TOE SUNDAY 0REGO3STA3T, PORTLAND. JANUARY 17, 1915.
LATE VIEWS SHOWING KIND OF WORK WHICH OREGON COAST
COUNTIES ARE DOING IN THE INTEREST OF BETTER ROADS
IS
l r4: h U ?Uv MS Model 80 W" IT Mi
Pk 'rota Oftln .J". -i-'
15 per cent for fefefe iSS.
Now
To Get
lime
The
Your Overland
TODAY motoring is popular
the year around.
The old fallacy of not get
ing your new car before spring is
a thing of the past
In fact motoring right now is
far more beneficial and much bet
ter sport. i
So get that notion out of your
head make up your mind to get
a car now and listen to why it
should be an Overland.
Price considered, the Over
land has greater value than any
other car in the -world. .
That's a big statement but,
nevertheless, a fact.
To begin with, the Overland
has the high tension- magneto
the most dependable and uni
form system of ignition. Many
cars have only the cheaper battery
ignition. -
It has larger tires than many
cars of our price. They are 34
inch x 4 inch all around.
Then there is the simple driving
arrangement. All electric control
buttons are located on the steering
column. On many can the con
trol buttons are located on the
dash which is unhandy and often
mighty inconvenient.
In bad weather the Overland
can be made just about as com
fortable, cozy and snug as a closed
car. The side curtains fit perfect
ly and give complete protection
from draughts, rain or snow.
The list of Overland advant
ages is long too long to give here.
Our dealer will gladly explain
and demonstrate everything.
Remember now is the time
for motoring.
Buy an Overland and
money.
save
Model 80 n 075 Model 81 '850
5 Passenger Touring Car
Modal 80, Roadster $1050
Model 80, 4 Pass. Coupe . 1600
Six Model 82, 1 Pass. Touring Car 1475
5 Passenger Touring Car
Model 81. Roadster $795
Delivery Wagon, with elosed body 895
Delivery Wagon, with opes body 850
Allpricttf. b. ToUd
THE report of the first year's work
of the State Highway Commission
and the State Highway Engineer
has just been issued by H. L.. Bowlby,
State Highway Engineer. Many sav
incrs to the state and to the Individual
counties are set forth In this report.
That the Highway Commission and
Its departments have been successful
In every endeavor, even though it is
the first year of organization, is shown.
"There is great satisfaction in mak
ing this first report." says Mr. Bowlby.
"The contrast is so apparent during
the first year and so much depends up
on the character of the work and the
results obtained.
Oppoftltfnn to Body Explained.
"I do not know of another instance.
during the first year of its existence,
where a State Highway Commission
has had placed In its hands voluntarily
by county authorities a sum as great
as 1 1.73... 000 to be expended for them.
"Naturally, there has been and is op
position to the existence of a state
highway department. This opposition
is. I beiieve. felt by two classes those
who are ignorant of its purpose and
true function in the road scneme or
the state and those who feel they
have lost something because of its
existence.
"The first financial benefit to be felt
by the people of Oregon will be hav
ing turned the light of publicity on
the customary bridge methods and in
having a solution offered that will save
many thousands of dollars annually to
the taxpayers."
Air. Bowlby, concerning an amend
ment to the present state highway
law. says:
"A provision should be added to this
law. making it possible for the state
to acquire by condemnation, by gift
or purchase the right of way required
lor ' a system of state roads."
( nil ot Road BullUlns Detailed. j
The report shows in detail the cost
of every foot of road built under the
direction of the Commission in Its first
year. low cost of engineering and
actual construction is brought out as
notable factor.
In regard to the Columbia River
Highway in Columbia County, over
which several taxpayers of that county
ana ine ninnway lommission nave
raised an issue. I Griswold, Assistant
Highway Engineer, says In part:
"The survey for the connecting link
through Columbia County was started
October 17. 1913. Coble was reached
April 4, 1911. Careful investigation
enowpa tnai ine pari peiwwa nainier
ana jaayger wouia oe aosoiuieiy non
productive ana ot no value to -oiumoia
t lty. since tne territory traversea naa
no lana OK agricultural value, n was
found also that the route would be
mucn longer ana excessively costly in
comparison 10 anotner mat was vos-
aioie. jne latter route leaves tne Co
lumbia River at malls.
