
| friends who want the roads that there
are thousands OF ranchers who want go
up mott tn and clear up farms, this in the
face OF the fact that the magnificent
! Chehalis valley, whose lands equal IN
| richness and productive capacity any
| lands in Western Washington, has not
one acre in thousand under cultivation,
and the Chehalis lies along the highway
of travel that connects the Grays barber
basin with the markets of the world, and
is easy OF access both to the producer and
the CONSUMER. Now ii all these gentle
men who want to open up farms IN
Western Washington will locate IN the
Chehalis valley, they will have better
market, raise as good crops and have
social and educational advantages TAR in
excess OF any thing they can POSSIBLY
enjoy in the forest along the Humpttl-
alps and around Lake Quinault.
In closing permit me to say that the
spirit of fairness shown by the HERALD,
| Democrat and Vidette in this controversy
is all the more to be appreciated alter
one has contemplated the narrow mind,
edness and read the vicious screeds Of
papers whose only forte in such matters
Is vile abuse. N. 0. BONDS.