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About The Polk County post. (Independence, Or.) 1918-19?? | View Entire Issue (May 30, 1919)
Hard Surface Highways Mean Greater Developme nt of Our Resources, Enhancement of Land Values, Reduced Cost of Hauling, and Make Possible All-Year Travel. VOTE NO. 318 YES -o.id aqj Jo a ' uu uj a .mom aqi q.ijimi jects at the rate o f not less than three dollars to one dollar, and the contract for construction shnil have been awarded. REASONS W H Y PROPOSED BOND Q.— Under what jurisdiction is the ISSUE SH O U LD BE VOTED. money raised from the bond issue and under whose jurisdiction are the roads built? Measure Must lie Considered in the A.— The State Highway Commission Light of a Gilt-Edge Investment and the Federal Government exclusive ly. — for Polk Taxpayers. A Wise Investment. ALL OF ONE MIND When- the voter lias digested all the E IG H T E E N OTHER CO UNTIES ARE facts in connection with the proposed SEEK IN G H IG H W A Y AID. bond issue he cannot fa il to immediate ly realize that pledging the credit of the county in the sum named is a good Polk Gets None of Government Appro investment, and one that he would priation Unless It Matches the jump at in the conduct o f his private affairs. I f readers o f these lines Money One to Three. could secure a return o f three dollars on an investment o f one dollar we During the ensuing three years the would all be fallin g over each other Federal Government w ill expend In to reach the source from which the And public affairs Oregon for the construction o f l*>st o ffer emanated. roads the magnificent sum o f $4,000,000 should be conducted along practically and when the congress gets to the con the lines o f private affairs, especially The tax sideration o f the further needs o f not with reference to finances. only this state but others throughout payers o f Polk county have been long the land greater amounts w ill doubt suffering in their contributions fo r the less be forthcoming. These appro building and maintenance o f roads priations w ill be distributed among that have comparatively little endur counties making provisions to match ance. and which under the present day federal aid. and hence the proposed tra ffic o f motor vehicles o f various bond issue in Polk county o f $265,000, types go to pieces soon after their com presented to the voters on .Tune 3 fo r pletion. leaving practically nothing for Hard surface their approval or rejection. Unless large expenditures. Polk county votes to issue bonds it roads eliminate further cost, and a f cannot get any federal assistance in ford opportunity for the county to any amount whatsoever, meaning a build up a system o f laterals on which loss o f three dollars from the govern is the lighter traffic, that is now out ment for every dollar devoted to the o f the question fo r want o f adequate funds. purpose by the county. Tuesday. Vote Number ,31ft X Yes. F.ighteen other counties in Oregon (From The Observer o f April 18) Probably the largest and unquestion ably the most enthusiastic gathering of taxpayers ever held within Polk coun ty was that o f Saturday afternoon, called at the instance o f the Dallas Commercial club for the purpose of discussing and neting upon a propo sition to pledge the eredit o f the coun ty in the sum o f $265,000 for the better ment o f its highways. The spacious circuit court room was filled to over flowing with representative citizens of the county, many persons being com pelled to crane their necks from the corridor« on plther side in order to participate in the deliberations of the assemblage and to mingle their ayes with those o f the more fortunate ones who had taken time by the forelock and gained admission. The meeting was characterized by its unanimity of opinion, not a single voice being raised in opposition to the measure which the gathering contemplated submitting to the qualified electors on June 3 for their approval or rejection. Farmers from isolated parts, those who have long exhibited Job-like patience in their suffering for want o f good roads, appreciative o f this ray o f sunshine along their market pathway, were among the first to acclaim in favor of issuing bonds o f sufficient proportions to pull them out o f the mud. Repre sentatives from cities and villages stood shonlder to shoulder with their country cousins