White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1923-11-04
ELY.M'G|LL PAVING
APPROVED BY WALLACE
CONTINUED from Page One.)

NSOhAAhuNu oSS OhNsJ
applies to the actual construction
work. The government does not
share in the cost of surveying and
the like. In practice the county and
state have been paying 20 per cent
of the total cost.
The governments share will be at
least $280,0O0, and for the remainder
there is understood to be on hand
from bond issues a little under
$4,000.
County Commissioners Baird and
Clark last evening informed the
the government adds 10 per cen for
supervision. and that to that total
the state highway department adds
II IL per cent, bringing the cost of
a $350,000 road up to S430,000, and
they could not at present figure
where there would be sufficient
money in the county funds provided
for the purpose. after paying other
costs .
They said the commissioners had
not asked for the Ely-McGill paving
and they would hesitate before stat
ing their positions on the matter.
This has been quick work. 1t was
not three months ago that District
Attorney H. w. Edwards commune
Gated directly with Governor Scfug-
ham, requesting that action be taken
for the permanent Improvement of
the Ely-McGill road. Mr.. Edwards
did many things that did not appear
on the surface. One of them was
to write privately to j. NJ. Collins.
formerly of Ely, but now rate ex,
pert for the pubic service commits
sion, and close to Governor Scrug-
ham, beseeching him TO use his in
luence to get things started.
Mr.. Scrugham Immediately sum
moned State Highway Engineer G..
w. Borden and directed him to get
busy. Mr.. Borden was dispatched to
San Francisco where he put the mat
ter up to DR.. Hewes, head of the fed
eral bureau Of public roads for the
coast, There was some favorable
talk, but in the end DR.. IIewes gave
1t a sharp turn down, unless Ely
agreed to a connection with the
Wendover route through White
Horse pass, as he claimed there could
be no federal aid except on an inter.
state road and the Lincoln highway
had never been thus designated from
Ely to the Utah line.
Governor Scrugham made no bones
of going owe his head and wired to
Secretary Wallace. Noncommittal re-
plies came, but still the governor did
not despair. He went to Washing
ton on an invitation of President
Coolidge to discuss other matters,
but in his own mind more than any
thing else with the determination
to carry the fight for the Ely-McGill
paving to the last ditch.
He is known TO have explained to
the secretary the inconsistency OF
refusing this paving when there were
three stub roads in the state receiv-
ing federal aid, these being between
Ely and Phoebe, between Phoebe and
Caliente and between Winnemucca
and Paradise hill.
While no II here knows what
was said it is a plain matter upon
which a surmisc cannot &C wrong,
that the argument was unanEwerable.
The secretary may not have wanted
to give in, but common honesty--he
being an honest man-forcod him to
accede.
While it may not be said that this
is the opening wedge for a
back for the Lincoln highway, as
Mr.. Wallace does not so consider it,
it is sure Of being used as an ar
gument for the highway hereafter,
and before the pavement has been in
use a year a now administration,
both in the state of Utah and ma
tional, may be in Office and a com
plete reversal of previous policies ef-
fected.
News of this great moment and
Mr.. Wallece's letter reached the
White Pine News Office from Carson
Thursday and is published today ex-
clusively. 1t is the greatest news
item affecting White Pine county for
years.