Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1917-09-21
Do the People Want Highway Districts?

year. although the creation of the
highway districts has left him with a
title without an office.
Recently the commissioners of
both the Orofino and Clearwater dis
tricts expressed willingness to
have the districts annuled by a
decree of court in suits then
J pending against them. on petit
tions to be signed by a majority
of the people affected. Before
all of the conditions necessary to this
settlement of the entire matter had
been complied with, the appeals then
! pending We're suddenly dismissed.
am not advised as to the reasons for
dismissing these appeals but it is not
unlikely that the appellant, the Pot
latch Lumber Company. considering
the present situation as above out
lined. thought we were in as bad a
predicament as they could wish and
decidedto leave us there. They do
not have to pay any considerable
part Of this I 12 mill highway tax.
There may have been better rea-
son for the dismissal of these ap-
peals A settlement must be made
between the two districts and a bal
ance struck between the assets and
liailities in which the Orofino dis
trict Will have to assume about $S,-
100000 OF the outstanding indebted
ness of the Clearwater district. The
law also provides that the account
ants shall take into consideration
1.-The value of all and any public i'm
provements, ROADS AND BRIDGES
constructed prior to, UP and until
the creation of the new district in
both the original district and the
new district" and shall ascertain
the difference in the value of said
public improvements. roads and
bridges LOCATED within the orig
inal district and shall determine
from said statement, report and con-
clusion the debtor and creditor dis
trict.'#' And the debtor district
shall issue warrants to the other dis
trict for the balance While there
seems to be difference Of opinion
as to the meaning of this provision,
If 1t be taken in its literal sense
there is not much doubt as to who is
going to be the debtor district" and
brief inventory of the roads and
bridges in the Orofino district, as
compared with those in the Clear
water district. discloses that the
Orofino district is going to be in for
large indebtedness-suf per-
haps to maintain the roads in the
Clearwater district for several years
without any other revenue than that
derived from the payment of this in
debtedness.
AS to the revival of the Elk
Highway district, suggest that it is
time we conferred with the people of
River and endeavor to reach an un-
derstanding of their attitude. do
not think they will desire to prolong
the CONTROVERSY, but an understand
ing shouldibe reached In the mean
time the pending appeal will leave
open an avenue for the annullment
of the Orofino district. which upon
It's dismissal. will probably be per-
manently closed I believe that the
creation of the Orofino district was
Illegal under the circumstances and
for reasons which il is not necessary
to set forth here. but am not dis
posed to carry on a contest such as
this contrary to the wishes of the
majority. And suggest that. al
though the right of petition has been
generously exercised in this matter
already. the people of the district
should express themselves definitely /
at this time as to whether or not
they desire a continuance of the dis
trict.
Respectfully,