The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-26
/ COUNTY ROADS.
nlbcts in the Law and How
they May Be Removed.
.oeeR SUPERVISION NEEDED.
80 Growth Of Popsiatisn Forced
- Eaptd Road Conssruesion-
frank Roads Are Needed.

- p.obIem Of the construction and
.slsferzasiss Of roads throughout the
s-ssisrv districts on the Western slope
"a - mountains Of Washington has
..eva hard one to seIse- The nature
81 - rfs1ratry makes ii extremely cc9t-
Z s ar,en them in the first psace. and
1ss-.af ~ expensive to keep tneTa In a
- condition after they are once
-. Owing to the rapid increase CT
resasftor ard settlement I'm the coun-
~ asztrtctg. and the consequent DE-
-.ndz rrcn the county commissioners
a, means Of ingress and eGress, the
rN.reaf counties have as a rule at
ssr8,.ed To supply ali these wants at
- nth the Inevitable result that tbs
----fy il covered with a network of
frsIss passably good in the summer but
..4sxt iinssaseabse In the winter. very
- Il when are entitled to the dignity
. q 5sing cassed road This II not the
s.slf Of the commissioners nor OF tire
sssslerS. but f. the natural result OF
1vvsy,g 10 stretch the fabric beyond its
M. ar,sa 10 build ten miles Of temp1s-
~ rad f5r what should be expended
= making enc mile Of permanent high
r<y These roads. when once opened.
rssy. be kept III repair as far as posi-
~ and In tails manner the funds are
Md year afser year. withosft securing
taat much desired eiid--a read which
m be good both winter and summer
IN King county the above practice has
prevailed to a large extent: many males
a new road have been opessed within
The last three or four years. many
hffdges constructed ard needed repairs
made. but the result has not been en-
fsrely satisfactory fer the reason that a
lack Of sufficient funds TO make ig.-
] rgssements permanent has left many
new roads In such condition that the
sss winter weather practically closes
them TO travel. There seems to have
been a dispostssn on the part of the
psopIe general. to desire that all these
improvements be made as fast as there
was any demand FOR them. and in trying
% keep pace with thcae desires great
deal OF money has been expended for
what might be called temporary reads,
that would have paid better returns In
making those already constructed Of a
nsre permanent character. AT the sslslae
time It must be remembered that the
commissioners In charge of this work
trf but the servants OF the people, and
have 10 BE- guided largely by the peo-
psn's expressed wishes. and the expert
enes of the commissioners in the cs,n-
piruction of the rock and gravel road
tvath OF the city limits and the abuee
shey received on account Of their at
tempt 10 build q good read for the peo-
rc has been OF such a nature that IL
Vii probably be some time before they
viii have the courage 10 try it again
spanty Auditor Frank A. Twicheii.
speaking Of this matter recently said
that one difficulty was the apparent In
dsGeisnce on the part OF many of the
farmers Themselves who seem to be-
Wiling 70 drive over q stump OF
through mud hole day after day
thraagh the whole season rather than
remove she obstacle unless the county
iays Them for doing ii. Also in many
q the rpad districts Ii has been the c,,s-
sosn In years gone ~ 10 elect as road
Supervisor some supenInnnnted individ-
1al who could not make his living in
assy ataer way. and under whose super
vision a large proportion CT the rad
suat OF the district would be fnisspest
aaf wasted. Ii might be well la add,
sal Mr.. Twioheli. that thls fault no
ienger exists. as the voters in the road
districts at present take fully as much
Interest In the election of supervisor as
they do IN The general election.
To summaries. 1t appears first, that
she county has built too much road. III
esinueh sis 1t has been at the expense OF
cusslty; second. that the farmers them
seises nave In many Instances failed TO
take fha interest they should have felt
N this. their natural means Of comnnu-
hleatfon with their market; third. the
hss Of Z large proportion Of the road
NIX g the districts by falling 10 have
ihs proper persons for Rad supervisors.
rs suggestion to sfbvidge these asfi-
caitsss, Mr.. T'wisaaell said:
Tte legislature has attempted in var
faas Ways 10 provide a remedy for these
usseets. and has partially succeeded.
wi there stu remains much 10 be done.
TIC present road law has been held nm
institutional in its provisions for TAX
.ss property for road purposes. and Is
tasfNfese practically a ,iesla letter II
*as also objectionable hesssuse il placed
y ssIas upon the number OF new roads
Wassa might I've retitiened for ard laid
WI ani surveyed. thereby placing a
.ss large expense urou the county, the
esarss having failed to IND where any
sAszetaon waS lodged in them 10 deny
asatioje properly made out and fIIe<s.
*asFe ssruli undoubtedly be link. or
y vast soma authority 70 limit, the
@ssssat - expenditures for surveys Of
& ~ f0ads. when scarcely oae-t1aif IT
sas roads already surveyed adm laid out
= AlssT county have cves heen opened.
Would further saein that the matter
slstaE oGt Raw ,Vsais should be in tue
aNs1s Of Ere county commissioners Ia
fsead .! the upefi0r eoaft. for 4hss rea.
sea tAst they are much more familiar
via the country and iss necessities
sass any court could possibly be: but
sssss the constitution Is changed II
asss eaulnue i'll the hsads OF the
ssasfs. IS az present.
the system whses would Sessn gssoss
aAeay 70 he attended with good results
NNsasa he 20 construct fran year 20 year
: A<sfay main o. trunk lincs Of pAr-
aNaheEat road as practices bie. reaching
me valleys, the lczcsl ro2Fis Tn 81
s4Aea care AZ as far "a possible hy sts
ssgaetz themselves. thereby aliawinE
r. greater FaarsTsn Of the read ana
91Se fslnd - be- ned fn extending
sasSe main ilaes This would b. slow
- sure. hus the reads constructed
seasa Ne permanent aud In slrne wcsld
sssalt in good. s.aFah1s Highways. raal
4>kFN s.s~
Is 14spessihls IN sonStFurs saeh