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About St. Helens mist. (St. Helens, Or.) 1913-1933 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1915)
ST. HELENS MIST, FRIDAY, JANUAR Yl, 1915. CONDUCT OF HIGHWAY Taxpayers League of Columbia County Adopts Resolutions Charging Gross Incompetency and Willful Extravagance in Handling Highway Affairs in This County Petition the Highway Commission Not to Reappoint Mr. Bowlby. To Honorable James Withycoinbe, Governor-elect of Oregon and Thomas B. Kay, State Treasurer Bob. W. Olcott, Secretary of State, comprising the Oregon State High way Commission after January 11th, 1915, and to Hon. Oswald West, present Governor of Ore gon, and now a membor of the said Oregon State Highway Com mission: On the 14th of December, 1914, a Columbia County Tarpayers League was organized whereby the taxpay ers from the various sections of the county met and perfected organiza tion, having for its purpose and object the examination of the expenditure of public funds and a scrutiny of the general affairs of the county. At this meeting var ious committees were appointed to mako certain examinations and in vestigations upon various subjects, among them being a committee to in vestigate the affairs of the road con struction in Columbia County under the supervision of Major H. L. Bowl by, State Highway Engineer, and to ascertain the truth or falsity of the charges of gross incompetent y and extravagance directed at the said State Highway Engineer in his work In this county. This committee has met and examined the records and made a report to the organization containing facts and figures as taken from the records of the county and that report has been adopted by the Columbia County Taxpayers League. At a meeting of the League on the 2Sth of December, 1914, a commit tee on Resolutions was appointed by the league to draft resolutions di rected to the Oregon State Highway Commission protesting against the re-appointment of Major Bowlby as State Highway Engineer and those resolutions as adopted follow, towit: Resolutions. Whereas the committee on inves tigation of the affairs of the road construction in Columbia County under the direction and supervision of Major H. L. Bowlby, State High way Engineer, has made its report to this league, which report is in words and figures following towit: KeMrt of SimhIhI .Committee. To the Columbia County Tax Payers League: The committee appointed to ex amine into the records of the work of State Highway Engineer Bowlby in Columbia County, with especial reference to the construction of the Columbia Highway, have met and examined the records and find the following: Expensive Surveys. That prior to the time of tho bond election, about a year ago, Major Bowlby represented to tho County Court of this county that the sur veys of the roads proposed to be( constructed from the pr ceeds of the sale of bonds and the tax levies for last year, would cost from $10,000 to $12,500. That tho County of Columbia has paid up to December 1st, for surveys under the direction of the State Highway Engineer the sum of $25,739.31 and that there was one month's expense of survey which was paid by the State and which has been estimated as approx imating $3000. Promise to Reimburse. It was promised by the State Highway Commission that If the cost of the surveys should be first paid by the county and the county should then vote bonds to construct a system of highways, the State Commission would repay to the county all the money it had advanc ed for surveys and that such re inbursements Bhould be made during 1914. Excessive Cost. So far tho State has repaid the county lor survey money the sum of $7236.27. It would there fore appear that the total cost of surveys in this county under the direction of the State Hiehwav Engineer approximates $28,750, the estimate of which was from $10,000 to $12,500 and that of the 125.739 which Columbia County has paid for the surveys the State Highway Com mlHsion has repaid to the county $7238.27, leaving approximately i8,uuu aue from the Stato, Com mission to the county. Cost Underestimated. At the time of the lotting of the wuiruci ior me construction of the road from Tide Creek in 0.atarn County the State Highway estimated that tho cost of such construction would be $280,000 at the figures of tho lowest bidder on such work to be done. So far there has been paid to the Consolidated Con work, based on his ostlmate of struction Company, the contractors on the road, the sum of $194,185.43 and there has been held back from their pay 20 per cent of the money earned, amounting to $48,546.36 bo that they have earned $242,731.79. Add to this the sum of $25,000, in round numbers, for supervising en gineering, brings the total cost of tho road construction from Tide Creek to Clatsop County, exclusive of the surveying, to approximately $265,000 and and engineers in charge report the work as being 75 per cent completed. As to whether or not the work is 75 per cent completed we are not in po sition to know nor to ascertain, al though we have been told by various persons who claim to know that the work is not more than 60 per cent completed. However