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About The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 28, 1920)
mNWMWW, Good Roads Section THE ONTARIO ARGUS ' Good Roads Section Good Roads Make for Prosperity and Happiness. They Reduce .the Cost of farm Trans portation Bring the City and Country Together Ontario' Merchants Invite You to Join in the Celebration of the Completion of the Paving to the Snake River Bridge '-Come- You'll be Welcomed. ONTARIO TO MM COMPLETION Of f 1RST PAVED ROAD IN COUNTY Merchants Plan To Make Evont One of Real Bonofit To Pooplo of Malheur and Payette Counties Band Concert Froo Danco But Best of All, Money Saving Bargains On Mondny .November 1, the first piece of paved high way in South Eastern Oregon will be dedicated to the public service. This event is not so important in itself, but its significance and iinporUwiee is found in the fact (hat it marks a departure, a forward step in road con struction in this section; it means that Oregon has lead the way in preparing hardsurfaeed roads for the use of its people and to serve as an udi quale connection with its sister state of Idaho. The example thus set will undoubtedly be followed by our neighbors. Oregon wants that to result, for by means of good roads connecting the state's the interests of both will be served. In this good work the only rivalry is that of thoso who would best servo the public. The celebration of this opening will take place on Monday, while marking the first use of a paved road in this section, it marks the end of a Jong battle on the part of the people of Ontario for a proper and adequate con nection with their neighbors on the Tdaho side. The fight has been won. Ontario has wanted this con nection, not only for the business that has and will come to Ontario, but that it would serve as a trade artery for this section and lie a part of the inter-state highway sys tem and will bind these commonwealths together. Will Servo As Example Tho but a" short piece of highway the good'roads'en thusiasts feel that it will serve as an example and create a demand for other hard surface roads in this section until tho time will come when such highways will cross all the Snake and Malheur valleys, extend on to Portland on tho west and Pocatollo and tho Yellowstone on the Easti run South to the Nevada line and North to Spokane. In other words tho business men of Ontario realize that good roads are the life of business, a blessing to the ranch er, the ideal bond between the city and tho country thus mutually beneficial to both. They therefore trust that tho proposed good roads bonds to be voted upon by the electors ot Tdaho next Tues day will bo approved. CELEBRATION PAVING IS SECTION OF FAMOUS OLD OREGON TRAIL HIGHWAY Letter to Highway Engineer First Step Toward Success Is Eastern Terminus of Famous Old Oregon Trail Faculty Record Had To Be Corrected Ef forts Made To Block Construction. It is a far cry from tho smootlu Highway of today which marks the Eastern terminus of the Old Oregon Trail from that which the ox teams of years ago traversed. But tho fight to get that piece of paving was only a little .noother than tho old rutty trail. The first real stop toward securing the paving of this bit of road was taken on August 23, 1919 when II. B. Cockrum, P. J. Gallagher and Geo. K. Aiken, then the Good Roads committee of the Ontario Commercial flub tddressed a letter to M. 0. Bennett, division highway en gineer for tho Oregon Highway Commission, advisiong m of Ontario's plans to pavo the street leading to the citv limits where the road joins it. Mr. Bennett was asked to take the matter up with the Highway Commission to learn its attitude, and secure favorable action if possible. On September 12 Mr. Bennett advised the committee that favorable action had been taken by tho commission which then consisted of Simon Benson, chairman, W. L. Thompson, representative of Eastern Oregon and R. A. PROGRAM l4444"4544H t THE ORDER OF EVENTS 1:30 P. M. Official tendering of highway to nubile use. bv Entrineer Smith. 1:45 P. M. Official acceptance by County Judge E. H. Test. 2:00 P. M. Impromtu auto parade to Oregon stroot Ontario. 2:30 P. M. Free picturo shows at both theaters to all visitors. 3:30 P. M. Free band concert on Oregon street by High School Band. 4:30 P. M. Visit stores of Ontario merchants. 9:00 P. M. Free danco to all visitors at Ontario Opora Houso. COME! COME I At 2:110 both the Dreamland and tho Majestic Theatres will give a full hours showing of a splendid feature film entirely free to all who wish to see them. At J1:IU) the High School band will give a free street concert for one hour. This will complete the enter tainment for the afternoon. In the evening a free, community dance will be tendered all visitors in the Ontario Opera House. On Monday evening the picture theaters will start their first show at seven o'clock instead of 7:15 as usual. This is done in order that everyone may go to the first show of the evening at either picture theatre and then have sufficient time to go to the Ontario Opera House for the opening of the com munity dance which will begin promptly at nine o'clock. Both theatres will have on their programs On Monday November 1, tho citizens of Ontario will hold a celebration of tho opening of the paved highway laid this summer from the west end of the Snake River bridge connecting Ontario with the Fruitland bench in Idaho. A ceremony of dedication of the highway to public use will be held at the west end of the bridge beninning at 1 :30 p. m. This ceremony will consist of tho turning over of the highway to public use officially I lit Miirincors in charge of the work. "Following 'i i oiu i ''go E. JF. Test will officially ac 'pt lb' highway n I. half of the public. An impromptu parade viM then l- '' rmed over the highway into Ontario to O.