The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1920-03-25
Clarke County Planning New Jcffer-
son Highway Route.

Though government officials at
Washington, d. G., are clamorinS
| for immediate information as to
whether or not the Clarke county
board Of supervisors intends TO ac-
cept Or reject the proposed plans &c
between this town and Leon, no
further action will be taken on the
matter until next week when re-
survey of the entire Jefferson High
way situation between here and the
county line will be made by District
| Engineer w. O.. Price of the Iowa
Highway commission and County
by the county board. This survey
is to be entirely aside from the sur
vey completed recently which was
opposed by some property owners
on the further end of the proposed
relocation of the road. Too high a
valuation had been placed upon the
land needed for the proposed road
tween the board and land owners.
The new route which is to be gone
over Monday and which if feasible
will probably be recommended as a
solution to the present tangle,, will
follow the present course OF the }.
II. route to six miles south OF town
to the Vernon school house corner.
the edge Of Osceola, elimination OF
The Wade hill and the other propos-
ed improvement will he adhered to-
as in the former survey. However
after arriving at the Vernon school,
Green Bay township, the new PRO
posed road will go a fourth of a mile
south, thence a mile east and thence
two and One-half miles south 70 the
county line all over township roads
and thus eliminating the purchase Of
any property for highways oil the
part of the county: The toWnShlp
roads have already been established.
From the county line The road thus
runs directly south into Leon. 1t
will be noticed that the proposed
in Clarke county between the Vern-
on school and the county lire AIDES
an additional mile of Gravel but
though this being the case it elm
mates a mile Of travel in the adJoin-
ing county thus offsetting the dis,
advantage in Clarke county and
making the total mileage between Os-
fore. Should the, new route meet
with the approval of the local board
and highway commission and is
eventually O. KID to the government, |
the work Of grading VIII probably
commence soon. Clarke county has
federal aid fund Of ~ 900 avail
able for grading should the local
June Is. II It does not the fund will
not again be available for five years
and in the meantime the money Will
be diverted to some other county
where he projects have been apDrov-
ed IN the work. OF constructing
these highways which the govern
ment will use as military thorough
faxes in case OF wal, the county
necessary right CT way, il any is
needed, and install the bridges. 1t
is estimated that about 81 culverts
and bridges must be placed on the
road between here and the county
line. The county will also have an
proNimately from $4,000 to S3o,-
coo due for temporary road improve
ment work on it's primary system
after July tom the state motor
vehicle fund. The work Of navnS,
if She project is approved. will prob |
ably not be commenced for five or
ten years. The government will
shoulder three-fourths of that cost
a. The time Hills such as the Wade !
Hill with present 81 reT cenc grade
will be cut down TO a per cent |
grade. Three hundred cars per day |
on an average during the summer !
and fall months pass a gwen point
on the J.-H. it is estimated. I'm |
less this county determines to Keep |
the Jefferson Highway through |
Clarke county vigorous action is
necessary as other cities, espec!all!
Charlton. are making strong over
lures to have the J.-H. system locat-
ed through their town. The remov-
al of this national route through os-
ceola would mean a distinct loss to
this community.-Osce Tribune.