Evening journal., 1912-06-05
WASHINGTON AND coon ROADS.

WASHINGTON AND GOOD ROADS.
N LANS for the State Of Washington spend
L s10OO0o00 to complete three trunk lines of gool
road with total length of 1000 miles nave been folmu
lated by the Washington Good Roads Association. The
proposition will be laid before Legislature it
January. Public sentiment in Of good
roads has become strong in that State that it is
thought the plans will be adopted If the Legislature
favoraby. is the purpose of the association
support bond issue for other road Improvements
The people in Washington recognize fully the value
Of trunk line such the planned by General
T. Coleman DUPONT in this State The three through
lines favored there The Sunset highway from the
Idaho State line the terminus of the Apple
Way. through Spokane Davenport, Wilbur. Wenatchee
and Snoquamie Pass to Puget Sound distance of 400
miles; Inland Empire highway, from Spokane to
Rosale thence along the most feasible routes in Whit
man. Garfield and Walla Wala counties to the city Of
WallaWalla the Columbia river at Pasco
North Yakima and benceso the junction at Ellensburg
with the Sunset highway, $50 miles, and the Pacific
highway, from Blaine through Bellingham, Everett,
Seattle, Tacoma, Olmypa, chehalis and Kalama 10
Vancouver. $50 miles. All roads will start from trade
centers the ermn Of graded roads which begin at
such 1t is the purpose establish and
to employ convict labor all State road work.
To in meeting the expense of road building the
committee will recommend that the yearly road levies
be doubled In that way the permanent highway fund
will be increased from two mills and the
public highway fund from half mill to mill yearly
II is calculated that a result more than $S000O00
will be raised. Agreement already has been reached
that fully s25000O00 will be required to carry out the
work favored by the association and that $4,000 600
expended judciousy with the present State
road organization To the end that the work proposed
shall be done properly and economically and free from
political jobbery it proposed that general supervision
of it shall be exercised by the association.
The committee recommends that FIVE per cent Of each
spent the the general fund Decision also has
been reached that the state highway fund with the
cepon per cent, be only the trunk lines
Of the main road system, and that the appropriation
by Legislature of the remaining per cent be
pended repair Of existing highways and in connect
ing disointed roads with trade centres not than
FIVE miles distant
Recommendation is made that for building under
the plan, where abuttng property pays f
teen per cent of the cost the shall be
from a half mile to and a-hal miles either side
Of the road the petitioners 10 define the width Il also
provided that instead of the assessment being all due
in payment Il be extended period of FIVE or
ten equal annual instaments Wide-tire farm vehi-
oles also will be advocated.
The association is fortunate in having the backing OF
Governor Hay One of the most prominent planks in
the platform which he will stand for reelection next
Fall is in relation good roads.
II viii be seen from the above that people in the State
Of Washington realize the great advantages that will
to them from the building of trunk line good
that its progressive citizens are willing to
spend millions get them. Nor is any howl of protest
raised when proposed seriously that property ahut-
ting on such roads and for from half mile to and
one-haf miles on each side OF them shall be assessed
30 fifteen per cent Of the expense of road building
Here in State however, when pbilanthropic citi-
zen desires spend approximately 100000 Of his
private fortune building great trunk road as gift
to the people there those who shor-sighted
selfish to desire to play small politics with the
proposed gift and prevent its acceptance II is time
for those Delawareans who desire their State to get
abreast Of the age combine and overcome the advo
dirt mud and dust who arc seeking to prevent
the building the DUPONT Boulevard, which will add
so greatly the wealth comfort and pleasure of our
people