The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-09-30
County Cannot Get
State Aid For Roads

There has been quite demand
for extra copies Of the Islander Of
the 10th inst. containing the map of
Orcas island and accompanying arti-
Gle about proposed grand scenic
highway from Doe Bay to Deer
Harbor, over Mt. Constitution. The
Islander was careful to credit the
article to the Bellingham American
Reveille, in which it first appeared
on the preceding Sunday, and to call
attention to the fact that it was ap-
parently based upon an interview
with Mr.. Samuel C. Lancaster, a
pominent expert on good roads, who
had been guest of Mr.. Robert
Moran at Rosario during the sum-
mer, and at the time of the publica-
tion of the article was reported to
be at the national capital ito lay
the project before the government.
The Islander had learend some
weeks before that such a project
was being talked of and the report
was then current that Mr.. Moran
would undertake to finance it and
that it might be made toll road.
This seemed so improbable that this
paper made no mention Of the mat
ter until after the article which we
republished first appeared. There
does not appear to have been at any
time any foundation in fact for the
report that Mr.. Moran would un-
dertake to provide funds for such a
project, although it was known that
he was interested in it as a citizen
and believed for time that a por-l
tion of the funds required might be
secured for it under the state aid
road laws. In fact he wrote to the
County Commissioners some time
ago concerning the matter and said
that he thought state aid might be
secured, but he received no reply to
his letter. He is said to have since
discovered that the state constitu-'
tion prohibits the state from ex-s
tending aid in the construction Of
roads unless such roads connect at,
least two counties. AS this county
cannot be connected with any other
county in that manner, it is obvious
that no state aid can be expected for
that road, or any other in this coun-
ty. The Islander makes this state
ment because it does not wish to be
the caues Of any misunderstanding
in the minds of the people of this
county as to Mr.. Moran's position
in the matter.
That the proposed road would be
Of great value to this county hardly
admits of question and if the gov
ernment can be induced to construct
it we may well "rejoice and be ex-
ceeding glad" 1t would seem,
however, that as a preliminary to
such action on the part of the gov
ernment, it would first be necessary
to make Mt. Constitution national
park or its summit a military re-
serve and site for a modern fortress
commanding the water approaches
to Bellingham, in which case fine
highway over the mountain would
be necessity for the transportation
of artillery and supplies.
Congressman Humphrey has been
quite successful in extracting money
from Uncle Sam for projects of
more or less merit demanded by his
clamorous contestants and as hesis
to be here next week 1t might be
good idea to mention this little
matter to him. There is no doubt
that he feel very grateful to the
people Of this county for the loyal
support they gave him at the recent
primary election and that he will
cheerfully do all he can do to pro-
mote any worthy project in their
interests.