Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1916-12-14


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OVERHEAD" AND "uNDERFooT"
The highway commission is
charged with the responsibility of
spending the money appropriated by
q generous state for the construction
of the public highways. 1t spends
the money. there is no doubt about
that.
Highways down this way are us
ually constructed through the NOV
ing of earth at so much yard, and
for the crushing OF rock and the
placing Of the roadbuilding metal
in place, Then We have a road-bed
over which traffic can move at the
lowest charge per ton mile, and that
Ii the whole intent of road building.
It is to obtain that result that the
taxpayer offers small protest when
free-handed legislature digs deeply
into the public purse for the road
building fund.
II the dollars were bringing the
greatest possibls mileage of good
roads the public would have no kick
coming. But there is a suspicion
that too few of the 100 cents that
constitute the dollar so for labor and
materials upon the roads. The over
head" is too great. This suspicion
Is not allayed by the reading Of
report Of meeting Of the highway
commission, though II the commits
sion's whole duty Is to spend the
money, then It is not recreant to its
trust. The report Of meeting held
Tuesday printed in the Daily Capital
Journal Of Salem, starts of by telling
that the request of the people Of
Wheeler county for state aid had
been refused. Wheeler county voted
a bond issue of $4,000, its legal
limit, and then asked that the state
spend $4,000. That was the re-
quest that was refused. The follow
ing is the report of the balance of
the meeting:
Authority was granted the state
engineer to rent two rooms in the old
Willamette University college OF
medicine building for the use of field
parties.
"A tentative state highway map
was brought up. 1t will be offered to
the legislature to name the state
roads. It is sort Of plan for the
building Of future roads in the state,
and is intended as a suggestion for
further work.
Authority was also given to spend
money out OF the miscellaneous fund
for the use OF several projects. This
money will be used to complete the
Douglas county road map, and to pre-
pare project statements for Ruthton
Hill in Hood River county, one for a
project at Oregon City, one near Sher-
idan, and others. The amount in all
will approximate $4,000.
Authority to print 1900 copies OF
the biennial report Of the highway
department was also given.
"A letter from the secretary OF
agriculture asking what Oregon in
tended to do over the federal allot-
ment TO this state was read and the
commission said provision would be
made 70 take care OF 1t 80 the state
would not lose the money.
THE sum Of $4,000 was allotted to
Union and umatilla counties TO assist
In completing the survey Of the road
from La Grande to Pendleton. The
total amount OF this survey will be
$4,000"
It ia left to the reader to figure
out just the reduction in the cost oi
hauling per ton mile that resulted
from that session Of the board II
10 also left to the wisdom Of the leg
islature who assemble In Salem next
month TO find some place where
some OF the overhead" can be lop
ped Off and more cash go to the
'underfoot" portion Of the STATE
highways. ,tei5.a