Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1921-07-09
COMMISSIONERS OF
ESMERALDA ARE LAX
IN DUTY TO HIGHWAYS

The county commissioners OF Es-
meralda county have been censured
to a great extent for their failure
to take care of several important
roads within their county, and their
answer seems to be lack of funds,
but The Bonanza has learned OF a
recent case of utter disregard OF
public welfare which would indicate
their lax interest in roads that do
not lead directly into Goldfield to
be something other tLan a financial
problem.
Some three months ago several
members of the Bishop chamber of
commerce made trip of inspection
over a proposed new route from the
south by way of Mount Montgomery,
Basalt and Coaldale to Tonopdh.
After giving the road the "once
over" it was plainly visible that at
considerable expense new road
could be constructed between Basalt
and Coaldale, distance Of %
miles, which would connect the road
north from Bishop to Nina with the
Fish Lake valley road running south
out OF Coaldale In addition to prac-
tically eliminating all grades, this
route shortens the distance between
Tonopah and Bishop by about Is
miles. After the inspection trip, the
enterprising citizens of Bishop cir
culated a subscription list in north
ern Inyo and southern Mono coun-
ties in California and quickly Sc
cured several thousand dollars to
improve that part of the road lying
in Esmeralda county, Nevada, Not
a minute was lost and within 80
days large force of men with the
aid of a huge road grader had COM
pleted the necessary grading and
the road was in fair shape for traV-
el. After about two months Of use
it was found that about two-thirds
of the new road improved with
travel but the other third, or about
eight miles, which passed over ma
terial not so favorable for natural
roads, broke down in places. This
conditioA was brought to the notice
of the Bishop chamber of commerce
and those enterprising people quick
" volunteered to raise another fund
to gravel the ruts in Esmeralda's S
part of the road. A wire was sent
to the Nevada highway department
asking for the use of truck to be
used In this work, Mr.. Cottrell re-
snonded that the department did
not have a truck available, but II
the county commissioners could not
supply a truck, if they would re-
quest the highway department to fur
nish one, an effort would be maze
to meet the request. When thls
condition was brought to the notice
of the Esmeralda commissioners they
refused to assist the Bishop people
by requesting the use OF truck
when It would have meant the i'm
proyement of a trunk line in their
county without the expenditure OF
one cent of Esmeralda money Can
you beat it? Must we be forced
to pass through Goldfeld over
long, circuitous route, over three
SUBMITS, to reach destination in
Inyo or Mono counties, when the
northern route is so much shorter
and more feasible? 1t is reported
that an average of at least II ears
per day are now using the new roac
and information has been received
from w. A. Parcher, secretary of the
Bishop chamber of commerce, tha
they would hire truck and the
necessary graveling will start a
once.
Much credit is due Mr.. Waiter
son, the banker, who assured th'
committee that the money would b'
collected; also to Jim Dehy, presi
dent of the chamber Of commerce
who doesn't have to think tWic'
when important questions are involy
ed: to w. A. Parcher, secretary, ant
to L. A. Hazard, the enterprising ga
rage man, who first signed the road