The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1924-04-24

first to be done will be short sec
ton thru Riverside and mile and {
/ half between Riverside and More
land. An expenditure of about $1,000
will put that in condition to be taken
] over by the state and relieve ths
county of maintenance cost. The
section extending from Blackfoot to
Riverside is now being taken over
| by the state, excepting the Snake
river bridge, which is not Of the re-
] uuired standard to receive state
maintenance. Our commissioners Sc
cured federal aid on the desert road
on the plea that 1t was no mans land,
that it must be built to accommodate
| travel to the Craters of the Moon and
that it was unjust to lay the whole
burden on two little counties, Bing-
ham and Butte, that just happen to
lie adjacent to the great waste OF
sage and rocky terrain.
The board found that the Roose-
welt Highway extending from Black
foot to Aberdeen had not been desig-
mated as state highway, altho 1t
had been put in condition to- deserve
It, The formal application had never
been filed and acted upon, so they
have the matter in process. They
changed the description, making the
Roosevelt Highway extend from
Aberdeen to where it intersects the
Lost River Highway, just west OF
Riverside, it being. of some tactical
advantage in accomplishing their
purposes on the Lost River line to
have 1t recorded that way.
In the study of our relation to the
forestry department of the federal
government, our commissioners have
found that the road thru Lincoln
valley comes within the meaning of
an act enabling the federal govern
ment to participate in the construc-
ton and maintenance of roads into
the forest reserves. They are pur-
suing that subject to see what aid
they can get for improving that line
and hope to get roads into some
timber which they have been unable
to use or get sawmill men to convert
into lumber because of the lack of
suitable roads to haul 1t out to con- |
sumers. They hope to get, first the |
road, then the mill and then lot of
lumber and bridge timbers for use
Of the county government in its con-
programs.
During their first year in office
the board did not accomplish any
thing in particular aside from
routine work. They studied roads
and bridges and resources, and got
slightly acquainted with a good many
state and federal officials in the
highway departments. During the
second year they worked toward
more definite detectives and made
Iome roads. The third winter they
closed some contracts and last sum-
ner got the construction work done.
n all their negotiations they fol-
owed the tactics of friendship and ,
believing they could ac- /
more in that way than in
my other, and they have built up a {
ct of friends on whom they can call
or deserved assistance. They give 1
,reat credit to state and federal Of Z
cials. whom they have approached {
nth the simple statement of their 4
fishes, and asked what could be r
one, or what they were entitled to, t
nd have received help. Men have n
one much to find ways and to advise 8
hem as to how to proceed to accom- h
lish their wishes, and the commits Il
toner's give grateful acknowledge v
lent of such assistance given to v
lem in such manner. t
Now that they have this county II
sleased from the expense of the up r
eep Of more than thirty miles of IL
Junk line roads, which have always "
ept draining the public treasury, Il
lie commissioners are taking fresh Il
ourage to finish other sections of il
Junk lines and get them taken over r.
nd maintained by the state. In some b
lses it may be almost as cheap to le
nish a road and turn it over, as to N
ay some upkeep this year and some "
ore next year and the year after lie
I'D never get it up to the standard Ii
,quired to make it state road and m
get state upkeep. They are study tt
g each of these as separate prob s
m, and taking into consideration pl