American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1914-01-08

In discussing the question of the
bond issue Commissioner Andrew
May. chairman of the board, while
i'm the city Saturday, statOd that be-
fore calling the special election the
commissioners had gone over the
situation pretty thoroughly and each
member had been convinced that
the only way i'm which the road
work actually necessary could be ac-
oomplished within anything like
reasonable time was by the &C
quiring of funds through the issu-
ance OF bonds, and that up to this
time he has found no good reason
for changing his views on the sub
ject.
"Of course said MIR. May. I'VE
expected that there would be opposi-
tion to the bond question: and we
were prepared for nearly amy kind
OF story i'm connection with the
proposition that the widest flights
of fancy could picture. but We did
not and do not expect amy sane,
thinking voter of Power county to
believe some of the stories that
are being circulated. For instance,
DIT is being said that we intend to
build and automobile road around
American Falls for the benefit OF
the few joy riders in the city. Such
am absurd thing cannot be seriously
considered by anyone. l am farm
er. as are my colleagues. We are
not interested i'm automobile roads.
What we want is a system of high
ways that will enable us and all
the farmers of the county to market
their crops without regard to
weather conditions and it is our
purpose to build roads into all sec
tipns Of the county that will bring
about this very desirable result.
'As to the location of the high
ways which it is proposed to build,
lit has been understood from the
very first time that we talked oven
the matter. that there should be a
good, serviceable road from the
county boundary lime south Cd
Landing to American Falls theI
across the river the selected route
goes west to the Drake corner
thence a half mile north. From
this point two are TO be built; one
continuing north to the Blaine
county lime and one west to tht
Bingham county line.
From American Falls north tbs
road will be so located as IL
serve the greatest number of peo
pie. and the same will be the cas-
in the Bannock valley
From the inoerviews given b,
business men OF American Fall
in last weeks issue of the Press
see that there is one very import
ant phase of this question that
being entirely overlooked-the sta
highway which it is proposed t
build through the county. Tha
alone will be of inestimable valu
to a great many people of thi
county and the county's proportio
of the expense will not be nor
than about one-half of the cost
the road. The state highway con
mission bears the expense of all tn
preliminary work. the surveying
laying out and making plans an
specifications and then the count
comes in for twO-thirds of tn
actual expense of constructor
When that highway is complete
1T will be maintained forever at tn
expense of the state. And it shoul
he rememb bered that the expense (
maintaining that much road eve
df 1t is good road, is not a sma
item by any means.
~Another matter i'm connectic
of bonding for the constructic
OF roads at this time, which l CO..
ssder strong argument in favor
such move, is that the burden
expense will fan upon a proper
valuation vastly greater than v
have at the present time. Eve
year from now ON the proper
valuation of this county will
greatly increased by reason of d
more rapid Development and all
by reason of the rapidly increasil
acreage of patented land.
TT is a certainty that we mu
have better roads in the county al
II this bond issue is not authoriz
there will have to be extensive ii
pruvement accomplished by dirs