Twt Routes Foand Peeslble.
"In the country adjacent to St. Helen
it a point near Deer Island we' found
that two routes were possiDie. one was
to xouow tne tracKS or tne &poaane.
Portland & Seattle Railway and remain
on tne soutn siae ot tne tracits, tnus
avoiding crossings.
"The other route would nave crossed
the tracks several times ana would
iiavo zone through a part ol .ast St.
Helens. A careful inspection convinced
me that the first route, was better in
every way. It was almost 3000 feet
shorter than the other, and would have
cost at least $1000 less.
"It is well known that the subject
of grade crossings is one of the most
formidable problems confronting the
railroad and highway officials of the
country, as well as the lawmakers and
railroad commissions. In view of the
attitude of these bodies, it is not wise
In creating or maintaining such cross
ings. "Before deciding upon either route,
I took the matter up with the County
Judge, pointing out to him the many
advantages of the shorter way. The
judge asreed with me, stated that in
his opinion the road so located would
satisfy the requirement that it pass
through a part of St. Helens, ' since the
town of Houlton had been annexed as
East St. Helens.
"With this assurance, I proceeded
with the survey, directing the engineer
to follow the railroad as close as pos
slble.
Judge Directs Survey.
"Upon returning a few days later, :
found that the located line was on
the north side of the railroad. I looked
up the engineer J. A. Elliott and found
that the County Judge had met him
and had directed the survey, stating
that the work was being done for
Columbia County and that he would be
the tinal. authority to decide upon the
route.
"Mr. Elliott, being new to the county
and not fullv informed as to tne con
ditions governing the work, had
chanered to suit the judge.
"I immediately looked up the Judge
and asked him why he had interefered
with the work of the engineer, l citea
our former interview, and told him
that the proposal had been referred to
the State Highway Engineer, and the
Dlan of keeping the highway on one
side of the railroad had been adopted.
"We explained that an investigation
proved that the best Interests of Vie
county and the state would be served
hv havinir the road on tne location se
lected. The judge again agreed that
the state was right and proposed to
leave tho question open until the sur
veys nad been completed. The survey
then was continued.
Bond Iuue la Proposed.
"In regard to funds, a bond issue
was proposed at a meeting of taxpay
ers and this was to be apportioned as
follows:
Columbia hlirhway J280.W0
Nf-halem highway '115L?
Ktttubnrg-St. Helens jS-JiS
Mlat-riatakanie , 15.000
"In addition to this a iHi-niill road
tax was to be levied, of which $95,000
was to go to the Columbia Highway,
making a total of .1356.000 available
for the work.
"Parts of the road were open at cer
tain times of" the year, while others
were not. It therefore was decided to
do tho work where it was most needed,
on the portion of the highway between
Tide Creek and the Clatsop County line,
leaving out a section one and three
quarter miles long at Goble and an
other two miles long near Rainier.
"The two sections omitted were esti
mated to cost about 176.000. The cost
of the section between Tide Creek and
the county line was fixed at $324,000,
with an allowance of
contingencies.
"This was agreed upon and the coun
ty advertised for bids. The contract
was awarded to the Consolidated Con
tract Company of Portland."
Counties Overcharged for Steel.
Then, according to the report, "fol
lowed another dispute with the county
officials over the sum to be used on
the work.
The result was that the people around
Rainier and Goble became dissatisfied
and held a meeting that resulted in
the recall of the County Judge.
That many of the counties have paid
several times what they should have
for structural ' steel is stated by H. L.
Bowlby. This work now is supervised
by the highway engineer and immense
savings have resulted already to the
counties which have placed the work in
his care.
