The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1916-11-17
COUNTY ARTERIES TO
HAVE MORE ATTENTION
Commercial Club Holds Large Supper
and Begins Good Roads
Campaign

lsupper last Thursday evening in the
IV. /. S. rooms was strongly attended
by representative men who profess
one common purpose, to make Bing-
ham county better and better. Recog-
nizing that good roads are the life
of the county they spent the full
time on that subject.
Chairman MacCosham called first
upon Peter G. Johnston, who re-
sponded with suggestion that the
county roads should be improved by
putting on them surface of gravel
and clay, which might be, brought
to the various points on tracks
specially laid for that work. He
thought it would be good plan to
lay two or three miles of such sur
face as an experiment to see how it
would be liked. He suggested the
road between Blackfoot and the
Snake river bridge as start.
Mr.. MacCosham announced that
w. D. Vincent had already been in
correspondence with the federal de-
partment of agriculture in regard to
what sort of road material would be
best suited to- our local conditions,
and Mr.. Vincent promised to report
on this topic at the next supper.
In the mean time let it not be
overlooked that this supper was of
the kind that we always think mother
used to put before us, and nothing
short of personality surrounding it
would convey a proper appreciation
thereof. Only dispeptic would care
to miss such feed
Mr.. Fehnel, who formerly lived in
Madison county, said that they have
an arrangement up there between the
farmers and the county whereby the
sprinkling wagons are furnished and
the farmers sprinkle the roads, and
prevent great deal of blowing away,
which bothers all communities. He
advocated such a system for Bing-
ham county.
Then the discussion became gen.
eral. F. h. DeKay said that there
is plenty of material for road build
ing to be found in Moreland and |
Groveland. Nofear Davis thought |
that shale is better than gravel for |
surface or that both could be used |
with advantage. Mr.. Peason suggest
ed that money be raised in Black
foot to put in good road between |
the town and the Snake river bridge.
R. w, Adair advocated county |
road system, employing an engineer
of proved ability, abolish road over
seers altogether, and leave all mat
ters in the hands of the one man
hired to attend to roads. He thought |
this would keep expenses down to
the amount of the levies. He favor
ed bond issue to build roads uni
formly thruout the county. Private
licenses would pay the interest, he
said, and the money raised would
redeem the bonds. Mr.. Duckworth
spoke in favor of bond election.
j. H. Early thought it would be
a good idea to employ an engineer
to estimate the cost of construction
and kind of material suitable for
a good road system thruout the
county, and then call a bond election
Mr.. Peck said good roads
are vital to the future of the county
and therefore we must improve our
roads. Concrete, he said, was out
of the question because it costs $12,-
900 mile. He estimated that good
gravel and shale roads could be built
by a bond issue of 100000. He
thought it best to employ an expert
to attend to the road construction.
After vote the club decided to work
for a $250,OOO levy.
Mr.. Johnston spoke in favor of
This motion, saying that according to
a law passed by the legislature in
1915 the present board had to make
1 levy to pay all outstanding warrant
Indebtedness, but that now we are
On cash basis. Until there is
Dond issue, he said, no good perman-
ent roads can be had.
w. c. Sollenberger stated that a
bond election would not carry at this
line, but that he believed it would
after some good hard roads had been
QUILT to show off their advantage to
he people. He thought shale good,
)ut gravel not satisfactory.
Mr.. Adair suggested that inasmuch
Is highway districts have been
'reated in different parts of the state
or the construction of permanent
oads, the club should appoint COM
nittee to confer with the highway
Of Fremont mOunty and