The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1924-05-08
GETTING TOGETHER ON TRANS
PORTATIoN.

I
craigmont last week to discuss way
and means of meeting critical cor
dltlon now confronting US relative t
the operation of stages and truck
over our highways. Attorney @. Fl
| Nugent had been appointed to look in
to the matter relative to the cities an,
villages, through which the stages an,
trucks are operating, passing an ordi
nance requiring the stages and truck
to pay licenses. After some explana
tions on this point and discussion b,
Mr.. Nugent and Senator Rehberg, they
advised the pledging of our senator,
and representatives to the state legis
lature to the passage of law regulat
ing and placing the trucks and stages
operating on the highways under the
public utility commission, the same as
other public carriers.
w. G. Geddes of the Craig Noun
tain Lumber Co. made an interesting
and instructive talk on the railroad
situation and the critical condition
confronting us if the stages and trucks
are allowed to continue as they are at
present. He pointed out that the
short line railroads were operated as
a matter Of convenience more than
one of profit, and especially the in
dependent lines. He stated that most
of them we're operating at loss at
the present time and if the people kept
on allowing the trucks and stages to
run Unfortunately without regula-
tion, many of the smaller railroads
would become bankrupt, and the bust
ness on the branch lines would be so
materially reduced that many of them
would soon cease TO function and many
others would curtail their service. He
stated that it would very likely cause
the service on the Camas Prairie raft
road to be cut to mixed train and
also the discontinuing of some of the
passenger trains on the Palouse branch
from Lewiston to Spokane.
Attorney p w. Mitchell stated that
many of those present remembereo
how long and hard we had worked to
get railroad built on this prairie.
That it was finally built and is giving
US good service. That they built their
own road, paid for their own right of
ways, paid for their own grading, paid
for their own ties and rails, paid for
their own surfacing and are paying
for their own upkeep. They did nor
ask any donations nor any bonding Of
he country by the people through
which the road was built. In contrast
20 this he pointed out that the stages
md trucks have done little or moth
ng towards building and the upkeep
If the highways; that they are con
;ributing practically nothing toward
he benefit of the town, the school dis
riots, road districts, counties and
tates through which they are operat- |
ng; except small license ON each
tage truck and the two cents gal
on on gasoline that they burn, which |
very farmer OF any one else pays
when he drives car, whether for
,leasure or business; as does every |
armer when he burns gas for thresh- |
ng, plowing or anything else he uses
{ for.
He asked them if they realized or
new that the railroads were paying
nore than $4,000 annually for taxes
n this county aloneY If they knew
hat the Camas Prairie railroad was
aying more than $1,000 annually for
he support, interest and sinking fund
nd maintenance of the roads in the
central (Craigmont) highway district
loneg He stated that this same road
yas paying more than $1,000 annually
or the support of the public schools
4 Craigmont, or more than enough to
ay one grade teacher; that it was
aying more than 5000 for the support
f the village of Craigmont annually
, taxes; that the railroad had men
wing there who were working and be-
10 supported entirely by the railroad;
lat the railroad was doing the same
ing proportionately for every other
,ad district, school district, village
/ city through which it operated. He
;ated that the railroads were under
,e supervision of the public utility
and are regulated by 1t
nd that the stages and trucks should :
, under the same regulation and
lould be required to pay their pro-
,rtionate share in the maintenance
Id upkeep of the highways.
Ben Frye, highway commissioner
ON the Ferdinand district in Idaho
,unty, stated that the highway con-
ructed by them as the connecting
ak for the North and South High
ay. had cost them $4,000 alone, and
at the bad spots in the highway at 9
q present time had been caused by G
e trucks and stages running over
4.