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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 1916)
THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL. PORTLAND, SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 6, 1916. NATIONAL TOURING WEEK AUG. 6-12-ROUTES IN OREGON COUNTRY Q CIVILIZED MAN MUST HAVE MARKED ROADS TO RNDJAY ABOUT Savage Forebears Had One Advantage Over Present Human Generation, ALONG THE INLAND ROUTE TO ASTORIA AND THE SEA MARKING IS NOW SYSTEM Yaluable Aid Za CHvn Trailer Throurn Costty Efforts During Past Tonr Years. "The more civilised man become the more easily he gets lost. In the semi barbaric days ha trod untraoked wilds and pathless seas, but always some how he "got there." In later times, having seemingly lost his sense of direction lie betcdi to mark his trail no that he couM find his way back. The gashed bark of a tree trunk has guided countless men and women to their destination; but when the forests fell befo-e the marh of civilization, and as the speed of the traveler Increased, bettr road markers became essential. So there appeared various crude boards' nailed on poles and net up at crossroads, stones covered with num bers indicating" distances, and simi lar landmarks such us may t-tUl be found In many country district. Hut until a short time ago there whs no attempt to establish sytematlc marking of American roads. I . ery locality had Its own style and In many Instances the Kuide boards were ' weather beaten and defective as to be valueli.vs. The automobile tourist who went beyond the touiidary of Ills county found It necessary to stop at every crossroad and ask to bt di rected on his way. Usually the in formation be Rot was of littt.- use. because any distance eTceed'n ten or l.'i inllei was out of the Caitners! reckoning. Adequate System Needed. Four years ago the B. F. Goodrich company, realising the necessity of an adequate system of road makers, stepped In where governing bodies had failed, and has since made safe for travel over 100,000 miles of roads In all part of the United States. This work has been carried out sys tematically under the supervision of expert and In a style which has won the approval and cooperation of local bodies, automobile clubs ana even state legislatures. While only one road marking crew operated during the first year,' Its work met with such thorough ap proval that larger plans were made for the second year's work, three crews being sent out one working through tne middle west, another through the Pnclflo coast stateu, and the third In the east. The sign now being used N .nade of galvanized armor metal with alu minum letters sunk Into the surface. It will not rust or deteriorate and Is In. all respects the most serlrseable road marker that has ever beun de vised. More thn 100,000 of the signs mark the fad In 25 states, and cover three main transcontinental routes. They have been erected at a cost of over $5 each and have unquestionably done much to stimulate the Rood loads movement, develop American touring and add to the rapidly growing leslre among motorists to "See America First." Great Touring Stimulus. Another great stimulus to to ;rlng has been the publication of loute books, route cards, pamphlets, etc., over a million of which have beer, dis tributed tlnoughout all sections c the country. These routu cards cover practically all of the main or irunk lines of .ravel, with detailed le&crtp tlons, showing every turn of the road, bridges, railroads, dangerous spota and mileage. In all of these efforts there has been excellent ccopi-ratlon by tate, county and municipal lntereat.i. The office of public roads of the depart ment of Pgricultiire also Is inter ested in thi work; Its' engtnee.