The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1921-11-17
MARKET ROADS ARE
NEXT BIG PROBLEM
Main Highways or Trunk Roads In Ore
goB Are Fast Nearing Completion
Feeder Roads Are Now the Need.

The main trunk highways Of oregon
are fast nearing completion. though
there remains much to be done yet be-
fore the roads now on the map Of the
State Highway Commission are all
graded and surfaced. The program,
however, is being well carried out and
now the greater question Of feeder
roads and market highways is coming
to the front. This Is the question In
road construction that the people of
| this state will have to work on In the
| Immediate future; II Is the real road
problem, now that the limit has been
reached in the states ability to get
further capital by the bonding process,
and Just how the future road program
will be financed is the question that win
require lot Of figuring.
Heppner was visited last evening by
Senator l. L. Patterson of Polk county,
and W. 3. Dennis of Carlton, Washing
ton county, in company with Commits
sioner w B. Barratt and Herbert Mum
Of Salem, head Of the. engineering de-
partment Of the State Highway Com
mission. At an informal luncheon at
Hotel Patrick, a number Of our citizens
had the pleasure OF meeting Mr.. Pat
terson, Mr.. Dennis and Mr.. Num-, each
Of whom is good roads enthusiast
The two former gentlemen were mem
| brs Of the state legislature who were
foremost in the fight to put across the
states road building program; Senator
Patterson being one among the first
to take up the work, and Representa-
tive Dennis giving this subject such
attention and support that he was
| looked upon as the best informed man
on the subject in the 1919 session Of
the Legislature. He did not return to the
legislature in 1921, but was called there
to aid in the road legislation during
the last session and rendered much val
liable service to the committees having
this work in charge.
AT the little meeting last evening,
Representative C. E. Woodson presided
and there was short talks on the road
question by Messrs. Patterson, Dennis
and Num- as well as few of our local
men. Mr. Patterson was Of the opinion
now that we had practically completed
the trunk lines il was up to the state
to get behind program that would
help the farmers and citizens of the ru-
raj districts to get to these trunk lines.
this would, as matter of fact. prove
to be the greatest development scheme
for the state. Tourist travel is great
| thing, but the development of the
farms and homes is a much greater
thing. He would make no particular
complaint of the Highway Commission
for the policy they have followed, for
| their program was to a certain extent
set out by statute. Mr.. Dennis took
much the same ground and emphasized
what Mr.. Patterson had to say. They
had. just travelled over some of the
Eastern Oregon roads off the highway
and were made to realize the need Of
better laterals and market roads. These
gentlemen will get behind a program
that will put this over.
Mr.. Num- reviewed to some extent
| the work accomplished. and did not hes
| itate to say that Oregon had accom-
plished more in building Of permanent
roads for the money expended than any
other state; this fact is proved by the
statistics at hand. 1t is a record to be
proud of
Mr.. Barratt was reticent about maxi
ing any statements but gave out the
word that he hoped to see the work on
the Washington Highway thru
this county completed. as well as the
| connecting link in Gillian county. He
accompanied these gentlemen to Ar
| lngton today and with Engineer Mum
was going over the survey in Gillian
county from the Morrow county line to
the Columbia River Highway to try to
convince the engineer that another To-
cation for that end of the highway can
be made that will eliminate the neces-
sity OF cutting up so badly the alfalfa
| fields through which the present survey
runs. Mr.. Barratt states that the pres
ent route, If the road was built, would
practically ruin several good alfalfa
farms along Willow creek in Gillian
county, put the county up against ex-
cessive damages and make it almost
| impossible to complete the work He
| hopes to eliminate this.
| Messrs. Pattersn and Dennis state
this was their first visit to Morrow
county and the first opportunity they
had Of seeing what q wonderful empire
exists out here in this Eastern Oregon
country They were delighted with the
reception given them at Heppner and
| hope that now the better roads have
come, Eastern Oregon and Willamette
valley will become more sociable and
better acquainted