Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-01-08
S INTERESTED
In THIS SECTION

Washington, will be of interest to
onr readers. There is food for
thought in it and, should anyone
desire to write Mr.. Rich, he will
undoubtedly be glad to receive the
correspondence.
Coolidge Wash, Dec. cath, 1908.
A. L. Voorhies,
Prop. Rogue River Courier,
Grants Pass. Oregon,
Dear Sir:-Two issues of your pa
per at hand for which kindly accept
thanks. The writer saw an exhibit of
the fruit from your section at Nat
tional Apple Show, Spokane, and are
now trying to get posted as to advan-
tages and facilities of your section.
This particularly as regards the
road conditions that lead to your city
from outlying districts. Since arriv-
ing from the east two years ago the
writer has been investigating the
needed improvements for lands that
are somewhat remote from market
and finds the most urgent is trans
portation facilities, above that of
team haul of three or four miles per
hour under load.
Owing to the strong demand for
eastern capital from sections that are
we'll developed and have tonnage at
hand the financial element east only
will listen to the parties representing
the most favored localities and when
a deal is made on bond basis (the es-
tablished custom) the deal is such
that not only the capital advanced is
paid back but as bonus the cream of
the profits of the transportation line
remains in the hands of the eastern
faction for all time to come.
If these lines are profitable to the
eastern element is there any reson
why the same would not apply to local
capital provided it was within reach
of such capital. Again, sparsely set
tied districts, while having just as
productive and valuable land as that
close to market, finds no attraction
in the eyes of the eastern capitalist
or settler, as the first demands ton
mage at profit before investing a
dollar and the second refuses to set
tie far from market with no transpor-
tation method outside of his wagon
equipment.
This | find applies to districts from
10 to 20 miles from a market center
of market facilities and presume you
have roads leading from every di-
rection into the interior OF your
county.
The ideaof the writer has been and
is, (who is an engineer by profess
sion) to convert the common high
way or such ortion as may be neces-
sary into a motor way for power
equipment and at the same time al
low automobile travel over the same.
This can be accomplished in prac-
tical way for about $4,000 per mile
and make the motor way of cement
top coat with macadam sub base and
which is acknowledged the only road
surface that will withstand the wear
and skidding of power vehicles.
Tests are on record where this
type of road way wears for years
with no expensive upkeep aud under
very heavy traffic.
On a motorway of above type
schedule of 20 miles per hour can
be maintained and 40 tons at each
haul. This in applying to sparsely
settled districts would fill the bill as
an outlet as the settler could get to
market 20 miles away in an hour
and return in same length of time
while with team haul of a couple of
of tons would require all day and far
into night for return if not the next
day.
Telephone and rural delivery
would follow line of this kind when
settlers enough were in the district to
Justify a modern up-to-date electric
no trouble would be had in securing
capital, and the owners OF motor way
would be in an independent position
to dictate terms, etc.
AS an advertising feature to draw
settlers do not know of a more valu-
able one than a transportation outlet
going right by the doors Of the place
where the intending settler is pro-
posing to locate.
Are there any roads or roads that
have 20 miles out good productive
land and the grade of road no. ey-
cessive. Also are there progressive
men In your territory who wouli be
IL line with a project OF this kind
after they had fully Investigated