The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1920-07-09


the Carlyon measure concerns only
three per cent of the total mileage
of the state.
The Carlyon measure, which will
be voted on at the November election
provides for the paving of 1900 miles
of state highways. The state high
way system consists of 1852 miles of
primary highway and 513 miles of
secondary roads, making a total of
2975 miles 1t will be seen readily
that 1900 miles of paving means 80
per cent Of the entire state road sys-
tenn and 81 per cent of the primary
road system.
1t has been declared that this state
has 10000 miles of public highway
which is true, but only 1915 miles If
this is in the state highway system.
the balance being county roads which
are improved from the regular ta>
levies, no matter whether the Carl
yon bill passes or not. These tax lev
les for the six-year period of con
struction provided for in the Carlyon
bill amount to $52,902,S40. And this
entire sum will be available for the
county roads, without any deductions
from it for the state highway system
Because these county funds will be
unmolested by the Carlyon measure
if passed, the counties will have that
much more money to spend on lateral
roads to connect with the propose |
trunk-line system.
This fact, according to the Auto
mobile Club, indicates the enormous
value to the farmers of the state
that will ensue if the Carlyon meas
ure is adopted by the voters.
Fifteen years ago the state high
way department was created to con
struct state system of primary and
secondary roads. In recent years
S1,000,000 annually has been avail
able for grading and crawling, bu-
none of this fund has ever been used
for paving. At each session of TIC
legislature the money in the public
highway fund has been apportoncd
over the state highway system {.
designated by the legislature.
In these fifteen years there has not
been money enough that could be ap
portoned on the "pay-as- you-go" pol
icy to complete the grading and gra
Yelling of single road.
From the automobile license fund
of 1919 the legislature appropriate
81 100000 for annual maintenanct
for the following two years, divide
among 80 counties, according to mile
age and assessed valuation. For con
struction, in these two years, in 20
places on the state highway system
the legislature appropriated s2,15i,-
500.
From these facts, it is declared py
Automobile Club members, it will he
seen that the "pay-as-y ou-go" policy
is in reality a "pork barrel policy
as demonstrated by the last tifteor
years experience in building state
roads. 1t is contended this method
is expensive, burdensome and slow
not enough money being available Al
one time to complete any particula-
highway. Because of the limited ap-
preparations for each highway thefew
miles of gravel construction is we'll
worn out before funds are available
to continue the work Contracts
must necessarily be small Contrac-
tors must receive higher prices be
cause they have to move equipment
and construct bunkers for short
mileage contracts. The result is no
continuous system of paved trunk
line highways, patches of paved roads
in thickly settled districts and no
paved highways in counties through
which the trunkline passes.
Referendum No. 1, it is pointed
out, provides plan for a paved high
way system, 1900 miles long serving
30 per cent of the states population
and to be completed within six years