The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-06-11
BENSON MAKES
ROADGUARANTEE
$4,000 WILL FINISH THE WORK
In Case Hood River County Cannot See
Way 10 Build Road, Alternate Routes
Are Selected

A naturalization Of the Columbia
river highway through Hood River
county seemed last Thursday nearer to
the point of realization than at any
time since the road was proposed. 5.
Benson, of Portland, whose donation of
$40, 600 toward cutting the highway
around Shell Rock mountain in the
western end of the county stimulated
the first real interest in the road two
yeas ago, left the city Thursday after
a conferenhce with the county court
and representative citizens. MIR. Ben
son has made the county and the citi-
zens a magnanmous offer that cannot
reasonably be turned down. Il have
guaranteed them" said Mr.. Benson,
that il the SIS, 600 bond issue is car
ried, the road will be CONSTRUCTED
through the county, not mere passa-
bic trail hut a "a foot graded highway
at no place to exceed a grade of five
per cent and in full conformity with
the survey made by the state engineer.
have further guaranteed that the
S., 600 expended by Hood River county
in this survey will be refunded by the
state.
Citizens who have heard Of MIR. Ben
sons offer have been aroused to re-
newed enthusiasm over the highway.
Plans are being inaugurated for petit
tion to the county court, which will call
bond election.
Sentiment on the proposed highway
has been divided in the county. An
element of country residents have op-
posed the expenditures Of money on the
Columbia highway until local valley
roads were improved. Many of these
will still oppose the bonds on this is
sue. However, large percentage of
the citizens of the valley have eX-
pressed themselves as against the rails
ing of a $75, 900 issue of bonds on the
ground that it would not complete the
proposed improvement of opening the
highway in the county,. They have
contended that the money would be
spent and the county still be isolated.
The offer of MIR. Benson puts new
phase on the situation, and it is thought
that the proposed bond election will
carry.
If the voters of Hood River county
should decide not to vote in favor of q
bond issue, it would not result in stop
ping the construction of the highway,
according to the Portland journal. AL
ternative routes can be secured by
putting on ferry service at Cascade
Locks and at Riggs. At these points
crossing could be made to the Wash
intgOn shore, or a steamer and barge
service could be established between
Mosier and Shell mountain, a distance
of u miles. This will give a good road
from Portland to The Dalles and elm
mate Hood River valley.
The people of Skamania and Klicki-
tat counties, on the Washington side,
realize the Importance of the highway
and are anxious to have it routed that
way. The Washington state highway
commission has made an appropriation
of $50, 600 to improve the road between
Stevenson and Lyle. From Lyle to
Maryhill there is good road by way
of Goldendale.
Judge Stanton says taht he received
the first of the week a formal offer OF
the guarantee from Mr.. Benson. Mr..
| Stanton alleges that a story in the Tel
| egtdlH Ol last WSeh lHlhIepTeheHtSu mn
as saying that the bond issue wouc
practically carry, because Of the Ben
son guarantee.
81 did say to MIR. Benson that il
would strengthen bond issue. " says
MIR. Stanton. "But think there viii
still be strenuous opposition to such al
issue"
Judge Stanton states that the cour
will assume neutral attitude and car
ry out the action the people may see Fl
to decide upon,