-s hav ing erected many of the Goodrich ,ulde post signs and furnished information with reference to roads now being im proved under federal Jurisdiction Tourists Arrive Here From All Over Land Tourists have been many In the last week and from every corner of the states. A few of those who have called on R. L. McLeod down at the Goodrich agency are: Leon Sweet and D. F. Courey, who drove their Pierce-Arrow from Bait Lake in -six days, making good time when on the roads yet getting through with but two instances of tire trouble: W. M. Thlllett. San Francisco- B F Wesson. Los Angeles; Arthur Woods! Fresno, who covered the distance in his White; William S. La Londs. Kvanston, 111.; Samuel Hubner, Phila delphia. Pa. and A. J. Gosser and A I Petty of Pittsburg, who covered the continent in a big Peerless I i. . "Z- 71 52 V. ? '1 r - ijTff -V Xif t- & 0iYV u, if"""" TiP SUBJECT OF BRIDGES OREGON DEMANDS MUCH CONSIDERATION Many Wooden Structures 20 or 30 Years Old Now In adequate to Traffic. LACK OF UPKEEP SHOWN Explanation Gives of Sudden Collapse of Viaducts Under Xilttle or Ho Weight. Above, left to right New road work along the Nehalem river; one of many pretty waterfalls on the road. Below, left to right Keo and Coie in the big timber near Astoria; F. W. Vogler's Beo Six at Vernonia. By Ralph J. Staehll. This Is national touring week. It is the endeavor of automobile enthu siasts to encourage every man who has a car to take at least one good trip this summer, and that trip this week. The opportunities in Oregon are many. Where else can one make so many week end tours of such va ried charm? A recent venture of The Journal's Touring Service was the inland route to Astoria and the beaches. Though passing through the Coast rane and not more than 30 miles from tne Co lumbia river highway to the beaches, the route is Just as different as It can be. George W. Chambers, secretary of the Portland Automobile club, says that the lower Columbia highway Is more beautiful than the uppers That has been said many times by many others, yet the fame of the upper Co lumbia river highway is traveling fast. And Just as some say that the lower river highway is more scenic than the other, so fhe majority of those who accompanied the Automobile Dealers' association "Honk Honk" on their re turn from the coast Monday, were en thralled by tne primeval beauty of the road through the Inland, up the Ne- halem river and through the forests of the Coast mountains. An Inspiring" Vista. You leave Astoria by climbing the hills back of the city. From the sum mit you get a grand view of the Co lumbla river's mouth. Far below you is the blue bay, flecked with an oc casional steamy cloud from the fun nel of some scurrying tug. You see the open ocean between the points and can trace out the profile of the Oregon shore which here forms the bay. Then as you glance to the south and east you see Young's bay and the rivers which sneak along past lowland shores as if ashamed of their wild caprices in the mountains above. The Lewis and Clark river is far to the south, you can Just make out where it empt-p Into the bay. Just ahead Is Young's river, along which are many larms wnere cattle graze the whole year in the open. It's a rich country and an occasional stump or a tree six or eight feet in diameter brings back memories of the big for ests which cloaked that part, too. After a few miles over good roads, some of Clatsop county's best, you pass OIney and then strike some of the big spruce and hemlock forests from which o rnudi of Oregon's wealth Is produced. Trees which con tain as many as 100,000 board feet of lumber are seen everywhere. They reach high above you, some with the first limb 150 feet from the ground. Through all of this unscathed coun try, a good road makes driving easy and a pleasure. A few miles more and the branch of Young's river is now far below you and is a tumbling stream, with many pretty rapids and roaring falls. For 50 miles the country possesses natural attractions of many kinds. Roads with the exception of short dis tances are to be considered fair. Ten miles or so of excellent new plank ing now makes the road over the Coast mountains an excellent drive. Everywhere is evidence of still more good things. For miles and miles you drive through road work where they are cutting and grading, making the road wider and the grades easier. The work Is being pushed with all possible speed and before winter a good alJ year road will be found over most of the way. Road Work Under Way. The desire for better roads ema nates from the farmer as well as the