The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-11-23
VALLEY TRUNK
Is UTILITARlAN
HIGHWAY UNIT TO SERVE GROWERS
New Valley Market Route Will Be Entirely
Surfaced With Crushed Rock
Next Year

east of the city to the bounds of the
Oregon National Forest, is primarily
unitarian instead of aesthetic. 1t has
become familiarly known through the
orchard communities as the Valley
trunk, for it will serve as the district S
main market route. Laterals will
bring traffic to it from every East
Side, Middle Valley and Upper Valley
district, and eventually lateral will
be constructed up through the Summit
district into the Dee neighborhood.
And because the new trunk route
will be entirely surfaced with rock and
gravel before next summer ends apple
growers of the valley rejoice. The
new highway will eliminate the old
main thoroughfare over Booth Hill, a
steep and tortuous way, which in win
ter months becomes impassable for
motor vehicles. Another road between
the two districts, the Neal Creek
Highway, penetrates deep canyon,
which in the winter becomes filled
with snow. The canyon is narrow and
shaded by dense forests. 1t thaws out
slowly. The new highway, except in
unusual cases such as that following
the record snow and sleet storm of
November a year ago, will be con-
stantly passable. Formerly the Upper
and Lower Hood River Valleys have
been two distinct communities. The
new road will remove the old barriers
and it is anticipated that the valley
hereafter will work more solidly for
all activities concerning the district.
The Mount Hood Loop Highway was
made possible by vote of the county
electorate in June, 1921, when bond
issue of $3.50. 900 was authorized. The
citizens accepted an offer of the State
Highway Department to join on a So
so basis in the grading and rock sur
facing of the 23.48-mile stretch.
Formalities were hastened and it
was decided to rush construction of the
Booth Hill unit of the new road. a
stretch of five miles. and in the fall of
1921 a contract was awarded to the
Joplin & Eldon Construction Co. fol-
$50 SAG. so. The contractors began
work at once, and it was anticipated
that they would complete the grading
by May of this year. Repeated unfor-
tunate circumstances intervened, and
the Booth Hill section of the road will
not be completed until this month. In
stead of being able to work throughout
last winter, the crews and equipment
of the road builders were tied up. at a
heavy expense by the deep blanket of
sleet and snow. When chinooks had
finally cleared the frozen precipitation,
an unexpected formation of huge
boulders was encountered, and progress
on the Booth Hill section of the trunk
line has been slower this summer than
on the other two units.
Early last spring contracts on the
other two units, one beginning at the
Columbia River Highway just east OF
the city and ending in the Odell dis
trict, distance of 6.O8 miles, and the
Booth Hill-National Forest unit, a
stretch of 1874 miles, were let. E. A.
Webster & Co., were awarded the
stretch closest to the city for STA,
392.50. The unit next to the bounds of
the Oregon National Forest was
awarded to the Johnson Construction
Co. for STA, 12l. Both contractors have
made fine headway. +. 4. Peterson,
of Spokane, partner Of +. A. Webster.
the latter having been constantly in
charge of the road grading, was here
last week inspecting the unit. The
men stated that their contract would
be completed this week, except for
some short links in the Pine Grove dis
trict where slight grading of existing
highways will be necessitated. Be
cause of the interruption to apple haul
ing it was decided to postpone the
grading until next spring. The John
son Construction Co. will complete the
Upper Valley unit this month provided
bad weather does not prevail.
The new highway will not be with
out its scenic appeals. The first unit,
although but little over half as long
as that between Booth Hill and the
National Forest bounds, was expensive
because of the heavy rock excavations
and numerous long deep fills. For a
half mile from its intersection with
the Columbia River Higwhay the road
extends along an almost solid rock
cliff on the east side of the Hood river
canyon. Cutting the huge notch in the
solid rock was facilitated by j. w.
Rumsey. an experienced steam shovel
man, who built railroad line all the
way from the O.-W. X. & N. tracks.
By the use of huge steam shovel, be
cut his way TO the open levels of the
orchard district with a speed that sur
prised local observers. The rail track
was extended for three miles mp the
valley, where the new highway leaves
the river canyon and cuts through the
districts most prolific apple orchards.
The new highway. where it rounds a
graceful curve, leaving the eanyonside
of Hood river for a short cut out over
an orchard promontoTy, offers the mo-
torist the first sensational view Of
Mount Hood, the snow fpeak lifting
itself majestically at the end of long
vista made by the gorge Of the river.
On a summer day the cascades of the
rushing stream may be seen for miles
sparkling in the sunlight. The road
again skirts the top Of the river bank
until Whiskey creek. which received
its name from a frontier day pTune
brand distillery, is reached. After
crossing the gorge Of this small stream
over a culvert, the highway penetTates
the orchards and these are not left
until the remote Upper Valley is
reached. For II miles the mOtorIst
will behold the pastoral scenes Of the
highly deveolped Horticultural section.
After the last highland orchard is
passed just north Of Mount Hood
Lodge in the Upper Valley, the road
way penetrates q willow brush land
section along the east fork Of Hood
river and its tributaries. Here several
thousand acres CT fertile soil, covered
chiefly with a dense growth Of high
land willows and other small shrubs
and easy 70 clear, await development.
Il is anticipated that the new trunk
highway will result in more activity in
this section than elsewhere. The land
is already held BY homesteaders. 1t IS