Mr. Bowlby cites some examples of
over-charging:
"The new bridge at Eugene," he
says, "cost Lane County $23,700, that
being the sura paid the Coast Bridge
Company. The weight of the two
spans was 127.2 tons, which gives the
unit price, f. o. b. Eugene. $186.32
ton.
"The mill price at Pittsburg on that
date was $28 a ton," he continues. "De
livered at Eugene it should have cost
$75 a ton. Allowing the contractor 15
per cent profit and an engineering fee
of 5 per cent, the figures indicate that
the county paid the Coast Bridge Com
pany $12,181 too much on a job of less
than twice that amount."
On the Newberg bridge, Mr. Bowlby
claims that the Coast Bridge Company
got $29,729.55 too much.
Reasons for High Cost Cited.
The report reads:
"The excessive cost of county high
way bridges is due to one. or all, of
three reasons: first, the construction
of too long a bridge, or too much
bridge: second, the buying of an Im
proper design or style of bridge, that
is. buying a type of bridge wholly in
sulted to the location, or buying a
'stock' bridge; third, the paying of too
high a price, which usually is due to
what is known as pools.'
"It has been found that one bridge
company does all the work of one
county, and another bridge company
gets all the work in another county."
Claims of inaccuracies in force ac
counts also have been made. Where the
counties buy the steel from the con
tractors by the ton' and then pay erec
tion, costs, at least in one instance, a
contractor bought a good many tons
too many and threw it away, principally
because he- was selling the steel to
the county for almost $200 a ton and
paying about $45 for it.
The first statistics ever compiled on
Oregon -roads -chow the following:
There are 37,639 miles of public road
in Oregon. M.rlon County has the
greatest number of miles, a round 3400.
Multnomah has 500. Other counties
with big mileage are Baker, with 3280:
Lane, with 2s00, and Umatilla, with
3000. These figures do not include the
paved streets of cities and is only
the roadway outside of corporate limits.
Jackson County has more hard-sur
face highway than any of the counties.
This progressive community has laid
15 miles of hard-surface county road. ,
J. W. Leavitt & Co., Distributors
529 Washington St., Portland, Oregon
Phones: Marshall 3535, A 2444 '
The Willys-Overland Company, Toledo, Ohio.
WMSi -
Mm
Clatsop is next with six miles of
hard-surface, and Multnomah comes
third with three. Only 25 miles of
modern highway thus far have been
laid in the state.
Between 1903 and 1914, the period of
greatest road building, the highways
cost the counties $21,972,128.
Engineer Bowlby also reviews the
kind of pavements and the modern
styles of road building. The state is
urged to adopt the policy of hard-sur-
facing all roads that are traveled
heavily.
Getting- A Ions at College.
Judge,
MJibel How are you petting on
college, Percy? Percy Oh. all rtsht.
I'm trying awfully hard to get ahead,
you know. Mabel Well, heaven
knows you need one!
A good bet Is one you win.
ALWAYS
A .
SHOW
CAR
Our
We Will Exhibit at the Auto Show, Jan. 23-
We believe that nothing offers a prospective buyer
opportunity to gam automobile knowledge as does a show of this character,
0i it must be admitted that judgment at an automobile show must oJ
LUI' necessity be based on appearance. That is not the way to buy a car.
Auto Show Is on All of the Time
THE fj
u'aAP'
Is essentially a show car. The first car to
sold publicly on "The Personal Touch Plan." The
Six (1914 model) to run 2500 miles without a stop of the motor,
v first car to Gov. Camp (Mt. Hood) last year was a 1914 Mitchell 43 days
ahead of previous record.
The first car t? jrun 7500 miles with bonnet sealed (250 "miles per
day for 30 days) was a 1915 Mitchell Light Four.
See the Show by AH Means
Then come over and weigh the claims made for other cars against
the Mitchell by driving it yourself. "Get the personal touch."
Mitchell, Lewis &Staver Co.
EAST MORRISON AND FIRST STREETS
30
the
be
first I
J&- Mitchell Baby Six
,$1585 at Racine