motorist, for almost all of these places along the route now have their motor truck with which to do their hauling. From Mist to Pittsburg there Is a very rough piece of road but this, too. Is being regraded and made wider and plenty of good rock along the rout leads to the assumption, that It will be rocked with all possible speed. That portion of the NehaJam next met with is one of the gems of Ore gon scenery. The stream is deep down In a canyon, yet both shores are walls of dark green. The river Is placid and sluggish except for an occasional drop, where It churns Itself into foam. It's the kind of a stream that makes tent life Irresistible and you uncon sciously pick the spots where you would like to erect a tent between the trees. After you pass Pittsburg the coun try takes on a sort of New England aspect. It Is rough in places, yet everywhere are pretty meadows and little clumps of trees. Big barns and comfortable homes again line the road and you soon reach Gules City and Gales creek, another pretty stream. Then comes Forest Grove and after 28 miles through one of the richest farm sections of the state, you ap proach. Portland from the hills, com ing in via the Cornell road. In connection -with road develop ment the subject of bridges demands serious consideration. In Oregon there are many wooden structures 20 or SO years of age which are hardly ade quate to the requirements of present day traffic. Thirty years is a good ripe age for wooden bridge. In this class Is ths Baker on covered bridge across Clear creek near its junction with the Clack amas river in Clackamas county. This bridge, which forms part of a promi nent road, was built 22 years ago. It is what Is known as a Whipple truss, with slight modifications. It was orig inally designed to carry a ten-ton live load. A surface inspection of the bridge indicates that the timber is well pre served for the time It has been In place. Impact Increases Effect. However, where wood and metal have come In contact deterioration of the timber has been more rapid. At a conservative figure the carrying ca pacity of the trusses has been re duced one third, making the carrying capacity about seven tons. Under the conditions of modern travel loads are carried across bridges more rapidly than formerly. The speed of an auto truck or automobiles In creases the effect of Impact. Loads of five tons carried across on a truck will Impose a greater strain on the structure than a seven ton slow mov ing load. fha floor of the Baker bridge Is supported dlrsotly on, the lower chord and carried to the panel Jftnta. The weakest part of the structure is ths method of supporting ths floor sys tem. Vo od When Collapsed. Recent failures of bridges in Oregon have shown that It is not always under the heavy load that the bridge actually gives way. The failure of the Dayton timber bridge occurred at night under no load, although heavy auto truck loads were carried the day before. The Multnomah county bridge across the Bandy river failed under the load of an auto truck carrying four men, but not a heavy load. A few days be fore heavy loads were carried. The strain produced in eaoh of these cases developed weaknesses that made a co'.lapse possible under a small load. Kach of these failures occurred on bridges of about the same age as the Baker bridge. As to steel bridges Clackamas county has a good one on, the Park Place road. It was built about eight years ago. Some deterioration is noticed In the steel owing to pit rust, the steel not having been painted. This is a general condition through out the state. Counties go to great expense In the construction of bridges and then neglect their maintenance. Dealer for Dort Car May Be Appointed M. A. Leach of Flint, Ml oh., Is look ing Ovsr Local rield With Agency In view. M. A. Leach, western sales manager for the Dort Motor Car company, Flint. Mtch., Is In Portland over the week end and expects soon to be able to announce a Portland dealer ror tne Dort, a car which sells well below the one thousand mark. This would be the Dort's first ap pearance on the Pacific coast. From Salt Lake east the car Is well repre sented and through the central