Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-07-15
WISHKAH ROAD
IMPROVEMENT
Opportunity Is Presented to
Make This Road a First
Class Highway
CITY MUST LEND ITS AID
Importance Of This Improve
ment to Aberdeen Cannot
Be Overestimated

1t behooves Aberdeen to cooperate
with the board of county commission
ers in the improvement of the road
leading up the Wishkah valley. Com
missioner Locke desires to expend tho
$4,000 of the state permanent high
way fund that Is available for his
district upon this road, in making 1t
a permanent highway, and that de-
sire should be heartily supported by
Aberdeen as well as the settlers who
use this road.
While this state money is available
the road upon which it is to be used
must conform to the specifications Of
the state highway commissioner be-
fore it can be obtained. The speci-
fications require a grade not exceed
ing 5 per cent, call for permanent
drains and other requirements which
the county commissioners are now
making an effort to secure, and In
the course of which they are meeting
with obstacles, some serious and oth-
ers trivial.
A mistaken idea prevails in soma
quarters that this $4,000 may be
used to build roads, whereas It can
only be used to top surface the r0ad
after it has been built to conform
with the state specifications. In th&
case of this road, the state money
will be used to gravel the road-if
the commissioners are supported In
their effort to build it in the reQuirA
ed permanent way.
Work Has Commenced
The commissioners have began the
work by letting contract for about
| $4,000 worth of work-to be paid for
out of the road district funds. This
work consists Of Strengthening the
road, and reducing the grades to tha
required per cent, and in doing this
they are met with objections to max
ing necessary changes in the route.
Settlers along the old road protest
against any change, even while ad-
hitting the beneficial effects of the
change SO far as the general public
is concerned. Injunction suits ara
threatened, which, If brought, may de-
lay the improvement indefinitely, if
they do not result in the expenditure
of this $4,000 elsewhere.
City Must Aid
Under the law, the commissioners
may expend Is per cent of the road
and bridge taxes paid by city with
in the city limits, and Aberdeen ha9
made application for this sum to b
used in improving the road within The
city limits connecting with the Wisk-
kah valley road. This road, between
the end of B street and the water.
works, has a grade Of about II per
cent, and it is highly improbable that
the state highway commissioner win
permit the expenditure of state funds
on a road where the maximum grade
must be per cent when a grade Of
IA per cent must be overcome to
reach it. 1t is also highly improbable
that the county commissioners will
appropriate She Is per cent request
ed unless the money be used in max
ing the entrance to the city from the
Wishkah road conform to state re-
quirements, SO that the $4,000 Of
state money can be secured to make
this permanent highway.
In reducing this grade within the
city limits, either very expensive
cut must be made or the road loca-
ton changed, and it is understood
that City Engineer Kelsey is now try
ing to solve this problem. sIn this
the city council should receive the
cordial support of all interested. The
value of first class road up the
Wishkah valley to Aberdeen cannot
be over estimated. Its cost will be
saved annually to the farmers and log
gers on that river, and it will at
tract the farmers of the Hoquiam.
Humptulips and Wynooche valleys to
the Aberdeen market-along the line
of the least resistance. If built this
year, it will hasten the development
of the Wishkah valley by at least ten
years, and prove boon to the settlers
already there.
Probably Want Damages
Some Of the objections to the SLIGHT
changes in the location of the road
are purely sentimental, while others
are believed to be fostered by a hope;
Of securing damages. But, from
whatever source they emenate, the
citizens Of Aberdeen should lend eve
ry possible assistance to Commission
er Locke in securing the dement's Of
this highway.
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