American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-06-22

j tell the tale as twas tOlu W HlS'
These lines are called to mind by the
following Pocatello dispatch to the
Salt Lake Tribune, printed in We'd
nesday's issue, relating to the con-
>xruction of the stretch of state high
way between American Falls and Po-
catellO:
"POCATELLO, June 19-Much dis
appointment is felt by local motorists /
at the action of the county commits
sioners of Power county in refusing to /
make the required appropriation for /
improving the state highway. The
state highway commission had let con-
tracts for $4,000 worth Of work upon
condition that Power county would
expend a third of this amount, but
upon its refusal to do so the contracts
were Cancelled.
The state highway between this city
and American Falls is about the worst
stretch of road in Idaho, and the ap-
parent willingness of the Power coun-
ty officials to leave it in this condi-
ton seriously handicaps the work be-
ing done in Bannock county.
It it stated that the reason the work
was put off was due to the fact that
the contracts were not let to those
within the county instead of to out
side contractors"
Whether the words printed at the
top of this article constitute the mot
to of the author of this dispatch is
of course not known, but they fit. The
dispatch is interesting because there
are so many glaring errors in it. In
the first place, the county commits
sioners had nothing to do with the
highway. The highway commissioners
of Highway District No. has complete
~risdiction over the county's part in
the construction. and its powers are
limited to paying two-thirds Of the
construction cost, whatever that may
be. In the second place, the contract
was awarded to S. A. Forter, local
contractor. and not an outsider. Thus
the reason advanced for the failure OF
the highway district to assume its
part of the construction is swept
awav. Thirdly. the contract was for
s39. 900 instead of 100000.
Following are some facts bearing
upon the matter that the author OF the
above dispatch, as we'll as the people
of the county should know:
When the highway was established
through the county, the state highway
engineer estimated that Power coun-
tvs share of the construction cost fol
the entire distance from the BannocH
county line to the Cassia county line
would be S26 900. The county pait
10000 for it's part of the construction
of the highway between American
Falls and the Cassia county line. Thi'
discrepancy between estimate and cos
resulted in a determination on tn
mart of the local highway commission
ers to know where they would get OF
-. on the other half of the construction
that between American Falls and IN
Bannock county line.
Furthermore. when the highway wa
once completed, all expense to IN
county was to cease. The state wa
to gravel and maintain the road. No'
II asks the local highway district
hear two-thirds of the expense
graveling. and the district has pal
two-thirds of the cost of the gravelin
that has been done.
Recently the state highway commits
sion awarded a contract for the higl
wav from American Falls to the Ban
s33. 600. The county's part of tn
would be 1000. The state highwa
engineer would not. however. guarai
tee that this 800 900 would be all Higl
wav District No. l would be called III
on TO pav. The highway commission
ers feared that several thousand dc
lars more might be added to the
share. However:
At a conference between local nlg
wav commissioners and State Ems
neer Booth. held some time since q
highway commissioners were ask
how much money they could spa
this year for the work between Ame
lean Falls and Pocatello. Iney
nlied about $4,000. and possibly 81
600 if necessary. But In vie" OIL
necessity for work on sOrre new roa'
and the graveling of roads over Whl
there would be a heavy wheat trat
this fall, they were not much IN iaN
of undertaking the building OF TO
across the reservation TINS year
State Engineer Booth said he bell'
ed some help could be secured from
government. and that If this could
done. it would be applied on the COZ
TVS mart of the cost. The commissl'
ers of Highway District No. l II
made these propositions:
If aid can be secured from
government and applied on the COZ
Tvs part. we will undertake to m
our part of the cost so that constr
tion can be undertaken this year;
2-If the state highway commiss
(which has the money available IT
the million dollar bond issue authoi
ed bv the last legislature) will ca
ne for half the cost until next y'
we will be willing to have the W
begun now. These propositions W
taken under consideration and;
THE state highway eommlss