states It Ls most favorably known and allied with the biggest dealers. Mr. Leach says that the factory now la prepared to take care of more terri tory having doubled Its capacity In the last year. The Dort car, besides havig a sturdy power plant ls exceptionally well equipped and finished for a so called "cheap car." LABOR BENEFITS BY $122,759 BY ROAD WORK THIS SEASON Cost of Materials in Multno mah During the First Six Months Is $101,729. Reviewing the road expenditures of Multnomah county the first six months of the present year it is found that there was expended for labor 1122.751) and for materials $101,729. The payroll for etiKlneers. Inspectors and superintendents was 17.475. For motorcycle police, timekeeper and auto truck on the Columbia river highway there was paid out $1016. The sum of $3275 was paid out for right of way and personal Injuries. The cost of oiling amounted to $3078. The total oost of operating the Kelly Butte quarry was $kS24, against which la given a credit of $7262 for rock at 75 cents per cubic yard. The Installation of a new crusher lnvolvod un expense of $1372. The cost of operating the Llnnton quarry was $116a and that of operat ing the Taylur's ferry quarry wai $2168. Th.;. I.inntoti quurry Is given credit of Jl&Srl for rock. It cost $5353 to operate auto trucks and $o673 for road rollers. There was expended on various ronds in excess of $1ihm the following: rit. Helens roud, $30,S71; Cornell roail. ? 1 74 7 ; Base Line road. $S5tt; Foster road. $l!in&; One Hundred mid Third street, $1207; Bust Hixty-Hecond streei. $1001; Johnson creek, $272; Damascus road. $3024; Falrvlew-tJt esham, $3113; Sandy road, $H713, Powell Valley, $3376; Falrmount boulevard, $2621; Barnes road, $$391; Capitol hUhwav, $3042; Pacific highway, $3$8I, Berth viaduct. $7363. Neglected Opportunities. The car owner who never takes his family or a party of congenial friend on a week end tour is a good deal like the man who has a million dollars hidden In h! hack yard and thinks wealth ls merely a responsibility. f Local Agency Takes On Reo Trucks Line Northwest Auto Company Will Handle Commercial Oar In Oregon and Southern Washington. The Northwest Auto company has taken on the agency for the Reo trucks In Oregon and southern Washington and in a few days will have a carload of ths new model at the salesrooms, Broadway and Couch streets. Fred W. VoRler, president of the ccmpany, closed up the deal for the truck on his recent visit east and the acquisition was announced last week. One of the features of the new Reo GOOD ROADS NEWS NOTES IN THE OREGON COUNTRY Highway Excursion Planned Plans sre being made at Silverton for an excursion over the CoLumbia river highway August 6. How Money Is Apportioned Under the proposed bond Issue to be voted on by Wasco county next November the money will be apportioned as fol lows: From Mosier to The Dalles, $91,000; from The Dalles to Peters burg. $34,000; from The Dalles to the Jefferson county line by way of Du fur, Shaniko and Antelope, $135,000. Will Improve Koad Clackamas county has let a contract for the lm- line ls the 1500 pound delivery wagon. "Al' JL ,T has pneumatic tires which are This now becoming much more popular with light vehicles than the solids, because of the lesser wear and tear on the me chanical parts of the car. This car has ths standard four cyl inder Reo motor and ls especially de signed for quick city and lnterurban delivery. Speeds over 15 miles per hour demand pneumatic tires and in keeping with the possibilities of quick delivery, this car has been so equipped. The other sises which the North west Auto company will stock im mediately are the one ton and ton and a half trucks. Equip With Diamonds During National Touring Week, August 6 to 12, we will give to every consumer purchasing a tire from us a copy of the 1916 Official Coast Tour Book. Diamonds are sold at Fair List prices. Archer and Wiggins Company Distributors Sixth Street at Oak the New Era - Oregon City road. Two grade crossings over the Southern Pa cific railroad, are to be eliminated. Th Improvement will be ' 1700 feet in length and will be completed within two months, at a cost of approximate ly $3000. Past Progress Made According to the statement of Koadmaster Finn, within two years every highway of consequence in Polk county will have txren graded and either rocked or graveled. There ls a total road mile age in the county of 1300 miles. Of one !