The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1899-11-14
ROAD BUILDING.
now 1t Is Being Pushed BY the State
Authorities-What the officials say.

"O'V hoI Delng pushed as they shout
be. The law provides that practic,
road builder shall be appointed to s,
pervise the convict labor at salary nc
TO exceed $50 month. Tom Farley, G
FOLK county was appointed but the la,
does not contemplate that this oflicig
shall be under salary unless road build
ing is going on.
InE JOURNAL was reliably informe,
that MIR. Farley was supervising a fore
OF one convict the past week. If that /
the case the state pays dearly for con
struction Of state roads under IN,
Looney act. Inquiry of officials elicite,
the following:
Governor Geer said:
The Looney bill has added som,
good road from where Supt. Gilber
left off out to the Red Barn. There wai
about mile plowed beyond the Rec
Barn, but it was not graded, widenet
and graveled as the part this way was.
"The summer was so wet we could
not do very much. But we shall put
on force soon to build the Reform
school road. That is all grayelly soil
and can be worked best in winter.
Only about $500 OF the S2,5OO for the
current year has been expended.
"The Looney bill is good measure.
Roads can be built under it very
cheaply. We have leased some timber
land thatis 10 be grubbed for the timber
that is in it. That may reduce the road
force a little, but when the farm work
is closed for the fall we shall have
plenty"
Gov. Geer said that the work was un-
der the direct control Of Supt. Lee, and
that official was referred to as being
possessed OF detailed information, which
he readily gave, as follows:
PRISON sUPr. LEES STATEMENT.
"The number of men usually engaged
on the work has been . TO s. Five Rake
a pretty good crew when graveling and
hauling dirt; two drivers Of teams,
who assist in loading, two shoyelers
and one to spread gravel on the road.
The roadmaster would take a hand him
self at any one Of these kinds Of work
when opportunity presented.
81 made the appointment Of Mr.. I. A.
Farley, OF Polk county, as road master.
lie had had experience as road super
visor and also working on railroad grades
ind is a good hand with big teams and
10 oversee men. lie has been a dep
ity sheriff Of Polk county. The law
provides iorguards, but not dollar has
been paid out for that purpose. MIR.
Farley has acted as both roadmaster
md guard.
| decided to work the Macleay road
irst, as understood that il got miry in
winter, whereas the Turner road was
more gravelly, and Notwithstanding
hat water stood upon portions Of it,
The bottom was solid. Besides, the
work ON the Macleay road would be a
Of the excellent road built
by Mr.. Porter under Mr.. Gilberts adj
"I had County Surveyor Herrick sur
yey the road and establish the grade, at
a cost, | believe, OF only $40. Quite a
large amount Of filling was required ON
this road. II took some POO loads Of
dirt, besides the dirt scraped from the
bitches, 10 bring up the grade.
"The creek strikes, or did strike, the
road squarely short distance east of
the bridge, and had washed away more
than one.half the roadway for quite a
distance. A bulk-head OF logs has been
built there and the space filled in with
gravel stones and dirt. A canal was
cut across the horseshoe bend on Mrs.
Yonkees land, and the creek turned
The county assisted with piling and
planklng for the dam, which also re-
quired larg, lot Of brush, stones and
gravel. This work will save the road in
the future. A large amount of dirt wa'
also obtained from this canal for build
ing up the grade.
"The piece Of road from near the bridge
10 the Durbin place il nearly mile IN
length and much Of it was built p feet
wide. The hill west OF Durbin's was
cut down several feet A deep drainage
ditch $50 feet in length was also cut and
covered, the county furnishing the tile
Three hundred and ninety-iour loads OF
gravel were hauled and put upon the
Macleav road. We did not get all the
road grayelled from the red barn 10 the
bridge. as the rains commenced rather
early. We may have 20 improyise
brush mats in some Of the worst places
The ,distance is one mile, aud only
about $50 yards remain ungravelled' s.
wecan quickly finish in cool weather.
ave also did grayeling and illing on
Twenty-Fiith street and on the Inrnel
road. putting on about 800 loads ol dirt
and we hoped that the district Nonh
have it grayeled. We may do NOR
work ON the Turner road this winter
where Il can be- worked, and We exp c
next wear 10 work on that rad an'
others. They will, however, reluir
more engineer work.
ave have not hal a. man.
men as desired on the roaL Ih
General work had % Do, kept up
r...ft s t-IfI d.. "a a.