The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1903-02-05
.CARNAHAN ROAD LAW
MEASURE MEETS WITH FA.
vOR OVER THE STATE.
Highly Interesting Meeting ofthe
Push Club Was Held Yes
terday Evening.

The Push club met In regular session
last evening, Frank l.. Parker actlnp
as secretary In the absence Of II. s.
Lyman. who Is slightly III. The meet
Ing was devoted largely TO review Of
pending matters, but was. nevertheless
a highly interesting one.
a resolution was offered by President
Harrison Allen urging the state legls-
lature to make the appropriation pro-
yided for In Senator Johnston's bill for
"a portage road at Cello. The amount
carried In the bill $4,000. A COM
mittee consisting Of President Allen, K.
G. Lee and Frank l.. Parker will draft
suitable resolutions and forward them
to the members Of both houses Of the
Legislature.
President Allen explained at length
the carnahan road law which has been
reported favorably by the house COM
mittee. The bill Is the only one Of
fered that includes any departures rom
the present road laws" said Mr.. Al
len. While at Salem I talked with
many members about the measure, and
learned. TO my qualification. that the
Astoria Push club Is by far the best
known commercial organization in. the
U
state. All the members appreciate the
interest that the club and Mr.. Carna-
han have taken in the matter Of good
roads. and they have been free TO ac-
knowledge our good work. The bill
has been submitted 10 many interested
parties, and in It's present form Is an
excellent measure. 1t is regarded with
general favor and viii believe, pass
both houses.
1T will be recalled that the Oregon
Good Roads association, organized dug
ing the fail with much enthusiasm,
promised wonders in the way of new
road laws. Events have demonstrated
that the association Is hot air organi-
cation, for 1t failed utterly TO offer a
single bill looking to the betterment
of road laws. The vice-president of
the association has manifested some in
terest in the Carnahan bill, and at his
suggestion several alterations OF value
were made. The law, while perhaps
not all that we would desire. is the
forerunner of an entirely satisfactory
law two years hence"
The Carnahan bill in it's amended
form provides that the county court
may use mot to exceed 5 mills of the
general fund levy for the building and
maintenance of highways and bridges.
A general 5-mill levy is provided for
road purposes. The money thus de-
rived is to be apportioned by the coun-
| ty court to The several districts accord
ing to the assessed valuation or each Of
the districts. The money thus appor-
toned for each district is to be expend-
ed by the roadmaster under the direc-
tion of the county court. The people
OF road district are authorized to Pc
tition the court as to the manner in
which the fund shall be expended, but
the approval by the court of the plan as
set forth in the petition is essential to
the carrying out of the wishes of the
people of the district. Apart from the
general 5-mill levy, each district may
make such special levy as the people
thereof may deem expedient for the
needs OF their roads and bridges. Spec
ial funds thus derived are to be ex-
pended, under the direction of the
county court. by the county roadmas-
ter.
The bill as originally framed delegat-
ed to each district power to expend the
fund anportioned TO it, bur, at the rec
cmmendation of the vice-president of
the Oregon Good Roads association
this feature was amended and the ex-
penditure of funds placed in the hands
OF the county court The objection to
the original scheme was that one dis
trict might decide upon a rock road,
another district upon phncheon road
and n third district upon an unplanked
road, with the result that the highway
would be badly cut up. BY giving the
court power to eXpend the money, high
ways can be made uniform.
An important feature of the bill is
that 1t does away with the election of
road supervisors, and gives the appoint
ment of those officials to the various
county courts. 1t is realized that the
present method leaves open way to
inject political considerations into road
building, whereas If the road super
vlsors are appointees of the county
courts. there viii be harmonious ac-
tion. The law takes away the time
honored power of the road supervisor,
and makes him an assistant to the
county roadmaster, under whose di-
rection he shall work at all times.
The bill gives the county court s
mills for road purposes, and Is calcu-
lated TO work wonders IN the good
roads line in Oregon Mr.. Allen be-
l,eyas tba measure will surely pass.