Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1904-12-22
GOOD ROADS IN JACKSON
Road Making Has Made Good
Prosress in That County.

LUG OAuso VI kuOu Auaus hho m""N
most remarkable PROCESS in Jackson
county, and there is every certainty
that within the next five years our
neighboring county will have sys-
tenn of modern roads not excelled by
any other county in Oregon. 1t was
but two years ago this wintor that
the first good roads convention was
held in that county and the first
strong impetus given to the movement
for the betterment of the tracks that
for 40 years had indiffereutly done
duty as public highways.
Good roads was made an issue IN
the county campaign for tho election
last June and the Republicans placed
in their platform strong plank de-
claring in favor Of Jackson county in.
curing the necessary expense to build
macadamized roads. The candidates
for judge and commissioner were
chosen with special reference to the
fact that both were practical and
earnest advocates of good roads and
at tho ensuing election, botn were
elected. The hold.oVer commissioner
being strong good roads supporter,
gave full board of good roads men,
and jackson county now has in Judge
Geo. W. Dunn and Commissioners
Joshua Patterson and George Brown,
county court that can be depended
upon to undertake the problem sue
cessfully of constructing roads that
will be permanent and not source
of constant expense for repairs as has
peen the county's experience under
tho old system.
And the problem will also be
undertaken by the new board, of got
ting greater amount Of road work
for given expenditure than was pos
sible under former methods, and to
that end new system ofcarrying on
the work has practically beeu agreed
upon by the members of the board.
Il is proposed to dispense with tho
supervisors and consolidate the dis
tricts from 40 to about eight or ~,
with foreman for each. The fore
man and the men under them will be
hired for the seasons work and paid
by the day and If found not doing a
full days work, they will be paid of
aud others hired. This is the plan Of
carrying on road work in Multnomah,
Marion and othor Oregon counties
that are building modern roads.
The county court is considering the
adyisability of placing all the road
work under tho supervision OF an
engineer that it may bo done under
a systematic plan.
The Jackson county now has a com.
plete road equipment consisting of
a 1917 ton steam road roller, a
sprinkler wagon, "A rock orusher and a
number of road graders. The steam
road roller Is one Of tho latest i'm.
proved and was purchased this fall.
In addition to being road roller so
heavy that it will roll road 80 hard
that u wagon will not rat II, It is a
powerful traction engine and has a
side diawbar thpt enables IL to pull a
plow or grader BY throwing q clutch
It becomes stationary engine with
ample power for operating q large
rock crushot. When tho plant il to
be moved to a new location, the steam
roller is able to haul the orushor,
water wagon and mess wagon with
case over any ordinary road a
sprinkler wagon is part Of tho plant
for dry roadbed can not be packed,
and must be thoroughly wet to enable
good work to bo done.
one crow undor competent fore
man will operate tho orusher, rolloi
aud rock wagons and moss wagon
and camp outfit will be provided fol
their use, 30 that the men and team
will be at homo wherever their worl
may take them.
with such complete road build
ing equipment, aud TO DO operato'
under competent management. Jack
son county will mako fine progress II
b building good roads aud thereby brinl
greater prosperity TO its citizens am
7 attract farmera and fuypgtora a
: means, who will bo led to invest an,
! thus add to the taxable wealth Of th