Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-12-22
HARB0R OUTLET
FACTS AND FIGURES FROM A
COMPETENT AUTHORITY.
North and South Side Roads Compared by
One Who Has Figured the Cost !. ".
Mason. in a Comparative Review. Shows
Absurdity Of Road on South Side.

The excuses offered by the interested
parties in favor of building the wagon
outlet to Grays Harbor in such way as
to elongate the road and cross the river
twice, have been many and varied. The
following communication from road
builder of experience will be all that is
necessary to explain the matter.
EDITOR HERALD THE writer recently
read an article in The Daily Bulletin
stating that the county surveyor had
made very fine map Of proposed road
from Melbourne to Cosmopolis, and that
the estimated cost of the road, exclusive
of planking and graveling, was $4,000
for a distance of ~ miles.
The idea conveyed by the article was
that this proposed road was to take the
place of a "North side" road from Aber-
deem to Montesano.
The article in question is very mislead-
ing, for the reason that none OF the facts
necessary to be known to understand
the situation are correctly stated, or
stated at all.
Commencing at Montesano to reach
Aberdeen by the "South side" route, it
would be necessary to construct 80 miles
OF road. mostly over tide flats, and to
bridge the Chehalis river, at a cost OF at
least $40 900, which added to cost of SO
miles of road, toots up to the neat sum
of $4,000, to reach Melbourne; which
added to the $4,000, estimated cost OF
clearing right of way to Cosmopolis,
makes $44, 900.
Now you must add to this amount the
cost of planking or graveling this ~
miles stretch at say SO cents per loot,
and you have $4,000 when you reach
the town of Cosmopolis. From this
point to the Wishkah river in Aberdeen
is SO miles. OF which at least two miles
OF plank roadway would have to be built
at a cost of at least one dollar per foot,
making $lO,560 more, swelling the total
carried by the budget to the sum of
S74,56O, to the south bank Of the Chehalis
river. You are then up against the
proposition of bridging that river, the
cost of which must be added to the
figures already given.
We would then have road from Aber.
deem to Montesaro which would be four.
teen and one-half miles in length and
large portion Of which would be over
long hills at ten per cent grade, which
would make it impracticable either for
freight or passengers.
On the other hand, if road is con-
structed from Montesano to Aberdeen
by the "North side" route, commencing
at the former place, the road Is already
built to Clemmons' place, distance Of
four miles. From this point to the city
limits, distance of six miles. ~ miles
of which lie across the tide flats, it
would be incumbent upon the county to
build plank road, which could be con.
structed for the sum of $34, s4S, esti.
mating ON same basis as for "South
side" road.
From the city limits to the Heron
street bridge across the Wishkah river is
one and one-half miles, 1890 feet of
which would require pile trestle, which
would cost the city not to exceed $500.
Then you would have direct route to
Montesano over level ground and only
eleven and one.half miles long and all
at total cost of less than $42, 900, of
which the city would pay $500.
In the last ten years the taxpayers OF
Aberdeen have paid into the county