Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1911-10-06
TAXPAYER FAVORS
AUTO TRUCK ROAD.
MOST FEASIBLE RELIEF STEP
TAKEN BY COUNTY.
WOULD HASTEN RAILROAD
Cut Freight Rates and Give Interior
nm Outlet to the Coast.

John T. Flynn, harbor engineer
OF San Francisco and owner OF lands
In the vicinity Of Grants Pass d In
the city. arriving Sunday night, and
strongly advocates the building OF
an auto truck road to the Del Norte
line, the same to be paid for by q
bond issue,
Mr. Flynn, as a result OF his tech
nical knowledge Of. oil engineering
works, is one who can speak with
authority on the subie~t sad one
who, as taxpayer here, has a right
to speak:
Referring to the proposed auto
freight service to the coast, advocat-
ed by The Courier and supported by
w. ]. Winner and John A. Dale In
the columns OF this paper, Mr..
Flynn said:
IL regard the proposed auto
freight movement as the most prac-
tical and feasible ever taken for the
relief OF the producers and consum-
ers OF Josephine county. There has
been no public expenditure ever
made or contemplated which means
SO much to the people Of this great
undcveloped section. as the propos-
ed auto road to the coast.
with a road extending from
Merlin to Grants Pass. and others
up the Applegate and Williams
creek valley, the whole connecting
with the main trunk road to the
state line, Josephine and Jackson
counties will experience a degree OF
development and prosperity never
before known In the history of the
country.
Good Investment.
"The probable length OF the main
trunk and branch roads, connecting
with the Jackson county system, will
be about 150 miles As o good por-
tion OF the preliminary work IA al
ready covered by the old roads, the
cost OF Improvement and macadam-
izing would not exceed $4,000 per
mile, or a total Of about 5000 900.
The interest upon the bonds would
amount TO $4,000 per annum. II
issued on twenty year basis, the
sinking fund for redemption would
amount to $4,000 per year or to-
tai Of s27 900, with the debt entire
ly discharged In 20 year. The cost
Of keeping the road in repair, II
properly constructed, would not ex-
coed. even II maintained under the
present road tax law, tho sum Of
800 per mile per year, or a total
Of $4,000. This would make q
grand total OF $4,000 perNyear for
the period OF twenty years covering
the lifetime Of the bonds, the TAX
thereafter being simply the cost OF
repair.
Money Saved ON Freight.
"As result OF this road system,
freight could be shipped 10 and from
Portland and San Francisco, to
Grants Pass, via Crescent City. for
sum not TO exceed $3.50 per ton,
as against present average rate by
railroad OF about i25 per ton. Az
sumlng that the present rail ship
ments for the territory mentioned,
amount TO only 10000 tons per
year. and the actual figures would
probably be $4,000 tons, the saving
TO the producers and consumers
would amount TO $4,000 per year.
or a sum equal TO three times the
fixed annual cost Of the road system.
And this does not take Into oonsid-
Grafton the all important interstate
tourist travel, the increased land
yalueg, or the Increasing settlement
which Ia certain 10 follow.
California WIN Help.
II have discussed your proposed
auto freight service with several Of
tho leading merchants and the big
commercial bodies OF San Francisco.
and they have promised not only to
provide an ample steamship service
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