Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-09-10
MANY OBJECTIONS
TO THE BIG ENGINE

The public has become quite sur
red up over the proposed placing on
the road between Grants Pass ana
Loves Station of the monster ua'-
tion engine belonging TO the SWede
Basin Lumber Co. Many of the tax
PAYERS object to this machine and l's
trucks with their immense loads run
ming over the roads and bridges Tor
the reason that the great weight OF
the machine, II tons, and the addi-
tional weight OF the truck loads WILL
they think, crush culyerts and
bridges. The engine having a nine
foot tread, will not allow teams to
pass it in many places.
The Courier, in searching for in
formation regarding the contruyersT
which has arisen, called upon County
Judge Stephen Jewell, who was glad
to have an opportunity, he said, to
give any information he could on the
subject. Below will be found a COM
munication from the judge which
will undoubtedly be read with inter
est;
Editor Courier: AS inquiries
are coming to me from citizens
throughout the county concerning
the big engine proposition, | ask the
courtesy of your paper to give the
present attitude of the county court
in the matter.
"In the first place, | will say that
we recognize the equality of all in
the use of our public highways. We
believe that everone who has oc-
casion to go from one place to an
other should have the privilege OF
doing so without being held up. We
are also cognizant of the fact thai
traction engines have a legal right
under certain restrictions, to trave
along county roads the same as Other
vehicles. 1t is not question OF
what the members of the county
court may think about it, but ques
tion of what they can lawfully dC
about it, and at the same time mett
out justice to all parties concerned
Individually, | hold that tn,
primary purpose of our county road
Is to accommodate those who us,
wagons, buggies, and other like We
hicles. We are straining the tax
ing capacity of our county in orde
that our people may travel in com
fort and any monopoly of a publ
highway would certainly be unjust
Any attempt to operate an engine 0
= unusual size over our roads AM
bridges at the present time will Ger
+ tainly work a great inconvenience
to the public Our roads are no
= yet ready for that kind of trans
portation. The plea of progress an,
up-to-date methods has no bearinl
in this case whatever. The welfar
of the entire people is the first thin
to be considered.
Our present road law is a littl
defective in that it fails to regulat
the size and weight of such engine
as may be permitted to travel publ
highways. The law, however, doe
b require all vehicles to turn to tn
right of the center of the road whe
meeting other vehicles, and any pei
son injured by the violation of thi
E law can recover damages.
81 am sorry that this vexing ques
! tion has come up; but our roads
bridges, and the travelling publ
must be protected. If the partie
who own the engine can operate
without injury to the roads, bridge
and public travel, then, of cours,
there will be no objection. In othe
words, it will be the duty of thos
who own the engine to see that
does not become a public nuisance.
10 The public will understand.
i course, that there are two sides
; this question. The sawmill me-
l for the most part, are anxious to st
5 the new lumber train put on Il
l road as it will make Grants Pass
T. still greater lumber center than
u already is They think the hig'
e ways are for the use of lumber me
{ and such trains as they put on Il
i road, as well as for other peopl
Just how the controversy is to er
is hard to say at the present tim