The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-02-12
CITIZENS SCAR !,
BY ROAD Nj. vs.
NEW COLUMBIA ROUTE RUM I'd
Commercial Club Members Discuss ,e
Proposed Switching Of the Highws
Up the Washington Bank

The February meeting of the Com
merclal club brought out good at
tendance on Monday night. The reports
of the various committees indicated
much progress in all branches of the
clubs work and willingness on the
part OF the members of the committees
TO get IN ana hustle for the general
good Of the community.
The real sensation of the evening
was sprung by W. l.. Clark, chairman
of the committee on.roads. Last fall
we received direct hint from some of
the wealthy good roads enthusiasts of
MultnOmah county that if we went
ahead and did our reasonable si..ae in
opening up the Columbia river high
way, they would come along and do the
rest. knowing the nature of the gen.
tlemen who made this offer, | safely
consider IT a promise, the value Of
which is little realized by Hood River
people. The survey has been COM
pleted as far as the city limits of Hood
River and there it has been sto pped.
ASIDE from that not move has been
made towards considering plans to
open up the road. In Portland the be-
lief is becoming prevalent that SO far
as Hood River is concerned, the CO.
iumbia river high~sy is dead. The
cartoon in this mornings 0regonisn
shows in what light Portland looss
upon us.
This morning received authentic
information that was positively start
ling. The Columbia river highway is
going to stop OF the Nultnomsh county
line, unless we do something, and do it
quickly. The Portland people claim
that up to that point they will have
secured most of the scenic beauties of
the trip. A ferry service will be in
stalled across the river at that point
ana the balance of the journey into
eastern Oregon and Washington will be
completed up the Washington side of
the river. That this is no idle dream
Is shown by the activity that is going
on right now on the Washington side,
of which we have scarcely heard a
word. The county of Skamania, across
she river, has Just authorised an ex-
psnditure OF S75, 0@ TO compslte link
of this Washington highway. leadina
into Stevenson. Captain Treiber has
Just informed nae OF this fact. | din't
know of it tmfore, but it beers out she
information | received from Portland
this morning.
Now let US tahe q Jump ap 10 ths
eastern end of the line. Govenpos w est
and the Emergency Board, which is
also the State Highway Commission,
have just asthsrized the speHsiihg of
S32, 900 on six mile stretch of read
from Nasco to Biggs. The reaseR fsr
creating this emergency fund was te
give work TO the unemployed. But
why take the unemployed to that little
stretch of road up there at Biggs, when
she money could have basn spent more
DeareF Portland? brom
man up tree, this looks like the
answer. Across the river from Biges
is haryhill. From Maryhll west
stretches the famoaa& Sam Hill reed,
which is considered one of the finest
pieces of road in ths United States.
That road was built by Bowlby, the.
present highway engineer of 0re@ea.
Bowlby suggested the building of the
six miles of road from W asee togIsigas.
Fron Bigss there is ferry to MaFy-
hill. with the completion of that sis
miles of road the farmers of Sherman,
Wheeler, Morrow and Grant couHtiss
can ferry across from Biggs to Mary
hill, 60 down the Mashingten SIDE
through Stevenson TO Vancouver and
cross into Portland over the nav Port
land Vancouver bridge. Or from Stev-
enson they can ferry sgross anasge into
Porsland over tins Csllbmia river high-
way. 1t is evident that they are pre-
pairing to .show US that Hood River is
by no means necessary to the success
of the Columbia river higwhay.
"Unless We get busy right away we
are certain to forfeit any chance of as
sistance from the Portland people, ard
it will be long tins before we can
exect state aid, If ever"
Capt. Otis Treiber, of Underwood, a
member of the club, corroborated Mr..
Clark S stateAent concerning the road
activity along the Washington side of
the river. 1.-The state of Washington
has authorized an expenditure of ST.
600, 600 for roads. a large proportion of
which is to be spent on the river road.
In addition each of the river counties
has set asida large sums to go on this
road. With Sam Hill behind the pro-
jsct you can rest assured we are going
to nave fine high8ey across the river.
A lafge portion of this road is already
completed, and yet so quietly has the
gorb been going on that but few real
ise what he's already been accom-
plished."
d. Mcdonald followed with brief
description of the road frem Biggs to
Wacso. 81 know every foot of that
rood, said Mr.. Mcdonald, land when
saw the announcement that the state
was going to build that stretch, |
thought there was a 'nigger in the
woodpile' somewhere, and think you
have found him. The sand problem at
the lower end ofothat road is the worst
there is anywhere along the river and
| could see no possible reason for the
state building that remote piece, but
from Mr.. Clark S remarks, j am firmly
convinced there is some big project
behind it, and that it is the road down
the Washington side of the river.
From Biggs it is but short ride 10 the
Decshutes and Wasco county has Just
money to build a fine
bridge across the Deschutes, which
will connect Biggs with the road up
the Deschutes canyon, which is con-
ceded by all to be the best route into
California. Sam Hill has always advo-
Gated this route as the only feasible
one to California. Unless we get busy
there is the greatest possibility that
the California traffic will be diverted
to Briggs and cross over and 60 down
the Washington side. This some
traffic when you consider that 100
California automobiles registered at
The Dalles last year. When | consider