-this 700 miles have beeen improved. 400 miles during the- past two years. More than 50 miles of the most trav eled roads have been oiled. i Can Make Bcenlo Koad According to a preliminary survey, a scenic road can be made to Mount Ashland, Over looking the Rogue River valley, oh" a grade of 8 per cent or less. The road would leave the Pacific highway near Siskiyou station. The air line dis tance from this point to the summit of Mount Ashland is about six miles. By road it would be about eight miles"1 and an elevation of 3000 feet would be reached. Vsw Boad Opened A mile and one half of new road on the McKenzie pass has Just been thrown open by the United States forest service. There yot remains to be constructed about three mii.es of new road to reach the summit. In the meantime tihe old road will be used. Owing to the heavy snowfall last winter the road has only been opened a few days acrqss the summit. The season is two months later than list year. To the Kim of Crater take. The road to the rim of Crater lake ls now open to automobile travel. The road was cut through huge snow drifts in places. A crew of men has begun work on the road which the gern nient is building around the rim. Be cause of the lateness of the season work has been started later than usual. Arlington-Elalock Boad. Petitions are being circulated at Arlington for a new road between that place and Bla lock. It is proposed to cross the John Day river just below the falls. Be sides giving'a good road between Ar lington and Blalock the distance to Portland will be shortened. Take No Chances A Peteler on a Poor Jack at $3.50 Insures Safety Speed and Power BALLOU & WRIGHT BROADWAY AT OAK ROAD INFORMATION Portland Automobile club road bul letin for week ending August 4, 191S, furnished by the automobile clubs and chamber of commerce throughout ths state. Portland South. Portland to Newberg (via ftex-Tl-gard). 23.7 miles, good. . Portland to Newberg (via Tualatin), 24 miles, better than Rex-Tigard. Newberg to Dayton, 7.8 miles, good. Dayton to Salem (via Wheauand), 22.2 miles, good. Dayton to Salem (via Amity). S5 miles, good. Portland-Oregon City. Portland to Oregon City (via. Os wego), 14.6 miles, fair. Portland to Oregon City (vis, cast side) 14.6 miles, gocxl. Portland to Oregon City (via. Elbty second street), good. Oregon City to Aurora, 15 miles, good. Aurora to Salem, 24.9 miles, good. Portlaad-Salem. Dayton io Dallas, 35 miles, rood. Dallas to Salem, 25 miles, roJd. Dayton to Monmouth, 30 mileu. good. Monmouth, to Independence, 2.6 miles, good. Independence to Coxrallla, 21 miles, good. - . - . Corvallls to Monro. 17.1 miles, good. Monroe u Eugene, 21.3 miles, good. Willamette TaUey points. Salem to Albany, 26.8 miles, good. Albany to Corvallle, 10 miles, good. Albany to Harrlaburg. 29.4 miles, good. ' Harrlsburg to Eugene, 18.4 miles, good. Dayton to McMinnvifre, 6.2 miles, good. McMlnnville to Dallas. 84. 6 allies, good. v Dallas to Blodgett (via Kings val ley), 32.5 miles, good. Fonthem Oregon. Eugene to Cottage Grove, 21 miles. goua. Cottags Grov to Drain, 17. mUs, fair. Drain to Roseburg, 88.1 miles, tood. Roseburg to Marshfleld. 91 miles, good. Note Marshfield to Crescent City. v-ai.. via L'liiuuu, ruttu m gooa Condi tion. Roeeburg to Glendale, 53 miles, cood Glendale to Grants Pass, 24.5 mil, good. Grants Pass to Medford, 23 mil, good. Medford to Ashland, 12. mil, paved. Ashland to Hombrook, Cal 10.1 miles, good. Cr4trXaJc.' " Medford to tf rater Lak,' 19 miles. Where Federal Aid Road Bill Applies By Terms of Act Government Assist ance May B Extended to the Con struction of Any Sural Post Boad. Under the terms of the federal aid bill which became a law July 11, fed eral aid may be extended to th con struction of any rural post road, ex cluding all streets or roads in towns having a population of 2500 or more except the portions of such streets or roads on which the houses are, on an average, more than 200 feet apart. open to rim of lake in fin shape Eugene to central Oregon (via Mc Kenzie Pass). 