Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1920-04-01
CONTRACT To BE
LET AND WORK
To START THIS
SPRING, REPORT
Government Engineers Come
from Missoula to Make Fin
al Check on Highway Survey
First Link in Road Up the
Clearwater River from
Grangeville to Elk City


U. S. office of public roads at Mis-
soula, Mont, shortly will advertise for
bids for construction of the first
link in tho Elk City highway, from
Rock ridge, southeast of Grangeville,
to Meadow creek, distance of approx
imately thirteen miles, it is learned
here on apparently reliable authority.
Work will be done under supervision
of the office of public roads, in con-
nection with the forest service. Prac-
tically all the road will be within the
Nezperce National forest.
H. j. Taylor and Samuel Cook, en-
gineers of the office of public roads,
at Missoula, were in Grangeville Fri
day night, after having spent two days
on the route of the proposed road,
checking details of the survey, pre-
paratory to advertising for bids by
the department.
Only a short period of advertise
ment for bids is required, it is said,
at the expiration of which contract
for construction of the highway will
be let, and actual work on building
hitherto almost inaccessible section of
Idaho county, will begin. 1t is believed
the first link of the road will be COM
pleted by the spring of 1921 and
open for traffic. So far money is avail
able only for work ON this link
of the road.
Following is a letter written by c.
F. Martin, acting secretary of the
Iar,. .t,. =.
ton, which, it is believed, will
thoroughly explain the government s
attitude on the difficulties arising To-
cally on the route the road is to
take:
Gin March, 1919, Secretary Houston
approved the South Fork Clearwater
project and evinced his willingness to
spend $4,000 of the federal funds
available for national forest road con-
struction on the condition that CO.
operation of $4,000 was obtained. 1t
was realized that with $1S5,000 it
would be possible to construct only
a part of the road to Elk City, but it
was thought that if beginning were
made some means might later be
found for completing the project.
"Shortly after the project was APP
proved a controversy developed To-
cally as to whether the road should
start at Rock ridge, where connec-
tions could be made with a road to
Grangeville, or whether the road
should follow the river to the north
forest boundary en- route to Sites
Both routes possess advantages and
undoubtedly both will ultimately be
constructed.
''From information available at that
time it appeared to this department
that the greatest good from an ex-
penditure of $185,000 would be secured
10y starting construction at Rocky
ridge, since it was believed the road
could be built as far east as Meadow
creek, thereby serving the settlers in
that region. Furthermore, it appeared
that the cost of construction on this
route would be less than on the Sites
route, thereby reducing the expendi-
lures necessary for providing relief
for Elk City.
"However, since the cost estimates
were not entirely satisfactory, it was
decided to make careful location
survey before making a final de-
cision The Grangeville highway dis
trict agreed to assist in this survey
and on May 81 executed a coOpera-
tive agreement with this department.
In September the Clearwater highway
district appropriated $1,000 to be used
in making a survey of the Sites
route and it was agreed that the bu-
reau of public roads would make this
survey following the completion of
the Rocky ridge-Meadow creek sur
vey, provided it was found possible
to do the work during the year.
"The bureau of public roads at that
time thought it would be able to com
plete both surveys before the end of
the field season, but, due to the large
amount of other work, the death of
the locating engineer and unfavorable
weather conditions it was not found
possible to make the survey for the
Clearwater highway district. A very
careful reconnaissance, however, was
made.
"From the reconnaissance, pre-
viously mentioned, it is estimated
that 1925, 1925 will be required to CON
struct road along the river from
Ferrens creek to the north forest
boundary, about ten miles south OF
Sites. 1t is further estimated that
the road from Ferrens crock to ROCKY
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