The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-12-15

Bond the county for 100000 for
good roads. 1t seems to be the very
general sentiment all over the coun-
ty that it is not extravaganza to raise
all the money possible for the i'm
provement of the thoroughfares or
the county.
For the year ended June 80, 1909,
the county expended $24, 4,769.32 in
the improvement of the county roads.
Road district No. expended $S7S1.-
2s: No. 2, $11, ,O67, and No. 3, So
s24.45. These figures are shown by
the recent report of County Auditor
Godfrey. While some of the work is
lasting yet a great deal of the Work
done in this county, the same as
other counties of the state, is only
temporary. Year after year the su-
pervisor puts his crew to work on
Miller street and Wenatchee avenue
and other main thoroughfares OF
this locality and yet during a rainy
spell the roads are practically impas-
sable. Notwithstanding all of the
money expended on Wenatchee ave-
nue. from the city limits to the bridge,
yet before the freeze the road was
hub deep with mud.
This same condition exists all over
the county. The Improvements have
only been temporary and yet good
cash is being expended.
It has been suggested by the bus
mess men all over the county that
Chelan county enter into an era OF
road building along practical lines.
The county has a bonded indebted
ness of $23,513. The assessed valu-
alton is over $10,000,000. giving it
a bonding limit at 5 per cent of
100000
Supposing this county should bond
for 100000. These bonds could be
sold for not to exceed 4 y per cent
; and the interest on this amount would
be but $4,000, considerable less than
half of what was expended on taking
care of the roads of the county for
last year. The 100000, if properly
expended on making permanent high
way of the county would be of in
salcuable benefit to the county. That
some such system will be attempted
and that the good roads movement
will be one of the issues of the CON-
ing county election is a foregone con-
clusion
Chelan county is one of the rich
est counties of the state and one of
the counties having the poorest sys-
tenn of highways. Dust, chuck holes,
mud holes, poor bridges and culverts
make it almost impossible to get
over the roads during the fruit haul
ing season and results in a great deal
of damage to the fruit itself. Natur-
ally in the scheme of general i'm
provements of the county roads the
engineer should lay off the main
thoroughfare. For instance, there
should be one main highway from
Wenatchee to Leavenworth, from
Wenatchee to the southern limit Of
the county, from Wenatchee up the
Columbia river to Okanogan county
and up the various settled valleys. 1t
would be necessary for the county to
purchase rock crushers and go
thoroughly into the business of max
ing good roads and use the latest i'm
proved methods. 1t is safe to say
that such good roads enthusiasts as
Samuel Hill, Professor J. ]. Lancas-
ter and others who are devoting most
of their time to the good roads propa-
ganda would gladly come over to this
county and outline practical system
for Chelan county. 1t Is possible
that the 100000 would not be suf.
ficient to thoroughly improve all the
roads of the county, but it is safe tc
say that with the amount the main
thoroughfares would be started and
gradually in the course Of five or ten
wears every road in the county would
be a boulevard.
One day this week a resident OF
Miller street stated that he was 60
ing to attempt to get the residents
of that street to put out shade trees
establish parking strips and other
wise beautify the street, providing he
could induce the county commission
ers to put on shell rock. 1t is safe
to say that with the improvement o.
the roads of the county that the resi-
dents would take more pride in the
appearance of their homes. establish