118 miles, will be open through the peas' within a. week. Portland to Gresham, 14 miles, hard surface. Gresham to Rhododendron, 84 miles, fair. Rhododendron to Government Camp, 10 miles, fair? Government Camp to Waplnltia. 19 miles, fair. WapinitU to Tygh valley, 24.7 miles, fair. Waplnltia to Maupin. 18 miles fair. Maupln to Shaniko. 25 miles, fair. Waplnltia to Madras, 33 miles, fair. Portland to th Beaches. Portland to Astoria and Seaside (via the Columbia river highway). Portland to St. Helens, 29.7 miles, good. ' St. Helens to Gobls, 13 miles, fair. Goble to Rainier. 7 miles, fair. Rainier to Clatskanle. 18.1 milis, fair rtht hand turn to Clatskanic at sisn. Clatsfcanle to Astoria, 39.4 miles, fair. Astoria .o Seaside, 18.5 mlls. paved. Portland to Astoria and Seaside (via Inland route! Best via Forest Grove and Tlmbe-. Kist, Veronia. Tak river road Veronla to Pittsburg, Mist. Jewell and Astoria.. Description In auto sec tion today Tillamook Beaches. McMlnnville to Sheridan, 18.4 miles, good. Sheridan to Wlllamins 4.7 miles, good. "Willamin to Dolph, 19.6 miles, fcood. Dolph to Tillamook. 82 miles, far. Tillamook to Bay City. 7 mils iood. Bay City to Nehalem, 20.5 utiles, good. Note In case of rain road gets very soft. Portland-Hewport. Dallas to Blodgett 82.B miles, good Blodgett to Toledo, 83.8 miles, good. Toledo to Newport, .2 miles, good. Not Best road ls either by way of Kings valley or CorVallle and Wren to Blodgett, tbence down the Llttlo Elk road to Eddyvllle, thence via cutoff to Toledo and Newport. Road over pioneer Hill will be abandoned as soon as th new road around Is finished, which enters the present road near Chitwood. Pacific Highway, Vortn. Portland north to Chehalis via Wod land. Kalama, Kelso. Castle Rock and Toledo, good. Chehalis to Seattle, good. Car may go either way of Goble r Vancouver, as the road both ways axe in very good snap. , GOODRICH SAN BERNAROINO 10 points the way for National Touring Week The Guide Post of a Nation It makes small difference where you motor during National Touring Week, The GOODRICH GUARANTEE of route and road THE GOODRICH GUIDE POST will be there to point your way. ETGHTY-FIVE THOUSAND STRONG Goodrich Guide Posts guide American motorists over 100,000 miles of automobile roads in this country the ONLY national system of rod marking, public or private in America. A remarkable service to the motoring public, yet ONLY a fraction of what The B. F. Goodrich Company is doing for auto mobile touring. The American , Motoring Tour is the child of The B. F. Goodrich Co. Hence it is no new venture that The B. F. Goodrich Company should be the driving force back of National Touring Week. "a a n Has actually reached 350,000 motor car owners personally with its service. The B. F. Goodrich Company not only is willing to serve, but knows how to deliver a TOURING SERVICE that has no sguai tor accuracy end completeness. All this service is free to any rnotorist whether or not he uses Goodrich Tires. Goodrich Safeguards YourTour A Year of Goodrich Service Look over what The Company during the last year alone has done for American motoring tours. The Goodrich National Touring Bureau has routed 60,000 separate, personal automobile tours. Has distributed 249,000 route books and 2,000,000 route cards B. F. Goodrich '"jrvJ ,T"W llSrr? However, in speeding automobilists to the beauty and charm of the open, The B. F. Goodrich Company can safeguard the joy of the tour no better than by equipping their cars with SILVERTOWN CORD TIRES, or SAFETY TREAD BAREFOOT TIRES. Goodrich ROAD MAPS and ROAD LOGS insure the accuracy of your route. Goodrich GUIDE POSTS insure the RIGHTNESS of your road. Goodrich Tires insure the greatest amount of peace of mind, comfort and profit to yourself. Round out a PERFECT motoring tour with The Goodrich Road Log The Goodrich Guide Post And be sure to safe guard your tour before starting by equipping your car with- THE B. F. GOODRICH RUBBER CO. Akron, Ohio Local Address, BROADWAY AT BURNSIDE 1TPO r w IKE