The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1919-09-11
TO TALK ROAD
BONDS NEXT
FRIDAY EVE
Commercial Club Calls Meeting
for Purpose of Discussing
Bonding Proposition
DIFFERENT VIEWS EXPRESSED
Some are in Favor of Bonding to the
Limit, Others Half Way and
Some Not at All

For the purpose of taking some
1definite action on the proposition
that county commissioners call speF
3cial election for the purpose of bond
ing the county for hard surfacing the
Inland Empire highway across the
county, the Commercial Club has is
sued a call for good roads meeting
to be held in the City hall Friday eve
ming Of next week.
Since the bonding program was
proposed to the county commission
ers, it has been a frequent topic Of
conversation among business men and
farmers. There seems to be di-
versity Of opinions on the subject.
Some are in favor of voting bonds in
sum which together with like
sum from the federal road funds win
build a permanent highway across the
county. Others favor bonding enough
to build only part way across the
county, beginning here and at Prosser
and still others are opposed to any
bond issue.
1t is,hoped that at the meeting next
week these views will be thoroly aired
and that out of the discussion will
come some definite program. If this
can be accomplished the next step
will probably be to hold joint meet
ing with Representatives from Pros
ser and arrange for conference with
the state highway commission for the
purpose of harmonizing the county's
program with that Of the state.
1t is understood that Commissioner
Allen has promised that any moneys
raised by the county viii be matched
from the federal funds provided these
funds have not been exhausted by
other counties who beat Benton to it.
Advocates of the bonding proposition
argue that if 100000 bonds are voted
a fund of a million dollars will be
available which will pave the highway
across the county and with the pas
sage by the next legislature Of the
Carlyon bill or some similar measure
the state would then take up the coun-
ty bond issue. 1t is argued that If
the bonding proposition is delayed to
await the passage Of the Carlyon bill
the federal funds may not be avail
able at that time.
Bonding advocates further argue
that such road program will ma
teriaIly hasten the building of a
bridge and that it is very essential
that the bridge proposition be kept a
live issue at this time. That inter-
est in the bridge is not confined to
Kennewick and Pasco is indicated by
the following letter received from the
Yakima Commercial club:
"One of the important results Of
the goth annual convention Of the
Washington State Good Roads asso-
citation was the endorsement Of a
movement looking toward the con-
struction of bridge across the Co
lumbia between Pasco and Kennewick
on the Inland Empire highway. The
necessity for the construction OF this
bridge at an early date was conceded
by everyone and we feel quite sure
that the committee will be able to
find some workable plan for financing
its construction.
ssWe believe this construction is GER
tain, provided that the Improvement
of the Inland Empire highway APP
preaching the bridge is sufficiently
advanced between now and the next
meeting of the legislature, SO that
the legislators as kell as the good
roads enthusiasts will understand
that the completion Of this highway
and bridge is one Of the outstanding
necessities of the state. Walla Walla
and Franklin counties have taken the
most important step in this direction
by financing locally tho construction
cf bridge across the Snake river.
soThis letter is being sent to COM
mercial organizations along the line
of the Inland Empire highway to urge
that their influence be used consisten-
" and persistently with road build
ing authorities both local and state,
to hasten the program Of hard-surfac-
ing the Inland Empire highway across
the state"