Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1919-11-27
BOLD ATTEMPT is
MADE TO EXPLODE
GOVERNMENT PLAN
ON ROAD Up RIVER.
McNutt Would Abort Whole
Idea of Constructing Stan
dard Highway up Clearwater


Wants to Take Project from
Forest Service and Place
1t with Interior Department
Editor S Note-This is the second of
series of articles ON the South Fork
road.
Ever since decision of the L. S. de-
partment of agriculture, announced
through the forest service district head
quarters at Missoula, to build stand
ard highway up the South Fork of the
Clearwater river, from Rock Point to
Meadow creek, was made public, last
spring, opposition to the route to be
taken by the road has been noted. This
opposition, while coming to a slight
degree from persons resident in Grange
vile, or near the city, was to greater
extent manifest in other parts of the
county, notably in Sites.
OBJECT TO BEING TAXED
Opposition to the road by Grange
vile persons was due, it is believed,
chiefly 10 objection by certain monied
men to a slight increase in taxes, which
would necessarily come, as a result of
bonding the highway district, when the
bonds BECAME due and payable. In
every community, there is always an
element opposed to every sort of public
improvement. If the country were peo-
pied entirely by this element, progress
would indeed be slow.
Sites objection to the first link i'll
the forest service road built from Rocky
Point, seven miles southeast of Grange
vile, to Meadow creek, is based on the
belief that, when that link of the road
is completed, Grangeville will be in di
rect touch with the isolated mountain
country, and will derive from that sec
ton much trade, which Sites had hoped |
to receives A certain element i'll Sites
has left no stone unturned to knife |
and, if possible, prevent
of the road.
eve are for good roads, they |
might be quoted as saying, $50 long |
as the roads to be built lead to Sites
We are unalterably opposed to good |
roads in any other part of the county.
ARGUE AGAINST PROJECT
The Sites coterie has brought up |
very possible argument against the |
road from Rocky Point to Meadow
.reek, including the water-grade argu-
nent 1t appears to have been the
Sites element aligned against the U.
J. department of agriculture and the
'orest service, with Sites the loser.
The Elk City district is populated
argely by mining men, many of whom
rave spent years in the Elk basin.
hey have expended much money in de-
-elopment work, with returns which
ave been far from profitable, when
ime and money expended in develop
nent of the mines is considered. Haul
NO supplies from the railroad over
lore than fifty miles of mountain road
as been serious drawback to the
Xix City country, but it is believed,
nth better roads, mining in the basin
ill take on new life.
Mining men in Elk City, it is believ-
d, would welcome a good road TO Ell
her Grangeville or Sites.
w. c. McNutt, a civil and mining
ngineer, of Elk City, attended the
.merican Mining congress, which met
lst week in ST. Louis, Mo-
Mr. McNutt was appointed by Gov
rnor Davis as a delegate to the min
~ congress. Rumor has it that GER
lin persons in Sites proposed to the !
TX City folk that OIr McNutt be sent
D the mining congress, that $500
ould be necessary to pay his expenses,
nd that of this amount Sites would
Use $3.50, provided Elk City raised
$50 People in Elk City provided the {
,quired $3.50. Mr.. McNutt started
,r st. Louis When he arrived in
tites. he expected to there receive
lie $3.50 promised him by Sites folk,
is said, but he was disappointed. The
$50 was not forthcoming. All manner
? excuses were made to him. He
,uld rot proceed further, for the $3.50 !
Used for him by the Elk City folk c
oud not nearly pay hE expenses to
+. Louis and return. Mr.. MeNutt com f
unicated with Elk City, and, when it =
as learned Sites had defaulted, Elk :
w raised 800 additional, and Mr.. Nc n
utt was again On his way to st. Louis.
WOULD BLOCK NEW ROAD
When Mr.. MeNutt arrived at the c
ming congress, purpose of his visit t
as made clear, according 10 press v
spatches from st. Louis. In commit {
@ of the congress, Mr.. McNutt, de- il
rmined, if possible, to squelch the i
rest service South Fork road project, r
ade strong fight for resolution
king the federal gvernment to re- 2