Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1916-02-19
MOVE TO CREATE
HIGHWAY DISTRICT
Engineer Gives Data On
Cost of Roads and
Bond Interest.

The movement to build better
roads In Gilmore county which was
inaugural d at the meeting held IN
this city last week is making head
way and it dis believed that the mattei
of organizing one or more highway
districts will soon be UP for the con-
siderabion of the people of the south
ern part of Gilmore county.
A system of well-constructed roads
reaching out to all parts of the county,
and to connect with similar roads i'm
adjoining counties, is badly needed,
and while the sentiment i'm favor OF
better roads is strong the road fund
raised annually by tax levy is not suf.
ficient to do more than keep the
present roads i'm repair.
The plan of organizing highway
districts seem to be the only feasible
way of providing better roads. The
law was passed especially to take
care of needs OF this kind, as under
it bond issues may be voted and sold
to provide for construction. Regard
ing the amount of money that would
be required to be voted for the COM
pletion of the trunk lime of the state
highway and branch roads, the Re
publican submits the following state
ments made to lit by E M. Booth,
state highway engineer, who was
present at the good roads meeting
of Last week:
Over a year ago preliminary
survey was made through Gilmore
county, and due to- the fact that this
work was rushed very little detailed
information is at hand. But using
what data we have and using prices
on work in other sections Of the
state where conditions are somewhat
similar, a rough preliminary estimate
of the proposed state highway work
yet to be built in Elmore county may
be made"
up to the present time the Yates
Center Highway district in this
county has partially completed l7.3
miles of road at am average cost of
$3.50 per mile for grading. In the
section refenred to DIT was not neces-
sary to put I'm amy bridges and to
date nothing has been expended i'm
surfacing the grade
"The estimated mileage of the state
highway in Gilmore county outside of
the Yatas Center district is "a miles
and the preliminary estimated cost OF
grading this section lis SIS, 900. II it is
deslred to surface this stretch of
road the cost would be Increased to
approximately $115,00O.
"This estimate is based ON 20
foot clear travelled way, or between
shoulders, and all bridges are to be
81 feet wide and constructed OF ne
inforced concrete i'm accordance with
the state standards. The above es-
Inmate lis undoubtedly somewhat ex-
cessiye as 1t lis assumed that am en-
trierly new roadbed will have to be
constructed, but tn case any OF the
existing roadways can be used this
cost will be much reduced.
"On the basis of the state paying
one-third of the cost of this work
and the county or district the remain
ing two thirds, the county's proportion
of the cost of this section OF the
state highway graded to specifications
would be 0,0OO and gravel sur
face road, about $4,000.
81 have understood that the county
or the highway districts yet to be or
ganized would probably vote bonds to
take care of their portion OF this
work, and If so that the sum raised
would be about 100000. This sum
i'm addition to what would be Furnished
by the state, would complete splen
did trunk highway through Gilmore
county and do much other work on
the roads OF the county
Assuming that the bond issue will
be for 100000 and that 1T will nun
for a period of 20 years, and that q
sinking fund will be created to take
care of this issue at the expiration od
that time, the Sinking fund to draw
interest at four per cent ON deposit
and that the annual interest on the
bonds with be five per cent, 1t viii
be necessary to raise 1886 each veal
for the sinking fund, plus the annual
interest of $4,000, or a total annual
cost of 1886 for the period of q
years.
"As I do not know the assessed
valuation of the proposed district