Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1912-09-27

to confer with the chairman OF the
board. asking that roads be opened
up again that were closed by the own
ers Of the railroad lands. 1t was all
extraordinary occasion and the chair
man assured the writer that RELIEF
would be granted. The supervisor
went to work with All Anticipated
scraper and MI old pillow to build roads
and bridges, and up to date the COM
missioners have allowed his bills,
and the work, owing to the old styled
machines provided with which to 90
it, is about half done. He took it up
ON himself to purchase two other
scrapers, the only things to be Sc
cured quickly, but they proved en-
tirely Inadequate to do good work
and do it cleaplv. That is why we
have used over 81. 600 OH roads in this
district this year. Ii it had not been
for the extraordinary occasion we
would have received the 500 origin
ally allowed.
The comparison of expenditures of
the Republican in the two road dis
tricts would be an able argument that
we were getting the whole loaf ii con-
ditiOns in the two districts were alike.
The White Sulphur Springs district
has been organized for forty years.
and it has undoubtedly been receiv-
ing contributions from the road fund
each year OF about the amount stated
in the comparison quoted above. or
about 100000 The Judith Gap dis
trict is something like three years
old. The settlers who cam. here four
years ago found nothing but trails
leading pl omiscousIy over the prairie-
the evident aim Of the makers Of the
trails being to reach their destination
over y country that offered the least
resistance to travel, distance not be-
ing taken into consideration. Set
tiers poured into the country by the
hundreds and hOmesteaded this prai-
RE lands and built fences around
their claims. The necessity ilnmed-
lately arose to lay out roads along
section lines. In Il rolling country
like this. the establishing OF these
lines meant a lot Of road grading and
the building Of bridges. Under the
circumstances it would have been
vastly cheaper and eminently more
satisfactory If the commissioners had
provided modern grading machines,
and up to date bridge building outfits
with which to do this work, or to let
the work out by contract to grading
contractors to the lowest bidder. Ii
this policy had been pursued, we
would now have roads leading into
Judith Gap from all directions that
would be models Of convenience, and
which could be kept III repair from
year to year tor about 800 per an
| mum. As il is we have spent several
thousand dollars on these roads by
antiuuated methods and we have very
little to show for it.
The taxpayers in this end OF the
county do not object to the west end
building $1,000 roads to obscure sheep
camps provided they are given enough
to build roads and bridges sadly need
ed in this end OF the county. They
do not object to IL few dollars extra
taxes each year ii they can get re-
suits III the way OF good roads. But
they have lost their patience III hay-
ing to scrap each year for an appro-
priation with which to do this work
and after getting 1t find that the old
fashioned methods of doing the work
eat up the appropriation and the
work accomplished TO be very I'LL.
satisfactory.
We simply must have good roads
leading from these productive farms
to il good market or we will have to
90 out of business. When it costs
the farmer from to 10 cents u bush.
el to haul his products to market Ov.
er miserable roads it soon eats up al
his profits, besides wearing out his
horses, and he feels like sacrificing
his holdings and getting ont.
Every appeal made for money ant
modern machinery with which tt
make roads in this end Of the count,
ia met with the same speciOus sOphis
! try as quoted from the Republican
Instead OF giving us what is our jus
due. we have to beg for it. lnsteat
Of lending us a helping hand and ev
cry encouragement to stick and worl
for a bigger and better county. W
are treated like interlopers who hav
not any business coming here AIN
disturbing the sweet serenity OF thei
hum drum life. \ foreign powe
could not treat territorial depend
ency more shabbily. and inasm"c
IA we will pay more taxes in this en'