The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-06-08
VALLEY TRUNK
ROAD PROGRESS
BONDS WERE VOTED A YEAR AGO
TWenty-Three Miles Of Grade viii All Be
Completed This FaIl-ROck Sur
facing to Follow


community having been appealed to b
the State Highway Commission I
enter on sc. SO basis the constructio
of the valley trunk line of the Noun
Hood Loop Highway, an approximat
% miles of road that would become a
orchardists' market route for grower
of the entire West Side, Odell, Middle
Valley and Upper Hood River section
and an important link of the grea
loop road around the base of Noun
II Hood.
The bonds were voted by three b
one and by June z this year the nev
grade will be found under way fron
end te end. Indeed, as result of tn
$3.50, 200 bond issue, the Hood Rive
valley proper has never witnessed sue
an activity of road construction as /
at present in progress. The trunk lin
grade il being built in three units. tn
total of the three contracts reaching
$2a3, 059 so.
Late last fall Joplin & Eldon, Port
land contractors, were awarded TO
| S64, 546.50 the contract for cutting tn
new grade from the Rhoades ranch, ii
the Odell section, around the west side
of Booth hill into the Upper Valley
a fraction over five miles. Itwas an
ticipated that the work would b
largely finished during the winter
| Heavy SHOWS and continued low tenn
peratures, however, kept the winte
cramp inactive. Another delay wa
met with in the discovery of hug
boulder formations, where ordinaf.
earth excavation was expected. Th'
contractors are equipped with small
steam shovel, which will not handle
the large boulders without blasting
Work on the Booth hill section will b.
drawn out through the summer.
Simultaneously last winter the High
way Commission awarded contracts OF
the other two units. e. A. Webster
for STA, 1892, was given the award OF
building the 6.8-mile grade, which in
tersects the Columbia River Highway
| Just south Of Hood River. to the Odel
district. The johnson Construction Co
is building the IL miles from the Mid
die Valley to the bounds of the Oregon
National Forest. The figures of tn,
latter contract are $h4, 546. so. AL
though nearly IL miles in length, i
utilizes more of existing county roaC
than any other section, and the worl
is largely an alteration of grades anC
common excavation.
Both Mr.. Webster, with whom il
Associated J. w. Rumsey, an expert
enced steamshovel and heavy roel
excavation man, and the johnson Com
pany ara making rapid progress ol
| their stretches. 1t is anticipated tina
all contractors will have completed
their units by early fall, and tentative
plans call for the beginning of surfac
ly the grading is done.
(. Sentiment of Hood River valley folk
last year was fairly well crystallzeC
in support Of the proposed trunk high
way, but difference of opinion as K
location of the route aroused violent
opposition to the road bonds. An ele
ment of citizens declared that the sur.
vey should have extended higher or
the bench of the Hood river canyon
| in order that more Of the old East Side
road could be utilized, while other dis
approved for the reason that the new
road would not pass directly through
Odell and Parkdale, chief up-valley
shipping points.
The former contention was met with
by engineering experts on the grounC
that the survey as made would elimi
nate all possible grades and curvatures
The route suggested. that over ths
high ridge projected above the HooC
river gorge, would necessitate heavy
grade to get in and out of the VALLEY
proper. 1t was also cited that the
trunk road would pass within half ol
| three-quarters of a mile of the valley
shipping points and could be easily
connected by short laterals, that. tht
trunk road, If it should pass directly
by shipping warehouses would be sub
jected to congestion during the rush oi
apple hauling season.
While the objections resulted in th'
chief opposition to the bond issue. they
have largely disappeared within 1
short years time, and when the roaC
10 completed IT is not anticipated thai
single citizen Of the valley will ex
press anything but pride in the valley
trunk line road. An approximate 2!
per cent of the community's voters ex
pressed disapproval in 1917 of the
county's s75, 900 bond issue for partic
ipation in opening the Columbia River
Highway. Today not single oppon
ent Of the great scenic thorougbfare
which has proven a utilitarian boon Il
the city and valley, but admits of his
mistake, and so il will probably bt
with regard to the new complement OF
the Highway up the Columbia gorge
The new valley trunk. as local folk
are prone TO call the 23-mile unit Oi
the Mount Hood Loop road up through
the orchard district, is going to ado
new beauties 10 Oregon highways
From the standpoint of scenic appeal
no short link Of any of the great sys-
TENS built IN the last eight years will
be more sensational than the first three
miles of the unit lying Just south OF
the city Of Hood River. For over q
half mile the new grade. already cut,
winds around the preciDitous Hood
river canyon. Native fir trees, with q
covering Of wild shrubs around their
base. lie below the grade Of portion
Of this, and the rushing stream flashes
among vistas Of the vivid green
branches. The road will swerve by q
graceful curve. out Of sight Of town
and IN expanse Of the broad Columbia,
around q hummock Of the orchard Of
A. A. Schenck. pioneer railroad builder
who was with-the ed o. X. & N. crews
here in early days and who was at
trscted 70 the community by its scenic
appeal and that Of ITS possibilities ss
q great Horticultural section. South
from this curve may be seen a long
stretch Of The silvery cascades Of the
swift stream, lying far below in the
bottom Of the canyon. Soon the motor
ist gets the first glimpse Of Mount
Hood. the snow fields Of which will be
the real goal Of thousands Of motor
tourists as soon ss the highway Is com
rleted- This section Of the Mount