The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-04-15
I. A. FISHERS TRIP
OF INSPECTION
HE MADE THE TRIP WITH
PRESIDENT LEWIS RUSSELL
OF THE PORTLAND AUTO
MOBILE CLUB.

interest, Especially to automobilist
and good road enthusiasts general,
which was considered at Monda
nights very largely attended meet
ing of the Chamber of Commerce
was the special report OF Chairman
r. A. Fisher Of the Roads and High
ways Committee Of the Chamber OF
the trip of inspection he made from
St. Helens to Mist over the proposed
Portland and Astoria automobile
route.
He made this trip with President
Lewis Russell Of the Portland Auto
mobile Club and his report throws
more light upon the subject than has
yet been possible. Mr.. Russell will
be in Astoria in few days and it
now seems more than likely some
automobile enthusiast will be able to
secure more or less reputation for
himself during the month of July or
August by driving his machine all the
way from Seaside to Portland.
Mr.. Fishers report, however,
speaks for itself. 1t is as follows:
II have to report that in company
with President Lewis Russell of the
Portland Automobile Club | made a
trip Of inspection over that portion
of the proposed Portland and Astor-
ia automobile road lying in Colum-
bia County from St. Helens to Mist,
a distance of 80 miles.
"On Wednesday night, April 9Th,
/ met Mr.. Russell in St. Helens BY
appointment and on Thursday morn
ing at 8:45 we left Houlton for Yank-
ton in small rig, finding three and
one-half miles of the road for this
distance fairly good. 1t took us an
hour to drive from Houlton to Yank-
ton, and at the latter place we learned
that had we taken the road at Warren
for Yankton we could have cut off !
about FIVE miles of the distance.
From Yankton we went to Pitts
burg, which is l6 IL miles distant,
arriving there at 5 o'clock P. NJ. |
For this entire distance the grade is
very good not exceeding 20 per cent
and some parts of this stretch is
graveled while others are dirt and
puncheon. On the whole excepting
a few places the road between these !
two towns is not bad by any means. !
OF course, the puncheon road is the
worst that can be put in for auto
Leaving Pittsburg we took the
road to the left leading to VERONA,
FIVE miles distance and we continued
to find a good grade with the road
in about the same condition as it had
been between Yankton and Pittsburg.
We arrived at VERONA shortly after
o'clock in the evening, where we
stayed all night and made arrange.
ments to have our rig taken back
to Houlton by the mail carrier
1--WE learned at VERONA that there
was a road already opened to Keasey
which was 10 miles farther but from
Keasey to Jewell about Y miles dis
.ant, the road has not yet been laid
out A good grade can be had via
Keasey to Jewell and the distance
-educed about Is miles by taking that
quite This would mean that Colum-
oia County would have to build about
en- miles Of the road and Clatsop
County about five miles, but after this
lad been done there will be almost
straight road from Portland to
astoria.
1--WE left Verona Friday morning
t 7:30 o'clock with a two-horse team
nd d driver and returned by way of
to Mist, Mist being II
niles distant from Pittsburg. This ,
/ miles was the worst road we had ,
et found on the whole route. It !
eads down the east bank Of the Ne
alem River through some green tim
er and bottom land where every
title road work has been done. We
id find a good stretch Of gravel road 6
n splendid conditions in this II miles
owever, and there is plenty OF ma /,
erial right at hand to make this en-
ire II miles from Pittsburg to Mist .
rst class. We arrived at Mist at
2 o'clock where we left the team and I
river. From Mist we walked to
I1atskanie, nine miles, having come J.,
0 miles from Houlton.
"I would not venture to make an
stimate Of the probable cost of put
ing this road into good condition for
automobiles but will leave this to Mr..
russell. / am satisfied an automo- 8
,ile could make this trip over the en- '