Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-03-10
THE WAGON ROAD BILL.
The G'ssssAernsseas shas y0ps1lel -
Gevernee - n1gn ehe 0eaSure.

The rssssAerasseas shas u1psl1ea g.
Gsverssr - nlGn she Asasure.
Governor Mcdonnell, in informing
the House Of his approval Of the
State wsgon road bill, sent % that
body . message, Of which the follow
ing il copy:
ExEcrTIvK DEPAKrnEET, BosG
CRY, Mar. 6-MR. SPEAxRR AID
MEHsKRs o. rHE HoUsE oS REpsx-
KxrArIvxs-GEHrLKnAx: / have
before me d. B. No. 14s (by Work
msn), an act to amend Section 16 Of
an act entitled, IAN act to provide
for the internal improvement Of The
State by the construction Of system
Of wagon roads in the counties Of
Boise, Custer, Lemhi, Idaho, Shosho-
ne, Kootenai, Latah and Nez Perce
and providing funds for the construc-
ton Of said system Of wagon roads BY
the issuance of series Of State roads."
The act Of which this il amendatory
was approved by me on Feb. 16,
1893. II carried with it an appropri-
alton of only s135. l did not call
The attention of the House 10 the
error in the enrolment Of this bill
for some time after its passage, there
by giving the members opportunity
t., hear from their constituents con-
cerning the advisabiIity Of such leg
isiation. This amendment which l
now approve, and which was calcu-
lated to correct the error in the former
bill as well Is to provide different
and . better method of selling the
bonds, was voted upon and passed
by . large majority Of both houses,
which was . practical enactment Of
the law upon two different dates with
ample time for consideration inter-
vening.
| The wisdom of constructing . por-
tion of this wagon road cannot be
doubted. That division down Salmon
river, and the division to Elk City,
together with the divisions through
Boise county and eastward fully JUS
tify the expense to the State incurred
in their construction, while l think
some other divisions of the road will
prove of little value, as doubt
whether the counties in which they
are constructed can afford to main
tain them after they are built.
| l am impelled to sign this bill in
consideration of the land interests oi
the State, and by that consideration
alone. believe that e50,OOO of the
amount carried by this bill has been
appropriated for the construction Of
roads which will be of little value.
In the Congressional act providing
for the admission of the State of Ida.
no, we received the very liberal do
nation of 500, 900 acres of land in ad'
di,ion to the land heretofore granted
to the Territory, which, 1t the prics
fixed by Congress-$10 per acre-
will amount to s5,90O.0OO. But little
of this land has been selected by ths
State in consequence of the failure
on the part of Congress to appropri
ate money for surveys. The last ses
sion, however, made = liberal appro
priation, and contracts are let for sur
veying large tracts of land in th'
mountain aud timber districts.
All, or nearly all, the valley anc
open lands of any value have alread,
heen selected by private citizens un
der the various acts of Congress, an,
5 there is but little left for the Stat
from which to make its selections
1 other than the lands chiefly valuabl
r for their timber, which are in the in
S terror and mountainous districts Q
A the State. BY the building of thi
e system of wagon roads, these land
$ may be made available; consequen,
e Iy, while l think the bill has bee
: carelessly considered, and is unwis
in some of its provisions, l Am ais
satisfied that further appropriation
will be asked of future Legislature
S to complete the work-notably th,
" divisi n down Salmon river-l b,
lieve that as the timber lands are b,
l. ing rapidly taken up, that it weul
d be dangerous to delay another tv
IL years. and that in the interest of o,
q land grant the State would be just
% fed IN expending this money.
d have for the reasons stated signs
IL this bill. Very respectfully,
w. ]. McCoNNELL,
Governor.