Semi-weekly herald. [volume] (Durango, Colo.) 1907-1917, 1910-07-11
GOOD ROADS SLOGAN
OF SlLvERToN AND DURANGO


coming down on the evening train
changed plans somewhat and meet
ing with the state highway commits.
sion was held Thursday at the court
house attended by the members of the
commission as outlined In yesterdays
paper, the board of county commits.
sioners of La Plata county, Louie Wey-
man, representing the board of com.
missioners of San Juan, along with
Otto Mears, w. n. Searcy. president
of the Silverton Commercial club, DR.
Fox. Ben Allen, Dave Cunningham.
Guy Emerson, Bert Brown and others
OF Silverton, with fifteen or twenty
Durangoites, including President Blu
chanan of the board of trade.
The meeting was called to order by
Chairman Conrad Riester who was
followed by Thomas IL. Tulley of the
highway commission who explained the
law and conditions imposed He said
he was the only member of the com.
mission on the western slope and
would like to help the western portion
of the state. He said a plat of all
roads in the county showing side lines
must be filed and the county must
have title of the road upon which state
money was expended: that the money
Auus Is tNDtHutu by tnt
commission and road designated upon
which work is done. that by this plan
better results were obtained. Mr.. Tul-
ley said abont so per cent of the roads
in this state had to be- rebuilt every
Year; that in many places Colorado
highways were forty feet wide where
as in the east only sixteen feet and
in Switzerland twelve feet Tourists
spent $40 1000 900 year in Switzerland
and in ten years Colorado would re-
ceive 500, 100000 year from tourists
ii proper attention is given our roads,
thus great benefits accruing to every
one.
Mr.. Searcy followed with pertinent
remarks about the relationship that
should prevail between the counties of
La Plata and San Juan, that the peo.
pie should pull together. all of which
| is sound logic. MIR. Searcy referred
to the state road built some years
ago, that 1t was not built where San
Juan county wanted it but was pushed
| through by the state engineer with
| two-thirds of the money appropriated
going for engineering expenses ana
consequently San Juan county had moi
kept the road up. 1t would cost oriy
small amount to change the grades and
then in the future San Juan county
would see to 1t that the road was kept
| in repair
Otto Mears talked at length upon
road building and the benefits of good
| roads. He reviewed his experience
in road building and what good roads
meant TO every community and with
a state highway through Durango, Sill
yerton and Ouray il would afford the
most wonderful scenery in the world
that he had been in Switzerland and
other countries and there is nothing
to compare with the scenic wagon road
between Silyerton and Ouray He said
| the taxpayers of San Juan county
We're II unit for the highway and the
commissioners were ready 10 com
ply with the requirements at any time
Representing the commissioners of
San Juan county Mr.. Weyman corrob
borated Mr.. Mears. He said Durango
and Silverton should he together in
boosting as our interests were closely
identified.
Among other speakers were Messrs
Wingate, Edgar Buchanan, Blair Bur
well and Commissioner Riester A
resolution by Blair Burwell that the
state highway should be via Durango
Silverton and Ouray carried unani
mously.
Mr.. Buchanan suggested that the
starting point be at Cortez at this time
and a good road be built from Monte
yuma county to Durango and on to
Grand Junction via Silverton and Ou-
ray. Mr.. Tulley said that the commits
sioners could declare Il state highway
between Durango and Cortez or the
state line of Utah. He said as soon
MS the commissioners returned to Den
yer plats will be filed and the state
ready to act in thirty days, or as soon
as the commissioners OF the Interested
counties request.
II was pleasing to note the interest
taken. AS spokesman Chairman Ries.
ter said the commissioners of La Plata
county were heartily III favor of good
roads and the only question was pro.
viding the money this year. Mr.. Wey.
man told what San Juan county was
going to do and he thought La Plata
could follow along the same lines.
promising to let the local commission.
ers in on the secret before he re.
turned home.
President Buchanan extended an in.
Vitation TO the highway commissioners
the county commissioners and the Sill.
verton delegation to participate in an
automobile ride over the county and
especially over the proposed line via
lockwood. The invitation was ac.
cepted by the state commissioners and
several of the Silyerton delegation