- Veet; thence North to (he end of tho pavement; ihoii; turn South to the end of the pavement; then turn and proceed to tho inter section of Oregon street and Nevada Avenue anil disband. (Continued on Page Two and Three) Paving' to Bridge Recalls Fight for It's Construction While Paving Was Secured After Brief Struggle Years of Aggitation and Strenuous Effort Required to Securo Bridge Many Prominont Men F;gured in Effort Short Lino Assisted. While Ontario and the Eruitland J3ench are commem orating the construction of the paved highway connecting them, it is well to remember that this highway would never have been needed had not the bridge which spans the mighty Snake river not been built. And old timers recall that where the p.iving now makes travel easy and 'comfortable there once existed a veritable swam)),' whose existence was one of the argu ments used by thoso who fought the construction of the bridge. As the buildinir of the bridge was a mark of progress m too is the laying of the pavement, yet the difference in the struggle to secure the latter is even more of a mark of progressive spirit of this section. It seems therefore fitting at this tune that a brief history of the struggle which resulted in the building of the bridge bo given. Built in 1909 For yv in-, prior to 1909 there was an aggitation for the construction of a bridge across the Snake. There was opposition to the effort both within, and without Ontario. From within the .struggle came from those who for var ious reasons wanted different locations; while some even opposed the bridge at any point. Then there were jealous enemies of Ontario who saw in its construction competition for them and the diverting 'of business to Ontario that they had monopolized for 'years. I This all meant fight for those who were battling for 'the growth of Ontario and its sharo of the trade that ! naturally belonged to it. The list of thoso who made this battle cannot all be given, for the memory of thoso here now had a part in the struggle undoubtedly did not recall them all. i ! .Judge G. L. King took the first forward step when as the representative in the legislature of 1907 he introduced 'a I'll appropriating .fO'ioO for the consl ruction of the hridfj . Tl-o niejnrre was defeated. I'ut in 19(9 W. II. Bronl'o, wi o bad succeeded Judge King again introduced the bill and secured its passage. Tt was fo"",l t, however, and effort made to enjoin tho pavmont of the money, which was to bo matched by similiar surs appropriated by the City of Ontario and Malheur '.'. v. However these obstacles were overcome and tlir oiiirinal bridge commissien: E. A. Fraser, lames A. Ja !; y and 11. C. Mover had the funds and the author ity to proceed, wl en the county court composed of Judge Ben Richardson, (' AY. Mallett and G. H. Glover made their'appropriation. '." mi came the fight for a site. One location after iiuoth - was talked about, but when the commission tried to get title to the landing on the Idaho side they were balked. Thev foiurht the argument that the stretch of mat ground between the citv and the river was swampy, Booth. Rov Klein, secretarv of tho commission also advis- the bridge was not needed and every conceivable argu ed tho coinmittee that its reouost had been granted. mont. Finally the hind thru which he cut on tho Idaho But the matter was not to be easilv secured. in side now runs ww iiiimiuhi-u in.m i. . om-... ..... ...... . i 1 1 .........I 1.1! ... . i liMnjumii tt lull linl i i tf fIIOLWWl laiHIIllg HCCIH'CU. rim lluwniT ll imu nun m mi; jmn.-n.. March of this year, when the -paving was underway the committee asked the commission when action might be expected, and learned for the first time that the records of the commission did not show that the matter had been favorablv considered. Mr.'E. E. Kiddle, who had succeeded to the position of commissioner for Eastern Oregon came to Ontario and brought with him the records confirming that fact. The Commercial club immediately sent J. R. Blackaby and Mr. Aiken to Portland to straighten the matter out and thev secured the correction and the call for bids on the work. After the contract was let the crews were on the ground within a month and the work has been progressing I since that time, and now the dream of many years i8'tll0 Minneapolis Steel & Machinorv company's and I realized. Ontario has its payed streets, and a paved road lj.jl.m was uwjmP(i the contract. Quick action was sec rto the bridge, and us energies must no uirceicu lowaru extending such roads, North and South and Westward, so ithat a comprehondsive highway system in this region will be achieved. at Washington granting permission to cross the river. Had Seventeen Bids , When the eoniiii'K-sioii called forbids it had no spec ifications, no engineer, and therefore no technical advise. Tho bids wore called for and at the same time tho bidders were asked to submit plans to accompany them. Seventeen proposals were received and these were turned over to the engineering department of tho Oregon Short Lino railroad, an offer of such assistance having been received from Geo. H. Ohnstead, then division super intendent, a friend of tho city. The Short Line engineer W. S. Warren compared all the plans and selected that ot and tuai secured and tlie steel construction was completed beforo the land ing for the wooden trestle was secured. (Continued on Page Four) Tuesday, November 2 is Election Day. Be a good American, vote as your conscience dictates. But be SURE TO VOTE i