Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1916-03-24

fact that during the summer of 1915
an average of Is out-of- the state
cars and nearly as many state cars
passed through the city daily.
The Columbia River Highway the
beauties of which are still unappreC-
lated by the country at large, will lie
extended to meet the Oregon Trai 1T
Pendleton, and to Lewiston as an in
evitable and natural evelopement.
Lewiston is the terminal point of the
North and South Highway which the
State of Il aho is constructing north
of Boise. The Palouse Permanent
Highway already affords first class
route to Spokane. At Portland the
Columbia River Highway intersect
the famous Pacific Highway. In one
afternoon last summer $500 automo-
biles passed through that city on the
Columbia River Highway.
The fact that this route will be a
link in a great highway is by no
means the greatest claim which this
project makes for the support of the
| people of two states. The route with
the path of Lewis and Clark, traverses
the largest undeveloped region in the
northwest. In an area aggregating
2 ] millions acres there are less than
dozen miles of wagon road AS an
economic factor the project has un-
limited possibilities. The Clearwater
drainage contains the largest body of
white pine timber in the world ac-
cording to timber trade reports.
The agricultural and mineral re-
sources are known to be great while
the physical features of the route do
not present any of the engineering
problems which were so effectively
overcome on the Columbia River High
way, they of course make road con-
struction costly as it is in all noun
famous regions. A road now extend
from Park to Park Highway to Lolo
Hot Springs, distance of 80 miles.
Lolo Pass is eight miles from this
point. The grade is low and the pass
is so broad that the traveller does not
know when he crosses the divide if
he fails to note the Forest Service
sign. From this point the route
follows the Lochsa River to its juno
ton with the Selway, distance of
go miles. A wagon road now extends
from Kooskia up the middle fork of
the Clearwater to within miles of
the Lochsa-Selway confluence. The
total distance over which new con-
struction must be done is ITO miles. A
preliminary survey made by the U.
S. Forest Service in the summer of
1915 indicates conservatively estim-
ated cost of $500, 100000. The finan-
cling of such a project is an undertake
ing of considerable magnitude. The
Forest Service is the most hopeful
agency of accomplishment At pre-
sent 25 per cent of the annual gross
revenues of National Forests are re-
TURNED through the states to the coun-
ties in which they are located for
schools and roads, and an additional
10 per cent for the construction of
county roads within the forests.
The undeveloped sections do not,
however, return sufficient funds to
Justify undertaking project of this
size. A bill is being pres ed before
present Congress which proposes that
instead of turning over to the state rs
per cent of the gross revenue only 10
per cent can be given to the state
and the other Is per cent be retained
by the & overnment as payment thru
term of years of an advance of 81,
900, 900 year for ten years, to be ex-
tended for road construction in and
near National Forests, among all the
deserving projects proposed by the
Forest Service.
The project is one which lays instant
hold on the interest of every citizen
and this interest should be expressed
in action focused and directed in
systematic campaign to accomplish