The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1916-08-03

at Viento. The surveys of the exten.
sion of the Columbia river highway at
these points have already been made
by Engineer j. A. Elliott, working un-
der the State Highway Commission.
United States Road Engineer Finch has
asked State Highway Engineer Lewis
to assign Mr.. Elliott to the Ruthton
and Eden hills construction, because of
his familiarity with the topography of
the country. Mr.. Elliott had charge of
the construction of the Mitchells Point
tunnel.
"The application of the State High
way Commission, signed by Governor
Withycombe and with the approval Of
Attorney General Brown, was mailed to
Washington Tuesday. The opinion is
expressed by the Portland men and the
Forestry officials that they should be
approved and returned here within
three weeks. 1t is proposed to adver-
tise, in the meantime, for bids on the
work. and be prepared to let the con-
tracts by the time of the receipt of the
duly approved application for the fed
eral fnnd."
The Oregon national forests, accord
ing to Mr.. Ravlin, have available the
sum of S225. 900 to be expended on roads
within national forests. This full
amount will be used on the Loop high
way. The Forestry Service will take
immediate charge and start operations
near Mount Hood Lodge. While the
Columbia river highway will be graded
and paved full "a feet wide. when
complete, on a maximum grade of five
per cent, the road in the national forest
will be 20 feet wide with the grade in
no place exceeding four per cent.
The brief that has been prepared by
the Portland Chamber of Commerce and
Forestry Department, signed by Gov
ernor Withycombe and the other mem.
bers of the State Highway Commission
and that has been sent to the United
Stated Department of Agriculture and
President Wilson contains the following
data, showing final cost of respective
units. when graded and paved: Multi
nomah county line to Hood River,
$3.50. 600; Hood River to Mount Hood
Lodge, $3.50, 900; Mount Hood Lodge to
Intersection of Barlow road, $50, 900;
from thence to Multnomah county line,
Sll5, 900.
ut is shown" says MIR. Ravlin,
that the citizens and officials of Multi
nomah county will take care of the
construction of their portion of the
road. They have expressed the will
ingness to turn to Hood River county
any aid that may come to them for
building of the Loop highway"
In the course of the meeting, MIR.
Ravlin states. Engineer Finch explain.
ed to the State Highway Commission
and those present the complete plan of
the government to assist in construc-
tion of roads through Oregon, connect.
ing with the Lincoln highway at On
tario. This main transcontinental line,
extending through Idaho and giving
access to the National parks will pass
through Ontario and thence to Vale and
The Dalles. MIR. Finch further showed
that the United States War Depart.
ment was contemplating the construc.
tion of military road, beginning al
Astoria and proceeding south through
Oregon and California to San Fran
cisco.
"In the course of his talk" says Mr.
Ravlin, "Mr. Finch stated that tht
route would extend along the Pacific
the entire distance and, since it woulG
be open to traffic the entire year, woulC
form the most popular scenic route
between Oregon and California.
''It takes some deliberation. con-
tinues Mr.. Ravlin, ''for US in HooG
River to realize the immensity of thest
plans and to grasp comprehensively
how fortunately we are situated. But
we must not lay down and consider thai
everything has already been accom-
plished. We must keep on at work snC
by every available means show our in
terest."
Judge Stanton was in Salem alst
Monday to make plea for aid at Ruth
ton hill. Judge Stanton addressed the
Commission, however, and returned t
Portland before the ultimate and con
elusive deliberation was entered upon.