Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-06-01
MOnmOnth for
Changed Route
State Highway

Monmouth. Or. June There +
one section Of Polk county where the
proposal TO restore the original route
OF the West side Pacific highway in
the county does not meet with favor.
This is the section in and around Mon
mouth and especially that part wn,c.l
lies to the south and southwest Of the
city. This section which in 1919 pro-
duced over 10000 bushels OF wheat
and is reputed to be as fertile farm
ing country as there is in the state OF
Oregon, feels that it has an especial
grievance with Dallas and Independ-
ence at this time, charging them with
not keeping faith with the rest of the
county. This charge arises in the fol-
lowing manner.
At the time the decision of the high
way commission for direct route
through the county was announced
last spring a mass meeting was called
and held in the court house in Dallas.
participated in by representatives OF
all sections Of the county. The meet
ing accepted the decision of the COM
mission and prepared program OF
highways for the county, with the
highway as the main artery and paved
post roads leading to it. II was agreed
to ask the voters OF the county TO au-
fhorize s265,000 in bonds, which was
the county limit, to carry out this pro-
gram. Monmouth and the country to
the south known as the Elkins-Luckia-
mute section, were given no recogni-
tion In this program, other than the
fact that the main highway was to
serve them. 1t was soon to appear
they stood a chance Of losing that
through trick.
As adopted by the meeting $4,000
was Appropriated to meet the expense
of preparing the main highway from
the Amity -Solmes Gap section south
through Monmouth, by way OF the
Helmick bridge and skirting theI
Wheeler hill to the Benton couty line.
When the county bonding project
appeared in the election notice 1t was
observed that all the rest of the pro-
iects were described as the meeting
had agreed to them except the main
highway. That was described by CIV
sng the place of entrance to the coun-
fy following thence south to the Ben
tom line without specifying where the
route was to be located in the county,
The Monmouth lkins-Luckiamute
sectiof quickly detected this change in
the description Of the rteof the meas
ure they were interested in. But their
faith was In the highway commission.
That body had shown itself broad
minded and fair but alert to the neces-
sites OF action. It was felt the route
was safe with them although the hos
tiiity of the county court was appar-
ent. Therefore there was nothing half
hearted in the boost this section gave
the bonds helping in the election In
early June.
Thus having renounced the highway
and accepted such concessions as their
seif-sacrifce entitled them in the way
OF adjustments and division of county
road work, Dallas and Independence
now propose to get the main highway
also. This proposal leaves the Elkins-
Luckiamute country with what they
think is Just grievance. For IL they
lose the highway no other provision
was made for them in the county bond
issue project.
Therefore, to state they are sore, Is
~ nut It mildly. Dissatisfaction ripens
into denunciation. strong language Is
heard and counter measures are being
sorted over for the elimination of the
least violent There is division now in
Polk county and to what heights It
viii rise or to distance extend can not
be told until the end of the chapter.