The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1939-05-25
Talks To
Libby Club On
Road Plans
State Engineer McKinnon
Gives Instructive Discourse
on Highway Matters.
MANY IMPORTANT
SUBJECTS DISCUSSED

That district No. | of the
Montana state highway or
ganization will have approx
mately $504, 1900 to expend
on highways this coming fis-
cal year was information i'm
parted by D. A. McKinnon,
state highway engineer, at a
meeting of the Libby Com
mercial Club Tuesday night.
Just where this money will be
spent McKinnon could not say in
aSmuch as the l939-4G road pro-
gram has not yet been worked out
and will not be until after July L,
the beginning of the new fiscal
year. However. inasmuch as pres
emf law requires that so per cent
must be spent on new construction
and AZ per cent on reconstruction
of old roads, there will be spent
on new highways S302,50900 and
on reconstruction $20l, 67200, said
McKinnon
The meeting was held under the
auspices Of the highway committee
of the Commercial Club, Walter
Neils, chairman. Mr.. Neils invited
the club to partake of their din
ner at the logging camp of the j.
Neils Lumber Company, at Troy.
Consequently a large number of
Libby men drove to the neighbor-
ing town for the occasion and en-
joyed feast that has seldom if
ever been duplicated in these parts.
A number of Troy men were pres
ent as guests of the Club. They
were Clifford H. Clay, D. F. Fewkes,
Glen Thorn, E. B. Angel, Ed Hen
richs and County Commissioner
Chef Hoisington.
Great Fund of Information
Engineer McKinnon has the repu-
tation here of being most illum
mating speaker. He lived up to that
reputation in his address at the
Club meeting. He went into a
careful explanation of highway mat
tiers, placing before his audience a
clear picture of the plans under
which the department works and
the detectives it has in mind.
McKinnon said the department is
frequently criticized for spending
large sums on reconstruction He
pointed out how the highways con-
stantly deteriorate. If reasonable
amount is not spent each year in
reconstruction, said McKinnon, the
time would eventually come when
the highways would become prac-
tically worthless. He said there
are at present 4700 miles of high
way in the state. Assuming a life
of 30 years for the roads means that
one-thirtieth of that mileage, or l57
miles, must be reconstructed each
year AS matter of fact, much less
than that is reconstructed each year,
he said
Engineer McKinnon said there are
I09.57 miles of partially improved
roads in district No. | and 5594
miles of totally unimproved roads.
In the state there are 1868 miles
of uncompleted and unimproved
highways. Out of the funds COM
ing to the highway department, dis
trict No | is allotted, according to
law, 1185 per cent of the total
sum.
In explaining the policy of the
department, McKinnon said, I'VE
plan to spend the money on those
sections that are the most important
from the standpoint of through
service"
Speaking of the unfinished sec
tons of highway between Libby
and Kalispell, McKinnon said both
B. P. r. and state projects are pro-
grammed for oiling in the near fu-
ture. Elk Hill will have to be re-
surveyed and reconstructed tC
bring it in line with present stand
ards. The four miles between Lib
by and Troy will be oiled just as
soon as the weather will permit
That contract is already let
The bridge and unimproved mile
age west of Troy is forest service
road, McKinnon said, and he coulc
not say just when that work would
be taken up. However, he said he
did know that forest service anc
B. P. R. officials considered the
work west of Troy of great import.
ance and were considering it ir
future plans.
Surveyors Here Soon
In reply to questions at the enc
of his address by County Commits
sioner Hoisington, Mr. McKinnor
said a survey crew for the Libby
Jennings road would be on thu
ground within a few days.
He also said that improvement o
the highways in the Eureka distric
was being given careful considera
ton by the highway department.
Before introducing Mr.. McKin
non Walter Neils spoke of severa
things of interest. He called TIN
clubs attention to the excellent i'm
preston that is created by the leav
ing of strips Of virgin timber alonI
the highways, mentioning the LIE
onia district as am example. Strip