The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-08-04
WORK STARTS ON SAND ROAD
State Commissioners Award $4,000
Contract for Three and
One-Tenth Miles
(Pocatello Tribune)

(Pocatello Tribune)
Ground will be broken on the new
Ross Fork road on August 1, accord
ing to announcement made by men,
bers of the Ross Fork road commits
sion, who held meeting in Poca-
tello yesterday and awarded con-
tract for 81 miles of the work to s.
w. Glenn, sub-contractor on the
Short Line, who will hape his entire
outfit on the ground by next Tuesday.
The commission, consisting of State
Engineer A. e. Robinson. T. R. Jones
of Blackfoot and John P. Congdon
of Pocatello, accompanied by Con-
tractor Glenn, were driven to Port
neuf siding yesterday by e. w. Puck
EFT, of the Western garage, to determ-
inc the quality of rock available at
the quarry there. They found the
material to be just what is needed;
and immediate arrangements will be
port the necessary amount of rock
to Ross Fork Specially low rates on
rock shipments between the points
named have been made by the Short
Line.
The drive from Pocatello to Port
neuf siding was made in the Western
garages big Auburn car and was
made over the new county road just
completed by Overseer T. c. Rey-
nolds. The road Is an excellent one,
and while soft on account of newness
lat this time, by next year 1t will be
one of the best highways In the
county.
The first work of Contractor Gleim
will be to grade the 81 miles of road
to be macadamized, and within thirty
days the work of binding" the road
with macadam will begin and be rush
ed to completion. The Glenn con-
tract calls for about 100000, the
amount of money appropriated by the
last session of the state legislature
to macadamize the six miles Of sand.
1t was found, when the bids were
called for, however, that this sum OF
money was entirely insufficient. The
commissioners were undecided as to
whether to macadamize as much or
the road as they could with the funds
available, or to change their specifi-
cation and build 100000 road
across the entire distance of the sandy
stretch.
A meeting of good roads enthusi-
asts was held in Pocatello on July IA,
for the purpose of discussing this
problem with the commission. Present
at the meeting we're members Of the
thely OB.rm etaoin shrdlu cmwfyp
Bannock, Bingham, Bonneville and
Fremont counties, and assurances
were given that liberal county aid
would be forthcoming to swell a fund
for macadamizing the entire sandy
stretch. Additional money will be
raised by popular subscription, that
by the time the state'st contract Is
completed by Contractor Glenn 1t Is
believed funds will be available for
awarding an additional contract OF
2.9 miles.
Mr.. Congdon, who is supervising
engineer for the Oregon Short Line,
and engineer Of the commission, says
the very best and most modern road
making practice will be followed In
constructing the Ross Fork road and
when completed the full distance will
be one of the model highways in this
part of the world. 1t will close an
almost impossible gap in the main
automobile highway through the Po-
catello gateway to Yellowstone park,
to the pleasure places Of the upper
valley of the Snake and to the great
northwest.
/ DR.. Carl Snodgrass, of this city,
president of the newly formed Ban
mock County Automobile club, and
cahirman Of committee named on
July IA to solicit funds for compile
tion of the Ross Fork road, drove to
Idaho Falls this afternoon, accompan-
led by H. e. Dove, of the Randall
Dodd Auto company of Salt Lake, to
attend a meeting in Sunnyland to-
morrow afternoon of good roads en-
thusiasts who are interested In see
ing the famous sand road made pass
: able at the earlieset date. From the
Falls. DR.. Snodgrass and Mr.. Dove
/ will drive to Big Springs in their
Buick car to determine the passability
OF an auto road to the park entrance.