the report of the engineers says that 75 per cent of the work Is done. In the matter of the comparison of the estimates with the actual work dono and paid for we find the follow ing: ClearltiK Estimate too Low. That the estimate of the State Highway Engineer on the road from Tide Creek to Clatsop County con tained the items of light clearing 87.5 acres and that up to December 1st there had been finished 78.6 acres. Heavy clearing the estimate of the State Highway Engine- r was 32.4 acres and up to the 1st of De cember there had been done 127.7 acres. Grubbing the estimate was 7905 square rods and t the 1st of December 8348 square rods were paid for. Loose rock the estimate showed 34,500 cubic yards and there has been paid for 67,104 cubic yards. Soft rock the estimate showed 9,900 cubic yards while up to December 1st 36,642 cubic yards had been moved by the contractors. Taking these figures and comparing the esti mates of tho Slate Highway Engi neer with the actual work done and paid for together with the fact that the heavy rock work along the route, especially in the neighborhood of Goble and Prescott has not been fairly rtarted, we would say that it is quite impossible for us to esti mate with any degree of exactness, whether the construction work is 50 per cent completed or 75 per cent completed. Xo Detulled Keports. ' It was impossible for us to find any detailed reports of the work on any particular section of the road from Tide Creek to Clatsop County, so tho figures we have obtained are taken from the work done on this entire work, and we have not gone further into the matter as these are what we consider the principal fig ures desired by the taxpayers, as showing whether or not the taxpay ers of tho county have been g'ven good service by tho State Highway Engineer. Extravagance Charged. . Many rumors have come to us as to carelessness and extravagance In the work of the State Highway En gineer but we have not taken the time nor trouble to run them down and tho records no not show as much as they should about the details of tho work nor the expenditures of the monoy. No Recommendations. It is not our province to make recommendations in this report but simply to report the figures as they have been filed in the offices of the county of Columbia, anl we submit them to you as we have found them and leave It to the people and to yourselves as to the service received for the money expended. Respectfully submitted, H. J. SOUTHARD. GUST AVE LANGE. Further Resolutions. And whereas it appearing there from that the work of the State Highway Engineer has not been sat isfactory to the taxpayers of Colum bia County, nor has It been satisfac tory or at least of such character as should be satisfactory to the State of Oregon or the State Highway Commission and that the results ob tained from tho money spent in the construction of the Columbia High way in Columbia County from Tide Creek to Clatsop County, a distance of about 38 miles, ara not In propor tion to the amount of money expend ed, and that the said construction work is far from complete and all the funds derived from the sale of county bonds have been expended by the said State Highway Engineer and no road that can be used at all yet ENGINEER IS DISPLEASING finished, and that for the work to continue under the direction of tho said Major Bowlby would be the equivalent of a petition In bankrupt cy for Columbia County before any results could be obtained; And whereas it appearing from the said report and other reports of the committee on roads and bridges that the funds of Columbia County have been expended in a most care less and extravagant manner and that much incompetency and sus picions of graft are very apparent to any taxpayor; And whereas it appearing from said reports and frcm a general knowledge of affairs concerning said work by said Highway Engineer that it Is proposed by said State Highway Engineer to require the expenditure of many thousands of dollars of the taxpayers money In Columbia County where it can be of no use and which will, if permitted, mean the abandon ment of roads that have already cost many thousands of dollars and which are in good condition and parallel the proposed road to be constructed by said State Highway Engineer, and the said proposed road to ba con structed by said State Highway En gineer would be an expensive piece of useless road and wouid practical ly destroy many valuable farms and greatly damago many others and would be of no practical benefit to the peoplo of this county and would not open up nor have a tendency to develop any new country; And whereas the engineering work under tho direction of Major Bowlby shows that it has not been performed or done with any refer ence to exactness or reliability and shows that it was so done for the purpose of misleading the people and county court or elso was done by Incompetent and inexperienced men and much of the same has been discarded and changes have been made roqulring much unnecessary expense; And the said engineering work has been and is costing the people of Col umbia County and the State of Ore gon great Bums of money which are unnecessary and