in the .successful con summation o f tile biggest constructive undertaking ever launched in Polk county, meaning an exiienditure of millions o f dollars for road purposes within the confines o f this bailiwick during the next five years— a sufficient amount to improve in accordance with their demands practically every trunk line and'm arket road, no matter how oliseure the latter may be. are presenting the same question to its voters at the special election next month, and if any fa il to carry the proposition those counties voting bonds w ill receive the money that would otherwise go to their less fortunate neighbors. I f Polk's decision next Tuesday is against pledging the eredit o f the county in the sum o f $265,000 fo r the construction o f permanent high ways, as shown by the map printed on this page, then those other counties voting bonds w ill get our share o f the government money allotted to this pur pose. One post road project has already been approved by the Secretary of Agriculture, that between Dallas and Salem, the estimated cost o f which is $.327,000. but its construction is con tingent upon Polk county preparing the roadbed, for which $1.3.000 is included in the bonding measure. Others will follow in various parts o f the county until our finances are exhausted. I>c- fore which time, according to the beat available information. Polk county will have had expended within its borders approximately $1,500,000 by state and federal governments. Tf all the $265,000 bonds were issued during the present year and roads built as provided for in the election call a two-mill tax annually would pay the interest and retire the full issue of bonds on the present property valua tion in fifteen years. The present cost o f maintaining Polk county roads represented in the improvement pro- *eeii shown hr the map is practically «17,000. ro $150 per mile per annum. Tt w ill readily be seen from this that the total cost fo r upkeep fo r fifteen rynt-s on these graveled roads would lie $225,000 to snv nothing o f the further cost o f horseflesh, gasoline, wear and tear as against hard surface roads, the aggregate o f which cannot be es timated at less than *100.000 addi tional. Tt lias been figured out bv experts rhnt it costs the nutomobilists driving a car with average gasoline consumption one cent per mile more to tread macadamized roads than hard surface roads. Aside from financial gain good roads save health and souls through hrainstrom. the value of which are inestimable. Information in Brief. For the information o f those per sons who are not fam iliar with the various points in connection with the proposed bond issue the follow ing ques tions and answers have lieen prepared : Question— W ill all o f the roads des ignated on the ballot he built this or next year? Answer— No. Question— I f the federal government does not build any roads in Polk coun ty. w ill the bonds he issued? A.— No. Q.— I f the bonds are issued can the county spend the money voted for one project for the construction o f any other project? A— No. Q.— When will the bond« be issued? A.— When the state highway com mission and the federal government BIG PROPERTY HOLDERS FAVOR BONDS FOR B U IL D IN G ROADS. largest and Most Enthusiastic Meet ing Ever Held in Polk County, That of April Thirteenth. +*+**++♦+++♦+++++ ♦ ♦ ♦ JUST A F E W NOTES. ♦ + ♦ * + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Without money to match government and state nid in road building Polk county w ill get nothing o f the $4,000.- 000 already allotted by the federal government to Oregon. Other counties voting to pledge their credit for build ing highways w ill receive our share. Tt is only a matter o f good business to carry thé $265.000 bond issue. Tuesday. Vote Number .318 X Yes. O f the $5.000.000 bonds for recon struction. $2.000.000 will be used prin cipally for building. The plan calls for a state hospital at Portland, a new lienitentlarv at Salem, new buildings at the University o f Oregon nnd the Oregon agricultural college and armo ries scattered throughout the state. Counties, however, which wish to avail themselves o f the raonev for armories must match it. Buildings are pro vided for at the Monmouth normal schools, a hospital fo r feeble-minded, buildings fo r the soldiers' home nt Roseburg and other projects. Tuesday. Vote Number 318 X