The daily tribune., 1907-07-18
THE ROAD PROBLEM
IN FREMONT COUNTY

Much has been said and written
concerning good roads in Fremont
county and many words of criti-
cism or commentator of the road
builders-that little more light
upon the subject might be of inter-
est. We believe that the commits
sioners are doing all in their power
to keep our roads in good shape
and were every man familiar with
the true status of things far less
would be said in criticism and few
er kicks registered.
1t is very natural that one sec
ton of the county should feel on
the least pretext that another sec
ton is more favored than the 9TH
er. But let us look into the matter
and see what is revealed. We are
informed that there are at present
something like 800 miles of wagon
roads in Fremont county and that
there are thirteen road districts
with as many road overseers to look
after the work of road grading,
bridge building, etc, that may
come up in the way of road i'm
provements. Our road appropria-
tion is four mills which brings a
sum of about $4,000 per annum
for road Improvements. This di-
vided among the thirteen districts
would give a sum of near $1,000 a
year for each district, but we pre-
sumo rs the amount of taxable
property is not 30 great in some
districts and the amount of travel
not being 80 great in some portions
Of the county as in others that the
amount raised by the four mills
levy is not equally divided each
year. Then in some sections more
work is required to keep the roads
in good repair since the nature of
the country through which they
are built makes some require more
work than the roads through other
parts of the county.
Then the various bridges in the
county must be kept in good re-
pair and we are really surprised at
the amount of work that is done
when we consider the extent of ter
ritory that is covered. One new
feature of the bridge problem,
while it will of necessity be expen-
sive to put in bridges with the ma
terial,is the concrete or steel struc-
ture which is now being used in
place of wood to large extent.
Once they are made future repairs
are few and in the long run big
saving will be made for the county.
The settlement of the territory
proposed by the Beaver Land and
Water company will mean the
building of some new roads by the
county and it will also include new
bridges. The selection of site
for the new county bridge across
the Arkansas river below Portland
is the first step toward new road
work. This bridge is necessitated
by the erection of the new cement
plant of the United States Port
land Cement company and the new
irrigation project 1t will also ac-
commodate the Portland Cement
company ut Portland, for they
have some land across the river.
The state has made an appropria-
ticn of $4,000 toward the bridge
and the county is to put up the
rest Of the money necessary for its
construction.
While much OF the work OF road
building is done by the convicts Of
the state penitentiary it is not
without some cost TO the county.
When the full limit Of the appro-
priation for road and bridge work
is used up there is nothing 10 do
but TO stop-it takes money TO make
the mare go.
There are many more perplexing
features Of road.building and road.
maintaining that might be recited