The Arvada enterprise. (Arvada, Colo.) 1908-1970, 1913-06-12
R. B. Broad IT,,
VS.. H. H. Miller.
ARMADA ENTERPRISE:-

II. MlllcT puDIlCly tdheS lSSuc
with me on my Endorsement of
the action of our board of county
commissioners in assisting the
construction Of Lookout Noun
tain road by contributing a little
over one eighth of its cost.
1t is very likely that in my
published statement | failed to
make my arguments clear
enough to be convincing; for
from my standpoint there is but
one course for the taxpayer to
take, and that is to indorse and
approve of the action of the com
missioners.
1t is also possible that Mr..
Miller is laboring under some
misunderstanding regarding the
whole matter, which is made the
more evident when he asserts
that the Highway Commission
is or should be able to build the
road for the benefit of the whole
people" 1t is also plainly evil
dent when he makes the asser-
ton. that one half of the $50, 600
now being expended is being
grated. AS a matter of fact it
is well known that the policy of
the State Highway Commission
is to furnish but one half the
cost of road work agreed upon,
the rest being borne by the coun-
ties themselves or through con-
tributions received by them. In
the case under discussion before
the Highway Commission agreed
to furnish SIS, 600 for road work
in this county, it was insisted
upon that this fifteen thousand
dollars together with fifteen
thousand more from the countybe
used to construct the presentroad
as this road is an important link
in the great east and west road
across the state. Therefore it
was virtually the Highway Com
mission and not the County Com
missioners that selected the
Lookout Mountain route. The
County Commissioners felt I'M
able to supply their half of the
$50, 600. but the Denver Park
Commission came forward with
one half the amount, and private
subscriptions from Golden citi-
zens supplied nearly half the re-
mainder, so that for about one
eighth of its cost to the county
a permanent highway connecting
this county with Clear Creek
county and the western slope is
being built. | still maintain that
the taxpayers are getting more
than value received. | believe
the construction of this road to
be a good thing for the whole
county and of particular value to
Golden, hence am free to admit
that my interest is somewhat
personal. My total taxes and
those of the business interests !
conduct will each year, if they
remain as they have in the past,
amount to a total of one-fourth
of what the county has contribut-
ed toward this road. In addition
to my taxes | have contributed
personally to the construction
of this road, as also did to the
construction of the North-Den-
yer Boulevard. | state this not
boastfuIly, but simply to show
that the burden of the construc-
ton of the Lookout Mountain
road rests upon myself as well as
others.
My defense of the action of
the Board of county commission
ers was made without consuIta-
ton with them, and without hope
or expectation or reward, | get
little or no business from the
county itself and from the con-
struction Of this road none atall.
My own experience as county
commissioner some dozen or
more years ago convinced me
that words of approval rarely
reach the ears of a public official
even if he does his utmost to
serve the people faithfully, but
that words of condemnation
spring forth on the slightest
provocation and often when he