Laurel outlook., 1948-03-03
Commercial Club
Hears Views, Highway

Continued from Page One)
problem. The speaker declared that
eff anyone has a better plan" than
the engineers have, 1--WE want to
hear it." 3D.
A road tentatively considered for
north of the tracks would come
through Billings from the east on
Sixth avenue, quite a distance north
OF the present First avenue route,
and would jog at Division street
and go west on Anderson avenue. 1t
would contact Laurel's north side.
This route is still being studied.
In event the north road is con-
structed it would not mean aband-
onment of the east and west road
south of the railroad tracks, which
would still be needed. The north
side road would at first probably
consist of two lanes with spaces
on both sides for other lanes and
for auxiliary p%aralleling roads from
which locally originating traffic
could join or leave the main stream
at n or two-mile intervals. The
engineer seemed to think the aux
iliary roads would prevent the
establishment of many wayside gas
stations.
When the 1914 highway act was
passed, he said, about 48 per cent
of funds was for secondary roads,
2 per cent for urban and so per
cent for primary roads. Montana
has always needed money for its
share of the road program, derived
from gas taxes, but as the roads
become better the miles per gallon
increase and the percentage of tax
returns decrease, which, the engi-
neer said, is the reverse of what
goes on in many commercial enter
prises.
Steere was introduced by B. L..
Price, chairman of the Commercial
clubs road committee. In his in
PRODUCTION Price briefly outlined the
work of the committee in years
past "to save Main street and traf-
fic." The committee and the club
a whole have always considered
traffic as vitality important to bust
ness, and proposed changes are ap-
prehensively viewed. To obtain
definite information on the propos-
al now being considered it was
deemed expedient to gather avail
able information. For this purpose
Engineer Steere was invited to ad-
the meeting, who did so by
presenting the views of the plan
ming department.
Pres. Oliver Void presided at
the meeting. He opened by reciting
the activities of the board of di-
since the beginning of his
administration soon after the be-
of the present year. He
read the list of committee appoint
ments, which he termed working"
committees.
Harlan Russell reported on
housing of teams and visitors who
will attend the state basketball
tournament here March 10, 10 and
20, and requested the listing of
spare bedrooms for use of visitors.
o. K. Chapman is chairman of
Nv NOiiiiiAlbcNC VII OIOlC AN
decorations for the tournament.
Paul Wilson said Wayne Hage-
nan had reported receipts of more
han $762 from the recent all-star
basketball benefit game, which will
De used on the Laurel baseball
park. Further financial assistance
S to be given by the Eagles lodge
and the Veterans of Foreign Wars
who are sponsoring events to raise
He was confident the ball
park would be completed this year.
Ray Stevens of the finance COM
nittee announced that considerable
work had already been done by his
committee, starting last fall, and
hat subscriptions are being receiv-
ID for financing the clubs activities
# the current year.