The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1915-04-08

In speaking on THE Impression
on Tourists of Good Roads" Presi-
dent s. E. Notson, of the Commercial
Club, gave his impression of various
parts of Klickitat county, Washing
ton, where they have good roads, and
others more like the ones in Morrow
county. He said he was much more
impressed with that section of the
country of good roads than he was of
the section containing poor ones, al
though the land in the poor roads
section may have been Just as good
or even better than in the good roads
section. This was merely to show
what his impression of the country
was, due to the condition of the
roads. Mr.. Notson believed that the
county bonding method would be the
best for raising money for permanent
roads
Willard Blake, road supervisor in
the lone district, told what lone is
doing for good roads. Some substan-
tial road work has been accomplished
in his district, but owing to lack of
funds at the present time, road work
has been discontinued A few weeks
ago about 5000 was raised by lone
citizens to improve the road between
lone and Morgan. Mr. Blake stated
that the people of lone were with the
rest of the county in the work to have
better roads.
Morrow county will have to get
busy or she will lose some valuable
interior trade was the warning note
sounded by A. l.. Ayers, of Parkers
Mill in telling of the Conditions of
Mountain Roads in Morrow County"
This will be due to the present con-
ditions of the roads if they are not
improved. Mr.. Ayers says that the
Parkers Mill road leading into Grant
county is in very bad condition and
almost impossible for heavy hauling.
If this condition is allowed to exist
sheepmen who are now hauling to
Heppner, will choose another market
and valuable line of trade will be
lost to Heppner for all time. His talk
was well received.
At this juncture, Judge Patterson
made the statement that work of
improving this road would be rushed
as soon as conditions would permit.
T. j. Mahoney, cashier of the First
National Bank, in speaking on How
to Finance Good Roads," said that lie
believed that the county bonding
method was probably the best, but
whatever was done should be along
the lines of fixed program, in order
that the greatest amount of efficiency
in the constructing of roads should
be received for the money expended.
Robert E. Smith, of Roseburg,
secretary of the Rational Tax League
of Oregon, talked at length and had
some first hand facts to present to the
meeting on the various methods of
raising money for road work. He al
30 pointed out several things to be
avoided in laying out plans for per-
manent roads, saying that we could
profit great deal by the mistakes
other counties had made in bonding
for good roads. Mr.. Smith, however
rfavors the county bonding method as
the best way to raise funds for carry
ing on work for permanent roads.
H. V. Gates, president of Heppner
Light & Water Company, made a
very material talk in favor of the
Willow creek road above Heppner
and told why he was interested in
that road. Mr.. Gates has thorough
ly investigated the fuel possibilities
of the coal and timber belt in Willow
creek basin and is reasonably certain
that the same can be transported by
tractor locomotion to Heppner with
but little cost. "Why send $4,000
to $4,000 out of Morrow county
every year that might just as we'll be
kept at homer" said Mr.. Gates, and
his question is not at all an unreas-
enable one. Should his plans ma
terialize, and it is nearly certain that
they will, for he has given $50 to-
wards the purchase of a right-of-way
for the new road then Mr. Gates ex-
poets that his company will expend
hundreds of dollars improving roads
on their own account in the upper
Willow creek country. 1t looks reas-
enable to believe that Morrow county
will make four miles of good road
that may result in increased payrolls
and added industries for the county.
The following citizens attended:
w, p. Hill. JEFF Jones, E. C. Watkins,
]. b. Culick, j. F. VaughnD e. Gilman,
S. E. Notson, Emil Carlson, w. O. HILL
A Lee Padberg. Frank Gillian, John
tBlake, Sam Hughes, T. ]. Mahoney, II
Y. Gates. w. w. Smead, c. c. Patterson
Geo. j.: Currin, w. b. Barratt, Jack
Hynd, 7. H. Lowe, w. ]. Blake, A. D.
McMurdo, N. Il, Winnard, J. b. Huddles
ton, Martin Reid. Lee Socum, Paul
Webb, Wilson Bayless, Lee Meade
j. T, Mitchell, w. T.. pruyn. Willard
Herren, w, r, Fletcher, Edgar Stevens