Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1901-03-14
CITY OFFICIAL PAPER.
THURSDAY, MARCH IA, 1901
TT CAN AND SHOULD BE BUILT

Two weeks ago the HERALD took an
execution to a statement by County Com
missioner smith to the effect that, owing
to the condition OF the county road and
bridge fund, "it is useless to expect the
county to build the road from Montesano
to Aberdeen within the next two years
at least" To our surprise Commissioner
Davis OF Hoquiam, undertakes to defend
the statement of Mr.. Smith in the
columns OF the Daily Bulletin, and in so
doing Commissioner Davis says:
con Jan. LIST, 1901, there was in the
road and bridge fund $2l03.42. Out
standing warrants to the amount OF 49,
5000. Leaving an indebtedness OF -.
472.4S, with contract to build Garrard
Creek bridge at cost OF not less than
$1,000. Taxes to come into the road and
bridge fund according to the assessment
OF 1900 will be $l6,4l2.40. Deduct in
debtedness and cost Of Garrard Creek
bridge will leave balance of $l939.92.
"Now if the HERALD can show how
$4,000 can lie expended on Aberdeen and
Montesano road, and build and repair
bridges, ietties and give all other road
districts what they are entitled to, he
will relieve the commissioners OF very
perplexing question"
With all due respect to the sagacity OF
Mr.. Davis, and with the knowledge that
the building of this road is of as much
Importance to his Hoquiam constituents
as it is to Aberdeen, the HERALD fails to
discern the great perplexity. 1t is true
the board OF last year exhibited repre-
hensible recklessness in road and bridge
expenditures. That board began the
year 1900 with but $55 Of road and bridge
warrants unpaid, expended the $l4,775
cash collected during the year, and
turned it over to the new board with
$4,000 in warrants outstanding, and
contract calling for 5000 more signed.
That this condition handicaps the
present board in the matter Of roads and
bridges, and will necessitate calling d
halt s., some required improvements
goes without saying, but we fail to see
that it either justifies the broad state
ment Of Mr.. Smith, or creates the insur-
mountable perplexity that appears to
stagger Mr.. Davis. The error Mr.. Davis
falls into appears to be his reasoning
that the Aberdeen.M ontesano road must
bear all the burden occasioned by the
reckless expenditures OF his predec-
essors; that all other road and bridge
matters must be attended to before this
important matter can be considered, and
that the SIC, 900 outstanding warrants on
this fund must of necessity be paid this
year. To this the HERALD excerpts. If
any portion OF the county must suffer in
consequence OF the over expenditure OF
the year 1900, common justice dictates
that it should be those parts whose
claims have been recognized in the past,
and not that this section, although pay
ing four-ifths of this tax, should remain
without a vestige Of wagon road COM
munication with the outside world.
The second reason reduces the matter
to simple business proposition. Will
it pay to carry rs 900 of those warrants
for year to build this road? That is
the only question that should perplex
the boarl. Will the building Of this
road this year justify the cost Of $64O in
interest upon those warrants? To one
at all familiar with the matter it would
seem to be a most profitable business
proposition. To say nothing OF the saw
ing, in time and money, to the people Of
the north side OF the harbor that would
be effected by the road, the enhanced
value OF the property adjacent to the
road would more than repay the invest
lncnt in a very few years, and we believe
that the board, upon m ature consider
alton will 50 regard it.