Yes. Good roads are the best investment the taxpayers o f Polk county can pos sibly make. Practically every large landholder in the county appreciates this fact, and will not only vote to issue bonds for the construction of permanent hard surface highways but w ill use his influence to that end with his neighbor. Tuesday. Vote Number .318 X Yes. The entire state is directly interest ed in the proposed $5.000.000 bond issue for reconstruction work. O f this sum ; $2.000.000 is to bo used only in co- ; operation with the federal government in the reclamation o f lands, by irriga tion. drainage and other improvements. Tuesday. Vote Number 318 X Yes. The Roosevelt Highway. It is to lie hoped that the measure Project One— For preparing grade as laid out by the state highway commission through Holmes Gap and south providing for an appropriation o f p f Monmouth to the Benton county line, a distance o f 26 miles. $40.000. , $2.500.000 by the state for the construc tion o f a highway down the coast will Project Two— For preparing grade from the intercounty bridge at West Salem to the intersection o f Main and be carried at the June election. It Academy streets at Dallas, as now surveyed and staked out by the highway commission, and having the approval of is contingent upon the federnl govern Secretary o f Agriculture Wilson as a post road, a distance of 15 miles, $13,000. ment making a like appropriation. Such Project Three— For the purpose o f preparing road bed or matching State and Federal aid between Dallas and a road would open up one o f the finest the north county line, via Salt Creek and Ballston, a distance o f 13 miles, $.39,000. dairying and timber countries in the Pacific Northwest, the development o f Project Four— For the purpose o f preparing road bed or matching State and Federal aid from the intersection of which would soon return to the treas the road where the Porrdale road crosses nt the foot o f Dolpli hill to the intersection with the West Side Highway ury o f the state in taxes more than the at the W aldo Finn corner, via Perrydale and McCoy, a distance o f 7 miles, $21.000. amount expended on the highway. As a m ilitary thoroughfare such n road is Project Five— For the purpose o f preparing road bed or matching State an<l Federal nid from Dallas to Falls most Important. City, a distance o f 10 miles, $30.000. Project Six— For the purpose o f preparing road bed or matching State and Federal nid from Fern crossing to A irlie, via Lewisville, a distance o f 8% miles, $24,000. Project Seven— For the purpose o f preparing road bed or matching State nnd crossing o f the West Side Highway a t Silver, r. distance o f 5 miles, $20,000. Federal aid from A irlie to the Project Eight— For the purpose of preparing road bed or matching State and Federal nid from Stiver to Stump’s corner, north to Independence,, stubbing Buena Vista, a distance of 11*4 nil lea. $30.000. Project Nine— For the purpose o f preparing road lied or matching State and bridge at West Salem to Lincoln store, « distance o f 6 miles, $18,000. Federal aid from the intercounty Projert Ten— For the purpose o f preparing road lied or matching State and Federal nid from Clanfleld’s corner, through Clearview, to county line, n distance o f 8 miles, $2.3.000. Project Eleven— For the purpose o f preparing road bed or matching State nnd Federal niil from Perrydale west to C. B. Byrley's corner, a distance o f .3 miles. $7.000. Trucks Assigned to Oregon. Seventy-two motor trucks, valued nt $220,000 have been assigned by the federal government to the Oregon stnte highway commission. Twenty-two o f tile trucks have been ordered shlp|ied to Pendleton and the remainder to Salem, for use on highway construction in tills Immediate n«*ctlon. contractors I « ‘big given use o f the trucks. They nre two-ton and fonr-n nd-a-ha lf-ton trucks. Normal Alumni Working. Letters are I icing sent to the Alumni o f the Norip m 1 by Miss Emily DeVore, M O N EY CANNOT BE T R A N SFE R R E D . president, and Mrs. Beulah Hesse- It should be distinctly understood that under no circumstances can money from one project l»e transferred to any Craven, secretary, inviting them to be other projert. and that unless the highway designated above shall be permanently improved the lionds for that present at the 11*19 Commencement, Postroad Project Considered. asking them