Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1893-11-24
W4GON Road M4TTERS.
They are Rapidiy Assuming De-
finite Shdpe-- Shall Idaho
County Cooperate?

sioners have decided to advertise
for bids for the construction of the
Salmon River and Elk City roads
right away, and will meet at Boise
on December 90 to open same and
award contracts. Another batch of
bonds, amounting to S3S,000, has
been taken, and the cash is now in
the State treasury. Thus the obiec-
tions to county cooperation are
swept aside, one by one, and the
time will soon be here when our
county commissioners must decide
whether these roads shall be built
next year, or ten or twenty years
hence.
Commenting on our proposition
that the County Commissioners of
Idaho county supplement the State
appropriations for the Elk City and
Little Salmon wagon roads with a
sufficient sum to ensure their con-
struction, the Boise Statesman
says: "The position of the FREE
PRESS is sound, and it's utterances
should serve as guide to every
county into which the State wagon
roads are projected. The necessity
for these roads is universally re-
cognized and it would be the
height of folly for any county to
permit the opportunity to pass un-
improved. The time lost in wait
ing for a larger appropriation from
the State, even if it were certain
that the State would adopt such a
policy, would more than offset the
cost to the counties of completing
the roads now.'
Mr.. ID. w. Hannah; the engineer
who surveyed the Little Salmon
and Elk City branches for the
State this summer, writes us from
Moscow as follows: II am in re-
ceipt of the F. 2. of 10th inst, and
am rejoiced to note that you are
alive to the necessity of getting the
benefit of the State appropriation,
which will materially assist in
building necessary roads. / most
heartily endorse your plan of hav-
ing county provide what funds are
necessary to complete roads over
and above the State appropriation,
and if future legislature sees fit
to reimburse the county it will be
so much the better; but at any
rate we will have the road and the
benefit of the money expended ip
the county.
~ will furnish the County Com
missioners an approximate estimate
of each and every mile on both Elk
City and Salmon River branches,
and that will enable the Commits
sioners to judge as to the relative
prices between bids put in for large
blocks of the work and smaller bids
for one or more miles, and thus
give local men, who can construct
road cheaper than anyone else, "A
chance to bid. OF course, these
estimates are solely for the benefit
Of the commissioners, as l do not
propose to do any figuring for con-
tractor, and contain my idea ol
what cost of construction will be
Keep on the good work, as we must
not lose the appropriation"
The following letter from Frank
Fem covers some points where
there has been more or less divers
ity of opinion. We hope to hav,
all these points settled to the sat
isfaction of our county fathers by
the time they will be required tt
act on the matter in April next.
Boise, Idaho, Nov. IA, 1898.
FRIEND PARKER Your favor o
Nov. 10 is at hand. AS was statet
to you by Attorney-General Par
sons, in his letter of October 3, con
current action upon the part of th,
Wagon Road Commissioners ant
the Board of County Commission
ers, would be necessary if the con
struction of the Elk City brancl
: should cost more than the amour
appropriated by the Legislator
, for that specific purpose. The Att
] orney General is of the opinion
that the County Commissioner
have authority to make contract
and to issue warrants on the sam
for the amount that may be re
quired to complete the road, afte
!. the eight thousand dollars apprt
priated by the Legislature, ha
been expended. The Wagon Roa
Commissioners cannot let the con
tract for the construction of tha
branch in any way, other than i
such manner that the cost of tn
entire road shall not exceed tn
amount appropriated; in othe
words, the contract or contract
for the entire branch must be IL
within the Appropriation, and til
contractor or contractors, mus
agree to finish the road for not
|. exceed the amount specified, to-wi
eight thousand dollars. The col
tractor could then make sue
arrangement or agreement. wit
:: the County Commissioners /;
would secure him the payment
County warrants of whatev,
amOunt mipht ha ABROAD unon