Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1894-02-02
THE UlGON ROAD BILL.
Senator Norris Claims that it d.
Not Interpreted Rightly.


and the manner in which it has
been manipulated SO as to leave
out the Salmon river and Elk City
divisions. l am not fully advised
what technical legal constructions
have been placed upon the act, but
it appears the Board have constru-
ed it to mean that no part OF the
S27 900 set apart for the Salmon
river division can be used unless
contract be let to finish the whole
division; and likewise on the Elk
City division. That is surely a
wrong construction. The law
should be construed with more
liberality. AS Mr.. Girton and my
self, at every meeting of the Com
mittee on Roads and Highways,
when this matter was discussed,
and also before the respective
houses, told them that it would
cost probably $4,000 to complete
the Salmon river division, and
asked for that sum in the format-
ion of the bill. We pleaded long
and hard for $40, 900 for that work
which we told them would not
complete it, but with that amount
we would consent to the passage of
the bill and rely on future appro-
priations to complete it. Senators
Watts of Boise, ii. Hunt of Lemhi
county, representatives Work
man. Crane and others with whom
we pleaded for weeks before we
finally consented to the passage of
the bill, reduced to $27 900, and
most positively declared that this
amount would only about half
complete the work, but that it
would do a good portion of the
work, and the next legislature
would complete it. Governor Nc
Connell, and also F. A. Fem, were
fully conversant with these facts,
the latter being often called upon
to help us in demonstrating this
fact and who materially aided us
in impressing upon the committee
the Importance of these roads. The
Governor also said that the Sal
mon river division, opening up a
good practicable road over a low
pass, connecting the south part of
the State with the north, was the
best feature of the bill, but said it
would take $4,000 to complete it.
The Governor passed over this
route and had taken close obser-
vatiOns, and saw its many advant-
ages, which l think is the only
thing that prevented his vetoing
the bill.
Now if this kind of construction
through any technical view is
placed upon it, it will certainly de-
feat the object of the law. And,
further, what will you do with the
$27, 900 set apart for that purpose,
and likewise with the $4,000 for
the Elk City division? l do not
accuse any one individually of try
ing to rob us of this hard-fought-
for appropriation, but will say that
when the inclination is to evade a
proposition, no language is plain
and explicit enough but they may
get around it. But few people
know the Importance of this con-
Meeting link between the north
and the south. 1t was by this
"impassable barrier" and isolation
of the ends of the state from each
other that years ago created the
feeling of secession in the north,
when they tried to be attached to
Washington, to which we were so
closely related commercially. And
even the proposition to wipe out
this fair Gem of the Mountains
and divide it up between Washing
ton Nevada was discussed with
some seriousness at one time; but
upon our admission into the Union
of States, and with this small
appropriation made to connect us
with the south, by wagon road,
has dispelled this rebllious feeling
and made us friends again. But
now this is "the unkindest cut of
all" if they persist in robbing us
and stealing back what little they
have given, the guilty parties
deserve all the punishment we can
infict upon them. / will not in
clude the whole south or confine
this felonious attempt entirely to
that section of our state, but
to all those who pretend 20 place
this unintelligible construction
upon the language of the law.
However, l hope this matter will
be considered of too vital interest
in uniting the two separated sect
ions of our state, and as a matter
in which Idaho county figures but
little when compared with the
great benefit to the state. Mr.
Telcher, our representative on the
Board, is one of our best citizens,
and a man whose honesty is I'M
questioned. Were l not SO well
acquainted with him, might have
believed he sold us out, but this
theory would not hold in Idaho
county, where he has lived for
thirty years and is so well known.
] have not seen him since this
question arose but am sure no man
deplores the deplorable state of