The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1919-10-10
CONTRACTCUTS
COUNTIES FROM
USE OF TRUCKS
Conyon Commissioner Chages
Regulations Made by High
way Department Prohibits
Use of Army Equipment

That the contract offered counties
by the state highway commission for
the use of war department trucks as
signed to Idaho prohibits their use is
the declaration of c. Ben Ross, county
commissioner and chairman of the
road work for Canyon county. Stipu-
lations in the contract offered the Can
yon county commissioners call for
such large financial outlay that It
would actually be cheaper to buy
trucks without resorting to the army
trucks which have been placed at the
disposition of the state for road con-
struction.
Canyon county, after materially al
tering the contract by both additions
and by striking out certain objection
able clauses, has applied to the high
way department for four trucks to be
used in furthering the county road im-
provement program. Action on this
application will be taken by the state
highway commission possibly today,
their request being that all applica-
tons be before the body prior to Oc-
tober TO- What action will be taken
on the reservations interposed in the
contract as submitted by the Canyon
county commissioners, Mr. Ross be-
lieves. will be largely dependent upon
the number of applications without
amendments which are submitted
New Trucks Cheaper.
Provisions of the contract to which
the Canyon county commissioners OBJ
ject relate to the charges in the
trucks which the county is obligated.
under the terms of the contract. to
make; clause asserting that the high
way commission shall have the right
to withdraw the trucks on short notice
and shall equip each truck with
driver for which the county shall pay
Sis per month as salary whether the
truck is being used or not.
These provisions would cost Can
yon county more than $1,000 to obtain
one of those army trucks" Mr.. Ross
asserted Wednesday. "And at any
time, even within 10 days. the state
can call for them, take them away
from us and we could not recover enc
cent of the money we would have
spent in overhauling them. We can
buy new trucks more cheapely"
Mr.. Ross stated that opposition was
prevalent in every county TO the terms
Of the contract. In Ada county. ac-
cording to, Mr.. Ross. the commission
ers threw the contract in the waste
paper basket. No county, he AYERS.
can afford to use the machines loaned
to the state under such stringent terms
as the highway department has seen.
fiji to affix.
Radically Amended Contract
Mr.. Ross made the further. asser-
ton that 1t was his belief that the
trucks were largely being loaned to
construction concerns who have con-
tracts for building state roads. He
has been informed that such action
was based on the belief that the state
would be able to get state road con-
struction contracts'at a lower figure
than il they failed to loan the trucks
TO contractors. Mr.. Ross did not
know. however. whether the terms Of
the contract with road building con-
cersn on state highways were identical
to those offered the various counties.
Before submitting the contract for
Canyon county. the matter of repairs
was stricken from the contract. the
withdrawal clause was so amended
that the state cannot withdraw the
trucks until the war department has
requested them from the state and in
corporated clause whereby the Gown
ty assumes the obligation of paying
drivers provided by the highway de-
partment only so long as they are
actually employed. Only 81 trucks
have been --~nted the state instead of
the 242 assigned by the war depart
ment and late advices indicate that
each county will receive but one.