Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-02-24
DON'T STICK IN THE MUD"

FARHAvEN, Wash, Feb. %, 1892.
EDITOR OF THE HERALD-DEAR
SIR: Since you have done me the
honor Of mentioning my views on the
road question several times, / will ask
for space once more on the subject.
| You cOnccde that roads are needed
and that they are eS-e ltial to the de-
velOpment Of the interior Of the
county; in fact you were one Of the
delegates 10 the road convention and
have been AN ad Ocatc Of all reasOua-
ble improvements from the beginning.
Therefore, as one who believes that the
present proposition is a fair and reason
able one, ! am especially sorry that
your influence should be cast against
these improvements You say the
amount Is eXtravagant The law saws
the county may bond up to five per
cent. fer this purpose, that is, $500, 900.
The commissioners ask for less than
half that amount. \ year ago we
voted down S2sO,OOO because it was not
enough 10 90 around and give this end
Of the county "A fair show. No one
argues that there are too many roads
in the plan. Many kick, as Fairhaven
did year ago, because they are not
getting enough. You cannot cut the
amount without cutting out some Of
the roads, and when it is proposed to
coniine the expenditure TO $4,000 or
$4,000 per year each locality will de-
mand explicit promises that their road
be in the first section constructed.
There is no probability that the COM
missioners, complying with the law,
could eXpend the money i'm less than
two seasons, even if they desired
We sank nearly $4,000 in the mud
this year under the road supervisors.
Let Us now try the commissioners. As
to there being no safeguards or super
vision, | will ask you to print these
extracts from the Turnpike Road Law
Of March 9TH, 1890, which applies to
this case according to good legal adj
wise. The italics are mine.
SEC. l3. "The county commission
ers shall cause to be kept by the clerk
Of the board full record Of all the pro-
ceedings in the location, establishment
and construction of the road, together
with accurate accounts Of receipts and
expenditures of money under the pro-
visions Of this act, and no money shall
be drdlCn from The treasury erccpt 10 pay
6dbititjes already accrued, and then only
in pursuance of orders caused by the
commissioners, while in session as a
board, to be entered upon the record
of their proceedings, and Ly orders
drawn by their clerk upon the county
treasury, IN favor Of the person to whom
such money is due"
/ don't see any favored banker in
that.
SEC. II. "The work Of the construc-
ton Of such roads sbalbe let publicly Jy
the county commissioners to The LOirea re-
SpOHSiJJe Jjddcr, after due notice given
Of such letting by publication in one or
more newspapers published, or of gem
eral circulation, or by handbills or
both, for that purpose the commission
ers shall cause the same 10 be divided
into convenient sections and each sec
ton numbered from the county seat or
other point named as the place of be-
ginning, toward the termination, and
shall let TIE same bY sections, with proper
specifications of the various kinds of
labor required on each section, and bid
ders shall be required to separately
state their bids for each class Of work,
in such manner as the commissioners
shall provide, and each contractor shall
be required to give bond, with suiii-
cient sureties, for the performance Of
his contract, payable to the county
commissioners for NE use and benefit Of
He county and with the necessary speci-
fications and stipulations on the part
Of the contractor inserted therein.
SEC. 10. ain all cases the construc-
ton of such roads shall commence at
the point Of beginning, and no pay
ment for work or material shall be
made except upon estimate made by bic
surreyor or engineer employed by the