Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-01-14


system TO donate to road work for
the past ten years. But his district
had now voted a special road tax.
The districts that built good roads
had increased in value so to 100 per
cent. The loss in the long hall over
a bad road was incalculable, to say
nothing Of the better conditions Of
home life He wanted TO see a good
macadam road from Aurora to JEFF
ferson. Establish a system and let
us have an annual tax for good roads.
F. G. Deckaback said if the people
of the cities we're willing to pay this
three mill tax the people of the
country should not object.
Mr. Graham said he was a newcomer
and had travelled a great deal He
had never kicked on being assessed
for a public improvement Adopt a
policy not a project, In looking over
territory to take people into we never
took them over bad road. We looked
for the best roads We must build a
few main highways well.
Geo. Swegle talked for a liberal
levy for roads Half of the districts
had levied three to five mills each.
All were willing to be taxed II they
got value received.
Col. Hofer said II levy was mada
and four or five permanent roads
started only one or two should start
from Salem. All should not start
from Salem Start one from Jeffer-
son, one from stayton, one from Sill
yerton, one from Aurora. That
would be more fair.
Geo. C, VIII said not taxpayer
would lose a cent on taxes paid for
building permanent roads. For every
dollar he paid he would get back ten
dollars. He would pay all that was
reasonable and do It cheerfully,
Geo. II. Rodgers made the point that
the State Highway bill would pass
and the county would lose it's share
of that sum, The Board of Trade had
met recently with the heads of four
great state institutions who were
willing to do all the work IL the
county court would furnish the ma
ohinery to crush the rock to build a
fine boulevard connecting those in
stitutlons.
Mr., East Of the Salem State Bank
& Trust Company spoke for good
roads, He was here seven years ago
and the town and the country was not
inviting Last year he came again
and found things different He found
pavements and good roads. 1t was
development that attracted people.
Judge Bushey believed the time had
arrived for some permanent highways,
He thought the abutting property that
was most benefited should pay its
ratable snare-more than the mere
tax He favored dividing the county
into some large districts and then
giving each district its share to ex-
peAd on the main roads In that dis
trict. The problem was to get ma
terlals and labor to build the roads.
The court had encouraged local
districts to make special levles But
about half the districts would not
vote special tax, Some districts
built rock roads and still levied their
special taxes. lie was coming to op-
pose special levies and believed the
county court must make the levy
He had not encouraged any special
leyles this year If the people got
good roads they did not mind the tax
Yamhill was leyying six mills this
year. and Polk county four mills. The
problem was to get material The
county could be divided into districts
aud start work in each district
Clackamas has made road levy OF
eight mills He was not enthusiastic
about state highway system. A
good county system was much bet.
ter In his opinion. II the state woulC
establish rock crushing plant lr
this county that would expedite tn,
matter, He was in hopes they woulC
and they ought 10 be ready for that
He had made up his mind that tn,
people wanted better roads. 1t wa,
necessary 20 adopt system som,
time. II should be started right ant
much would depend on installing tn,
system We must not start with to,
much style or a great expense scat
tered over too much territory, I'm
less the people were back Of IL, al
they were In other counties, II,
would not advise three mill tax. Al
hundred thousand dollars wisely ex
pended would not be too much, No
all who talked good roads lost none,
by IT, They were mono the poorer fol
It.
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