The Glenwood post. (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) 1897-current, 1920-03-06

!
this project was made by the for
est service last summer. The
report admits the value OF this
road, but is not. otherwise, very
encouraging. 1t seems that the
necessity for the road. under the
restrictions governing this fund,
hinges upon its connection with
some community. and to meet
this condition it would be neces-
sarv for the Gunnison county
commissioners to do some con-
struction work about which there
seems to be some hitch at pres
| ent.
Concerning the project for
road from upper Divide creek to
Collbran, ] could learn nothing
here. 1t has been considered as
a forest project, but the records
concerning it are in the office OF
the Battlement forest at Grand
Junction and there was not time
to inquire about it. The local
forest office has some data on
improving the road from Glen
wood to Deep lake. and state it
would be possible to locate new
road from the valley to the ridge
behind the Fairy caves, with a
maximum grade OF IL per cent.
Beyond that it would be a much
easier Grade. This. however, is
more of trail proposition, and
is also very much prospective
rather than probable
The Meeker road is practically
completed, and in the report
above referred to, the highway
commission speak very favorably
of the work done. The road has
been ballasted with oil shale. and
drained. and it will be interesting
to observe, this spring, to what
extent this work will contribute
to the usefulness of this high
way.
The projects which ! have emit
merated. are all part OF careful
ly considered plan OF permanent
construction. in which the immc-
diate need for the Improvement
has been taken into considera-
ton. it is true. but the relation
ship OF each piece of work to
other work in the state. has been
considered as OF equa | import
ance. And in every instance, the
work is done under engineering
supervision. and follows careful
ly prepared plans.
On the other hand, when we
consider the county roads, by
which term | refer to the roads
built entirely from county funds,
there seems to be no such sys-
tenn OF permanent correlated i'm
provement. We have always
recognized as a fact, that our
county road expense is unavoid-
ably heavy because we have so
many large bridges, which have
to be kept in order at county ex-
pense even when we have had
state funds to aid in the origin
al construction. We all know
that when new piece of road is
needed. we invariably find our
county commissioners feeling We
Try pessimistic about money.
There never has been county
board, in my experience, which
questioned the need for any
piece of roadwork that was pre-
scented to it. Somehow or other,
they never have the money. And,
tho we NAV not like to admit it,
the fault is our own. in sanction
ing system. or rather lack of
system, that is nothing more or
less than a pork barrel PROPOSE
ton. Our county boards have
done pieces of work which will
stand the test of time. But as
long as we leave the county road
fund subject to such pressure as
can be brought to bear on success
sive boards, just so long will the
expenditures be made without
reference to any prearranged
plan. Furthermore, you cannot
expect men in the position of
county commissioners, to neglect
their personal affairs for the sake
OF the small salary attached to
'the office. At times we are lucky.