to sutiserilie to the Mem State Senator I. L. Patterson con- \ particular project cannot be ¡ssued. orial fnnrl and urging them to vote for suited with momliers o f the commis-< the $5,<><>0.000 bond issue, from which sion yesterday regarding rushing the Enhances Value of tands. which would open a vast territory o f | lire ever present«! to the electors o f th<> Oregon Normal is entitled to re nostroad project lictween Salem and It Is our opportunity ceive $100.000 for buildings. "Th e prospective construction of rich country, I want to see the Polk ; Folk county. Dallas. The commissioners agree to call for bids for grading fo r the .Tune permanent highways has already en county Iiiftid issue carry, for it means and unless we take advantage of it th‘> Always in (lie Right. 10 meeting, the bids being contingent hanced land values in sections adja local development o f one o f the best millions o f dollars that will come Info “ Falls City will do its full duty In on the passage by the voters o f Folk cent to the proposed betterments. Why. and most prosperous counties in the the state from the federal government I during the ensuing few fears will go the rood bond election, have no fear o f county o f their proposed rond bond the other day I sold a parcel o f land state."- M. Peterson. Grand Ronde. We are alive to the fact that to other counties voting lionds at (lie Hint. bill. I f the lionds fail to carry the for $7,000 to a party whose principal June election and Polk will lose its good roads are not, only a convenience His Turn W ill Come. bill« will t>e rejected and Senator object in making the purchase' was to Imt a necessity to the upbuilding o f “ It has I hs ' ii sixty-five years since Jusr proportion.” — Representative W. Patterson promised to pay the cost of j locate on an all-year-round road. There’ the country. F a ll» City has always advertising himself. I f the bonds is no question in my mind that good thi‘ Starbucks first took possession of V. Fuller. stood for good roads, and there It carry the Salem-Dallas road w ill get a roads are at least a 20 per cent invest hinds in Polk county, during all of stand« today.” — Hon. Frank K. Hub Others Will Vole Bonds. ment to landholders." — Ex-county which time it has been necessary to flying start.— Oregonian. bard. trespass upon the holdings o f others to There is little doubt but that Marion. Judge E. C. Kirkiiatrlck. Clackamas Work Planned. reach a country road. And while the 1 Yamhill, Lincoln, Tillaroisilf. Linn and Must Maintain Our Position. Ulackama« county, which heretofore Road W ill Benefit Many. road program outlined does not relieve other adjoining counties will vote “ I f Polk county Is to maintain its has refrained from voting roarl Imnds. “ W ith the improvement o f the high my situation I am heartily In favor of lionds for the permanent improvement enviable position as flic Blue Ribbon plans a special election and road bond way from the Salem bridge to the Lin lmnding to help the more unfortunate. of their respective highways, at the county o f the Pnelfle Northwest It issue this summer. coln sfore everylwslv jn our section will My turn w ill come."— I)r. A. II. Star- ; June election, polk county must keep must get right on the road question." I apace with its neighbors or be lost In Hon. I. I,. Patterson. receive benefit, and the project as out buck. What Pat Thinks About It. ' the "hnffle. Umatilla has voted to “ The Salem-Rickreall road Is the lined should have their endorsement at Now or Never, Nays Fuller. “Joe” Is There Strong. ! issue $1.000.000 worth o f bonds for worst damned road I have ever seen.” the polls on June 3."— Wayne D. Henry “ There can be no good nnd sufficient i this purpose, while Sherman and “ I heartily approve o f this bond —Congressman C. N. McArthur before Spring Valley. reason for the proposed lw>nd issue not Wheeler have each gone to the limit. Issue and will do all that t can for Its road convention. His Second Choice. carrying, and I firm ly believe It will successful outcome at the election to Remember fhe Number, 318. lie held on June .3.'"—H Hirschberg. “ Next to the Roosevelt highway. have the largest m ajority o f any mens- Tuesday. Vote Number 318 X Yes VOTE 3 1 8 YES AND PULL OLD POLK OUT OF THE MUD Published by authority o f A. B. Star buck. W. V. Fuller. H. Hlrshberg. Publicity Committee.