which could and should be used In road const, uction instead of being squandered In use less and extravagant surveys; And whereas it appears from all the facts disclosed by the records and from a general knowledge that the people of Columbia County and the State of Oregon have not been treat ed in a business like manner by the said Major H. L. Bowlby, and that his work in this county conclusively" proves that the Bald Major Bowlby is unfit to hold the responsible posi tion of State Highway Engineer and for the protection of the taxpayers of the entire State of Oregon some change should be made in the office of State Highway Engineer. Therefore bo It Resolved by the Columbia County Taxpayers League that the Oregon State Highway Com mission be requested and urged to appoint some other person than Maj or Bowlby as Stato Highway Engi neer, and thai the chango In Eald of fice be made at once in order to save thousands of dollais of the tax payers money and In order that the building of good roads and road con struction in the State of Oregon shall not be hampered by incompe tent and extravagant engineers. Bo it further resolved that the members of the State Highway Com mission bo Invited to Inspect the records of the said Major Bowlby'g exploitation In Columbia County and that they be also invited to inspect the work done and being done in this county for which nearly a half million dollars have been expended and for which no .results are appar ent. - Be it further resolved that a copy or these resolutions be forwarded to Hon. James Wlthycombe, Governor-elect of Oregon, Hon. T. B. Kay, State Treasurer, Hon. Ben W. Ol cott, Secretary of State and to Hon Oswald West, Governor of Oregon. with the request that they make thorough investigation of the charges herein contained before making the appointment of Major Bowlby as State Highway Engineer fcr the coining year. Be it further resolved that a conv of these resolutions bo furnished the public press of the State In ordor that wide publicity may be given to a matter of vital importance to every county and every taxpayer in me state. Respectfully submitted, W. J. FULLERTON. W. P. MACLAY. MILDRED WATTS. GUST AVE LANGE. Committee on resolutions Publicity Requested. A copy of the resolutions Is here by forwarded to Hon. James Wlthy combe, Hon. Thos. II. Kay, Hon. Ben V. Olcott and Han. Oswald West Secrotary Instructed to furnish copies to all county papers and to the Oregonlan, Journal and Tele gram of Portland. J. O. WATTS, President Columbia County Taxpay ers League. P. C. CAPLES, Secretary Coumbin County Taxpay ers Leaguo. Report on Komi and llrhlgos. To the Officers and Members of the Columbia County Taxpayers League: Wo, your commltteo appointed to look Into the matter of taxation for roads and bridges, beg loave to sub mit tho following report: Half Million Ex (tended. We find that the county has spent approximately one half million dol lars in the construction of the roads and bridges during the past year and has nothing to show for It, except the bridges and a lot of half constructed new highways, and OBSTRUCTED and impassable old county roads, with damage suits , and litigation staring the taxpayers In the face. We bellove the people have not received their moneys worth In the work already done and wo do con demn the present method of disburs ing road money without a more care ful check on tho manner In which It Is spent. Estimates nt Varluure, We find the estimates as furnish ed by the State Highway Engineer to the County Court as to the amount of materia) to bo removed In the cuts and the yardage to be placed In the fills Is so at variance with the actual amounts of the material so moved and placed, as evidenced by the reports Bent Into the County Courfby tho engineers In charge of the construction, to be very unreli able; and especially is this so In the matter of clearing the right of way, the engineers estimates show that there was less than 33 acres of heavy clearing which during the clearing process Increased to 127.7 acres, as evidenced by the reports of the en gineers In charge of the work to the county court. Many Changes Made. We find that there has been so many changes made in location of roads from the original surveys and so much money spent for surveys and engineers in proportion to the amount actually expended in road construction, that It appears rrosa extravagance or Incompetence or both. The original surveys and lo cations were worthless and money wasted making them or else thev were fake surveys made to deceive the taxpayers and county officers. The proposed changing of the loca tion of the road to the west side of tho S. P. & S. Right of way from Scappoose to the Columbia City fill, which will necessitate the purchaso of expensive rights of way and the removal of numerous bulldlngB, to gether with the construction of five expensive bridges, when there Is al ready a good road with Bteel bridges and fills all completed and have been made, some of them, the past year, paralleling said propoaod road, on the east Bide of the track, seems to be an unnecessary and shameful ex travagance at this time No Expensive Bridges. We find there