Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1915-09-27
Ask Councils Aid
For Dead Indian Road


G. w. Moore, M. ]. Duryea, d. ID.
Norris and H. S. Palmerlee appeared
before the council at Tuesday even
ing's meeting on behalf of the Com
mercial Club, which is pushing the
proposition OF the opening up of the
Dead Indian road. Mr.. Moore out
lined the progress which the commit
tee has made and told of visits to the
county court, Superintendent Steel of
Crater Lake park and the Forestry
Service officials at Medford. The
county court stated that they could
do nothing outside Of the county and
Mr.. Moore stated that the road had
already been put into good shape, or
is at least passable for automobiles
to the county line. klamath county
can be expected to do nothing, as
opening up this road would divert
good part of their Fort Klamath
trade to Ashland and also divert a
great amount of tourist travel to Pei
lean Bay and Crater Lake. The park
superintendent said that he realized
the importance of the road and
wished to see it opened up and would
actively push the matter with the
government. The forestry people
also promised to urge the importance
of the road on the Washington de-
partment.
All of the help from the govern
ment, while 1t can without doubt
be eventually secured and when 1t is
secured will be in the form of the
most permanent and best kind of
road, will be slow in forthcoming,
and il was the intention OF the COM
mittee to get the road opened up for
automobiles to Lake of the Woods
this fall. Offers of work which
would amount to a great deal have
been secured from the ranchers OF
the Dead Indian country, and help
from several Ashland citizens had
been promised, but to do the pro-
posed work $1,000 was required.
The council was asked to appropriate
this amount. Mr. Moore stated that
the wealthy ranchers of the Fort
Klamath country had promised to
subscribe in large amounts to the
opening up of the road from Lake OF
the Woods to Pelican Bay and that
no difficulty was anticipated in get
ting this done next spring. From
Pelican Bay on to Crater Lake there
is a road which outriyals the road to
the lake from Medford.
The total amount needed for this
falls work was estimated at $4,000
and about 81 900 of this, in work and
cash, has been secured. Every other
available source had been ransacked
and squeezed dry, stated Mr.. Moore,
and it appeared as if it was the coun-
ellis help or no road.
Mr.. Duryea spoke briefly of the
inestimab!e asset which the road
would be in opening up the Pelican
Bay district to Ashland as well as
Lake of the Woods. The former Is
fishing resort unsurpassed in Amer
lea or the world and the latter per-
feet camping place which, with pres
ent poor roads, draws over a thou
sand campers yearly. With the roac
made passable for autos, weekend
trips to Lake of the Woods would
become a favorite outing. Mr.. Dur
yea and Mr.. Palmerlee, who followed
him, spoke of the big trade possibili-
ties which the road would open up
in the Forth klamath country. Val
lev fruit is now freighted into that
country around by Crater Lake and
Klamath Falls and the new road
would not only provide an outlet for
immense amounts of fruit (the Fort
klamath country raises no fruit) but
would also provide for mutual eX-
change of commodities which would
be greatly beneficial to both dis
tricts.
There can be no doubt but what
the opening of the road would pro-
vide an asset of great consequence to
Ashland. The council received the
proposition favorably and no dissent
ing words were spoken Tuesday
night. In the minds of the council
the matter seems to be one not OF
whether it is advisable to help the
proposition but whether they may
legally do so. The matter was re-
ferred to the finance committee and
city attorney for investigation.
County Clerk Gardner has received