Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1903-06-26
MONEY FOR ROADS.
Lincoln County Has It-Where
Shall 1t Be Spent?

| notice by the last semi-annual re-
port Of the county clerk that there is
now in the hands of the county treas
urer $4,000 belonging to the road fund
And as this is a special fund, created
by special tax, it cannot be used for
any other purpose but that which it
is intended for-building roads and
bridges. And as the sheriff is now col
lecting another three mill tax for the
same purpose, it would seem that the
county strong box will soon be over
flowing with money that should be
used for the building of new roads and
the improving Of old ones and the re.
pairing of rotten bridges that are scat
tered over the county. 1t is we'll
known fact that the only way to inter
est settlers and home builders in our
county is to give them roads that they
may reach the trade centers. A rail-
road is but little use to our homestead
ers or farmers unless they can reach it
by some other means than pack horse.
The county has, during the past two
years, spent about $4,000 on the road
from Toledo to the Alsea country; and
yet the road is not fit for travel, and,
as we are informed, one OF the bridges
is nailed up so that even a man on
horseback cannot pass through. We
are not advised as to what sum of money
1t would require to finish this road.
Probably, however, 5000 or $4OO would
open this road to travel and thus open
up one of the richest portions of the
county, and at the same time aid the
settler who is trying to build home
FOR himself and posterity. Again it is
well-known fact that the richest por-
ton OF Lincoln county is the Salmon
river and the valley of the Siletz, and
the rich bottom and grazing lands that
lie along the coast between Newport
and the mouth of the Siletz. At the
present time these settlers have no way
OF reaching any OF the trade centers of
L'ncoln county, and are compelled to
take the most of their products through
the Grand Ronde valley into Yamhill
and Polk counties, thereby causing
them long journeys and at the same
time losing to Lincoln county the trade
aad business of her own citizens.
These people, when they visit the
county seat or Newport, are compelled
to do so on foot or with pack animals.
A petition has lately been circulated by
these people and they have pledged $500
toward the opening of the road from
Otter Rock to Siletz Bay; and, as we
are informed, will ask the county court
at the next session to appropriate sum
sufficient, with whatIthey have raised,
to open this road. 1t seems to me that
this matter interests every citizen of
Lincoln county, and that they should
send in petitions to the county court
asking that this 5000 road fund be ex
pended on the roads and bridges in
Lincoln county, wherever, in their
Judgment, the most benefits will be de-
rived, not forgetting that every portion
OF the county should be entitled to its
share of this fund. And that all money
expended shall be done under the con.
tract system. am not complaining of
the county court in this matter. for
they no doubt will be governed largely
by the wishes of the taxpayers who
have paid in the money that has created
this fund. The citizens have a duty TO
perform as we'll as the county court
and If they have read the county pa.
pers they must know that this money
is in the strong box and they should
see to it that every dollar OF it is drawn
out and spent on the roads and bridges
where it will do the most good before
the fall rains set in. II this $4,000 is
spent on the roads this summer, it will
not only open up the richest portion of
our county to settlement, but it will
give employment to every idle man in
the county,
The county court are the business
managers and servants Of the people,
aid there is no doubt but what they are
personally interested in seeing the
roads of our county improved, it being
their official duty 10 do so, Therefore,
let the people send in their petitions
that the court may hurry the work that
Is m'st needed and we may yet haye
some roads opened up before the winter
rains set in,
a tramp over Lincoln county will
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