are no expensive bridges to be constructed In the county during the coming year ex cept probably the brldgo across Beaver Creak between Qulncy and Inglls and except 8 or 9 bridges on the new Columbia River Highway In Beaver Creek Canyon which we see no possibility of completion this year. Blight Result Obtained. Therefore taking Into view all the circumstances connected with tim construction of hlgnways In this county during the past year and the amount of money spent without n attained benefits, (except the amounts expended under the super vision of the several district mart supervisors) we think it would be good business policy and oulte a. ... ing to the taxpayers, and Would r a suit In more good to the county if we aiBconunued tho appropriation of any more funds for the mn.).,,. tion of highways except the amounts worneu out in the several road dls trlcts by actual residents and taxpay ers In the county under the super vision and tho county court. Respectfully submitted, W. J. EULLKRTON. J. O. WATT8. P. C. CAPLES. Commlttoo on roads and brldgos. TO THE TAXPAYERS OF COLUMBIA COUNTY On Monday, Docomber 14th, a Col umbia County Tax-Payers League was organized at St. llolens and tho following oflcers wero elected presi dent, J. G. Watts, of Scappooue; sec retary, P. C, Caples, of Columbia City; treasurer. E. E. Quick, f . St. HoIoiib. The objoct of this organization Is to reduce taxes, assist In tho dovul topment of tho resources of tho coun ty and aBsUt tho County Court and othor county officials In an econo mical admtnlutrallon of County af fairs. To glvo our bui port to all needful economical development now engaged In by the county, and condonm al unnocoBsary and waste ful undertakings. Wo desire tho co-oporatlon of overy tax-payor In tho county, rosl dont or non-resident, and as targe a membership as possible. It shall bo tho duty of every mem ber of the Leaguo to keep a keen watch upon all county expenditures In hl.-t district, to soe that the county gets honest efficient compensation for evory dollar of public money ex pended. ,' J. G. WATTS. P. C. CAPLES. PARCEL BUSINESS DURING HOLIDAYS Preliminary estimates by post offlco officials place tho number of parcel post packages handled during the Christmas rush at 100,000,000 and Indicated that tho total volume of parcet post traffic for 1914 will total 1,000,000,000 packanos. HUMAN TARGETS IN THE FIELD The belligorent armlos In the field of war today number, all told, nearly 18,500,000 men, or. 28,000,000 with all reserve's and "new" troops count ed, according to a French statls tlcnn, M. Yves Guyot. Tho expendi tures required he eutimates at an avorage of nearly $2.50 dally a man, or about $11,000,000,000 for one year of warfaro. A single year of tho present war, ho thinks, will cost WHiiN BUYING Consider HARDWARE KJSHgy mi MUCKLE HARDWARE CO. 1915 FORD.. ON EXHIBIT AT THE --. INDEPENDENT AUTO GARAGE 1 ' ST. HELENS, OREGON Columbia County Abstract I I l Abstract., Real Estate, Insurance, Loans, Conveyancing. j ST. HELENS, - OREGON j ,,, about tho mime amount of money at the total expenditure for all tl.o wari of the former 60 years. SUGAR EXPORTS OF THE UNITED STATES Nearly 200,000,000 pounds of do mestio refined sugar wero exported from continental United States dur ing the tlireo months ended Octnhwr 31, 1914, or more than 100,000,000 In excess of the entlro exports In 1910, the high record year of the last quarter century, Sugar oxports In August amount" d to 38,956,305 pounds; In September, 62,290,773, and In October, 138,372,680, a' total for tho three months of 229,619,764 pounds, against 44,000,000 In the fiscal year 1913, 126.000,000 In' 1910, and 10,000,000 In 1903. Dur-' Ing the fiscal years 1913 and 1914 pructlcally all the exports of sugar v wero refined . from Imported raw x$ j sugar, mid received a drrwhack equal to tho duties paid on tho raw sugar. INDUSTRIAL NOTES. Out of 90 members of tho loglnla turo, 38 arc luwyers. Douglass county will pay $141,000 loss taxes than In 1914, Linn county tax levy Is reduced tlireo mills from last your. Plve cents for a-oquan-meal hom e aro being established In Port land. Sulurlos and expenses of county ; gamo warden totalled $47,000 for this year. Juckson county i.pent during 1914, on g od roads, $00,000. Pacific ; highway cost $325,000. Polk county l as agreed to pay ono- lliird of tho cost of a $226,000 steel bridge across the Willamette, Si'lem. A groat achievement of tho fluli and game commlsnlon Is to stop the manufacture of buckskin gloves In ' Oregon. Negotiations cro pending between tho Baker Commercl: 1 Club and the J Union Pacific Railway to eabllsli, ' In Hcker. two' factories. i The Commonwealth Conference at Eugcno hint week endorsed connoll- datlon of all stato boards anj com- ' missions under a few heads. A coast representative of Llhhy, McNIel & Llbby has bnn In confid ence with huslnoss men al Tim Dalles to eutabllch a cannary there. ' tlic house that stands behind the goods tt sells. There is so much deceptive hardware on t lie market that no reliable dealer will ever he KNOWS WE GUARANTEE OURS and that is the best advertisement that we could ever write. Company f V eel 't '