Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-02-20
BOOSTERS OUTLINE
GOOD ROADS PLAN
District Attorney Proposes
Levy Special Tax Of Three
Mills For Funds.

The Market Roads boosters to tn
number of about 35 met at the Com
mereial club rooms this morning ae
cording to schedule, representing al
the important centcrs of the county
| Theo Roth was made temporary chair
man and Thos. Kay, permanent chair
man, with J. j. Keeber, of Mt. Angel
secretary. There was plenty of yigor
Gus discussion as to ways and means
with some very divergent views, bn
the sentiment of the meeting was cen
tered upon main issue-the need o1
paved roads-and the quicker the sooT
er.
District Attorney Gehlhar was pres
ent and outlined in detail a plan which
was received with some doubt and
question by number of delegates. lie
proposed to levy a special tax of Inree
mills for the period of three years,
which he figured would raise nearly
100000 a year Thus instead of shout
dering at once a burden of $l,000,OOO
worth of bonds, the county would raise
that amount in the period of five years
10y ing Out lAtut muCH tdCH year On
road construction. He pointed that as
the total levy at present is approxi-
mately 80 mills, the additional three
mills would not be seriously felt. His
plan provided that the county should
do the work, each road district prepar-
ing its own road bed By the method
of speciaa annual levies the county
would pay as it went and at the end
of the five year period would not be
in debt. He was in favor of putting
through the Legislature bill providing
for an increased levy to cover several
years He stated also that as nearly
all the roads proposed to be improved
were post roads the county might look
for more or less help from the federal
government.
Mr.. Gehlhar found himself the cen
ter Of a whirl Of pointed questions and
negative arguments, the chief objee-
tion to his plan being that it would
require a constitutional amendment
ard the referring of the matter to the
people before 1t could be adopted At
ter much debate the chair called for
n rising vote and it was found that
the meeting was almost unanimously in
favor of the original bonding propo.
sition.
This afternoon the discussions are
still going on, Judge Bushey and the
commissioners, with Roadmaster Cul
yer presenting to the delegates lot Of
obstinate figures with regard to the
funds that are and may be made OBJ
tainable for road construction. 1T is
the opinion Of the court that the pro-
posed amount Of construction cannot
be done in less than four OF five years.
There were brief talks from large
number of delegates, in addition to
the addresses Of Gehlhar, Bushey, Oul-
yer and Hunt. Many of them showed
instances of opposition in their dis
trdct st0 the program, but it was APP
parent to most Of them that the farm
ers generally were in favor of the plan
However, several prominent delegates
expressed the opinion that if the mat
ter of bonds or special tax were put
up to the popular vote, the majority
would be found in favor of the special
tax, on account Of the great saving OF
The meeting authorized Chairman
Kay to appoint number of citizens
to act with the officers as perma-
nent executive committee, and this com
mittee in turn to name committee
Of five to take charge of the matter of
locating roads. Other committees were
also to be named, but at the present
hour have not been named.
Whatever the outcome Of this meet
ng, it is certain to be the initial step
N grand program Of road improve
nent.