Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1916-03-09
K006KIA BOOSTING FOR PROPOSED
HIGHWAY ACROSS BITTERR00T MIS-

very closely with the path Of J,ew;s
ana CLARK, traverses the largest unde-
Veloped region In the northwest. In an
area aggregating 2H2 million acres
there are less than a dozen miles of
wagon road. AS an economic factor
the project has unlimited possibilities.
The Clearwater drainage contains the
largest body Of white pine timber in
the world according to timber trade
reports. The agricultural and mineral
resources are known to be great while
the physical features of the route do
not present any of the engineering pro-
blems which were so effectively over
come on the Columbia River Highway
they of course make road constructions
costly as it is in all mountainous, re-
glons. road now extends from Park
to Park Highway to Lolo Hot Springs.
distance of 30 miles. Lolo pass Is
eight miles from this point The grade
Is low and the pass so broad that the
traveller does not know when he cross
es the divide if he fails to note the
Forest Service sign. From this point
the route follows the Lochsa river to
Its junction with the Selway, dis
lance OF 92 miles A wagon road now
extends from Kooskia up the middle
FORK OF the Clearwater to within nine
miles OF the Lochss-S -Selway confluence.
The total distance over which new con-
truction must be done is 1lO miles. A
preliminary survey made by the U. s.
Forest Service in the summer of 1915
indicates conservative estimated
cost of $500,000.00.
The financing of such a project is an
undertaking of considerable magnitude.
The Forest Service is the most hopeful
agency of accomplishment. At present
70 per cent OF the annual gross rev.
enues of National Forests are returned
through the states to the counties 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 section do not, how
ever, return sufficient funds to Justify
undertaking a project of this size. A
bill is being pressed before the present
Congress which proposes that instead
of turning over to the state 25 per cent
of the gross revenue only 10 per cent
be given to the state and the other Is
per cent be retained by the govern
ment as payment thru term of years
of an advance of $1,000,000 a year for
10 years, to be expended for road con.
struction in and near national forests,
among all the deserving projects pro-
posed 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 4
systematic campaign to accomplish the
worthy purpose.
The first step should be to secure
the active support of the senators and
representatives of two states for the
passage of the Taylor bill now being
urged at Washington, then to make
sure of the support of the State Road
Commission, and finally get the back
ing of any and every organization in
terested in the development of our re-
sources.
The chances for liberal allotments for
this enterprise will be greatly increas-
ed if the people of the various commu-
mites show their interest in it by
backing it with material support.
Kooskia Development Club,
BY J. M. Shaw, Chairman and John
7. Quinlan, Secretary of the Executive
Committee,