Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1893-03-31
THE ROAD COMMISSIONER.
n Capable Man Must Be Selected
For the Position.

Inc county cOHlllllSSlOncfS al
their forthcoming session have to
appoint a citizen of the county as a
member of the State Wagon Road
commission. A good many men
are pulling for the position under
the impression that it is we'll
paid sinecure, but we apprehend
that they will nearly all drop out
when they read the law, which we
publish to-day for general informa-
ton.
AS a matter of fact the commits
sioner is invested with a good deal
of responsibility for which he is
poorly paid. Only actual expenses
are allowed, and these must all be
sworn to. This fact will naturally
limit the county commissioners in
their selection to that class of citi-
zens who are known to be full of
public spirit and local pride. The
citizen selected should be man of
good standing and of successful
business ability. He should be a
diplomat, with sufficient knowledge
and ability to present and press the
claims Of his constituency for inn
mediate consideration upon his col
leagues.
Let us take the necessities of the
Elk City branch as an illustration
of the work before the commission
er for Idaho county. The legisla-
ture appropriated $4,000 for this
road, the estimate being that OF
the surveyor of this county. Now
$4,000 will build the road if the
money is spent in road building.
Here is where diplomacy and tact
on the part of our commissioner
will be required. The engineer Sc
lected by the commission fills q
very responsible position and may
be so afflicted with a sense of his
responsibility that he may not be
willing to accept the route estab-
lished by our county surveyor. He
may wish to survey and establish
his own routes. This means not
only years delay in building this
particular branch, but insufficient
funds to build it after it is com.
menced. AS we said before, $4,000
will build road to Elk City, but
if 50 900 of $4,000 is expended in
making new surveys, the appropri'
alton will not suffice to build the
road. The representative from
this county must therefore be thor
oughly equipped with knowledge
of the difficulties to be overcome
and with the tact and ability to
place his arguments in the mos
convincing phase, and with the de
termination firmly fixed in his owl
mind to carry all his points agains
all opposition. 1t will be his duty
to impress upon his colleagues tn,
supreme Importance of immediate
action on the Elk City branch il
order that the contracts may b.
let and the road built so it can bt
utilised for hauling machinery ant
winter supplies this fall. AS th'
commission does not meet till Jun'
l, and 40 days advertisement is re
quired by law before contracts ar
let, it is plain that every hour o
every day is important if the Ell
City branch is to be built this year
The commissioner from this count,
must insist with emphasis upon tn
fact that the legislature fixed tn
appropriation for the Elk City di
vision at $4,000 with full know
ledge that a county survey ha,
been made, and with the intention
that that survey should be adopted
Otherwise, larger appropriation
would have been made to cover tn
cost of a new survey.
The county commissioners, toe
can materially strengthen the cas-
by officially instructing the dele
gate, Or by an official statement O
memorial setting forth the facts i
the case: that the survey was OF
dered, made, and accepted by tn
board of county commissioners an
is of official record; also urging tn
vast interests involved in it's in
mediate construction, and prayin
the State commission to accept tn
existing survey, etc. Backed b
such an official document, certifie
copies of the records bearing on tn
case, and the surveyors field note
and estimates of cost, the delegat
would be able to carry his poin
and have the Elk City branch con
pleted this year. We are not il
different to the Salmon river roat
but Elk City is this years cam
and needs this years attention.