Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1916-09-22
SIMON BENSON VISITS.
PORTLAND GOOD ROADS EN-
THUsIAST SEES FAIR.
Party Is Making Inspection Of West
Side Highway-Will Stop in
Every County Seat.

the Panama-Pacifc international eX
position as 0regon's best citizen, Wis
tied Dallas and the county fair We'd
nesday. With E. E. Coovert and y
A. Rosenthal Mr.. Benson is on a Wis
it to all county seats on the west side
stirring up enthusiasm for good
roads, and also, inspecting highways
for the state highway commission. Mr.
Benson is a member of the advisory
board of the highway commission
The party left Portland Wednesday
morning. Thursday morning they left
for the south. Mr.. Benson will con-
tinue from Ashland on a trip to Cali
fornia.
While in the city Mr.. Benson gave
the following interview:
"The benefits to be derived from
good roads is beyond dispute. The
question before us is how to get them,
First of all revise our antiquated and
conflicting road laws to meet modern
requirements; second, create a Stale
Highway commission of successful
business men that will inspire conf
dence, and get us value for money
expended The present members Of
the highway commission have too
many duties to perform and should
be relieved of this responsibility. A
highway commission consisting )f
say, three members, could be appoint
ed by the governor and the governor
might be made ex-of1icio chairman.
The highway commission should be
men who serve without pay, but with
power to hire competent engineer
and assume full responsibility for the
success of road program.
" A very necessary step is to pro-
vide funds which should be not less
than one mill state tax levy, which
along with available government and
land grant funds would in Il few
years give us a good start on state
~ would first give attention to
grading main trunk lines according to
need and Importance Of each particu-
lar road and each road or proposed
road should be classified as to its i'm
portance and taken up in rotation.
"The Pacific highway from Port
and to Medford on each side of the
as far as Eugene and the
Columbia river highway from Astoria
o the Idaho line are of equal i'm
oortance. The two projects most i'm
oortant in the state, after the two
mentioned are The Dalles to Califor-
Tia road and the Pacific Highway to
'oos Bay and TilIamook. Later the
Program would connect every county
eat and populous community with
ONE trunk line.
"A small sentiment is being cult :
ated in favor of the state building J
farmers lines to the rail I
Dad track first, and trunk lines lat |
r. This would be commencing back I
ards, would get nowhere and would a
lrectly benefit but few at the ey- o
ense of the many. Multnomah coun- t
:, which pays thirty-eight per cent I
the states taxes, and doesn't ask 9
II a cent of state road funds. will a
ever support such a program. "
Hard surfacing is another prob
M, which will come later, according
requirements. In this there is but -
lie thing to consider; get the best y
II the money, but don't leave the
'elslon to a paving promoter.
Some good pavements are patent.
. This Is not in itself objection q
lie, if the price is reasonable and
sides 1T will be but short time
I'll the patent expires on our bes.
pc of patented pavement. There
e strong hopes also that the alleo-
cement trust will be broken some
these days when we will cease
ylng $40 per barrel for cement
en the average selling price in the
lted States is Sic. a barrel AU
ask in Portland is, that highway
lds be spent economically. where
y will do the greatest good to tbe
attest number That. we believe
be on trunk lines.
about 20 Polk good roads men met
ii Messrs. Benson, Coovert and
senthal at 7:3O Wednesday night
the falr grounds exhibit buildino
discuss Mr.. Benson's plan. The
4 expressed themselves as favor
y impressed with the scheme for
main highways up the Willamette
r, on either side from PortlanJ
Eugene, and told the visitors tber
Id consider the plan.