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About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (March 31, 1923)
(aiiJA'iiiSALEAl"Diblitiar NUmilK, MAUCli 1123 Has 8.18 Miles of Paved Highways, with All of Primary.Roads Practically Completed Total Cost Thus Far Exceeds $51,000,000 System Makes Accessible Eastern and Southern Points Affords Easy Routes to Natures Grandeurs By ROY A. KLISltf. With the presont season Oregon begins its eventh I year on the state highway program which was inaugurated tn lSl. In that per iod the work accomplished has resulted In 695 mlle.v of-4!ghway" graded and pared. 119? mile? graded and macadamized, and 46 miles' graded but not surfaced. In addition ther ', ore 14.1 .miles paved on the Mate -highway sys tem in Multnomah county and ; in tncorporatetf cltiesi of greater than 2000 population: so that the total mileage of the state highway sys tem which la paved', is jStiSlmlles. The gross expenditures of the highway commission in that pei lod have been r,4.?27,4l4.81f if which f6.747.047.44 U county f upds, $4.r4 6,f50.GS government funds,: and 97.381.1 j-ailroad funds expended on grade crossing eliminations, and I $43,340,44.95 state funds. - -'i ::: Ml-': Orfgoii Fnt State, The outstanding features of the work "accomplished are: (The Pa cific highway 345 miles In length, hi paved or under contract for. pav ing from the Columbia river -to the California state Hoe with the exception . of small gaps : which, have been 1 left for future 'over crossings of the railroad and the gap between ? Junction City and Harrlsburg, which has been left a graveled road on account of over-; flow conditions in the Willamette river bottom. : The completion of, this highway gives Oregon the dis tlnction of being the first state west of tho Mississippi to have' a pared highway the entire length of the state. . ' -. " , The QUI Oregon Trail. The West Side Pacific algbway is also paved or under contract 'for paving its entire length from Portland, to Junction City, except gaps for railroad 1 overcrosslngs. The " Columbia River highway Is paved from Portland to Astoria and beyond to Seaside on the west, and from Portland, to The Dalles on the east. Prom The Dalles to Pendleton it ia graded to standard and gravel surfaced, and, when a single gap, not over four- miles in length on the summit of the Blue Mountains which is under con tract is completed, the Old Oregon Trail -will bey completely graded and graveled between " Pendleton and the Idaho state line at On tario, r . . : " K I y,;:r-i-K ; :- -! i : ' .The John Day highway, with a few exceptions, is now graded and traveled from - Arlington through Condon, Fossil and. Spray to Prair ie City, and a. beginning has been made toward opening the eastern end over the Blue mountains with s $380,000 contract. The Dalies Pallfornia highway has been fur ther improved by construction tork . in every county through , filch It passo.i. . , Th Rooevelt Highway i Rapid ' progress has been made on the northern and southern ends of the Roosevelt I Coast, highway. In Curry county : many bad . Hons have been eliminated, and between Tillamook and Astoria all year travel Is now, possible. -Important connecting, highways between he Pacific highway and the coast have - been ImproTed. The ; CorvalUs-Newport highway has been graded, almost Its entire length and many miles have been rocked. The Coos Bay-Roseburg highway has been Improved by gradjng and rocking, and next year both of these roads will be opened for all year travel. ; J Oregon Caves Highway . Conpecting roads between the Pacific highway and The Dalles California highway, on which con siderable .'improvement work has been done this biennlum are the McKenzle, . Crater Lake and Ash land-Klamath' Falls highway. The Oregon Caves has been opened up by construction iof , the Orego'n Caves . highway, The Iount nooa ix)op is now an under con tract from the Multnomah-Clack amas county line around the mountain td Hood River eltjr for grading ana tock surfacing, ex cept a ten-mile gap In the national forest which has not been placaa under contract for surfacing. The Oregon-Washington high way ts now completed , except, the section between Heppner and the bead of. Vinson canyon. Also a noteworthy . Improvement whlsb should .'be Included is 'the La Grande-Joseph highway now un der contract or com Dieted the en tlre distance from La- Grande to : Joseph. 'An - important road for eastern Oregon Is the Prlnevllle MltcheH section, part or which I? completed and the balance under contract. , , The Program for 101SI : The program proposed for 192 Is largely a program of closing the gaps on - many important through roads and will ? probably reach an estimated coat of $8. 000,000. , On the Pacific highway the ' major improvements are the elimination of the railroad cross- ing at Canemah and the construe t Ion of a new approach Into Ore- Ron City from the south; elimin ating the timber trestle along the i. -.. . .... - ""T. iu ceostmetson or a new roncret and steel bridge over rudding river near Aurora: the ravlnar of the" nncercrossin sec tion three miles north of Albany completion of the ravine bet ween Harrlsburg and - Halsey; comple- .ON ERST STATE IN 1L. " 'JT i- J AfAP SHOWING THE FEDERAL, AID HIGHWAY SYSTEM FOR THE STATE OF OREGON AS AP y ; ;j PROVED BY THE U. S. BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS ' Federal cooperation In the construction of highways can be obtained only upon projects which are on the Federal aid system. Note that the highways represented by the lighter solid blaqk lines are not included In this sy3tem. I j ; tlon of surveys, designs and es-J ttmates for the . Willamette river bridge at Harrlsburg; ; completion of the bridge across the Umpqna river at Winchester; i elimination of the railroad grade crossing in Douglas county at Oakland. Shady. Sutherlin, and Wilbur by the con struction of overhead structures. ; West Side HJghwa Completion' of tho paving on the. West Side Pacific highway from Portland to Junction City, 112 - miles.ison the program. It the present- controversy In Polk county is settled and many others. Also completion of the Corval- lis-Xewport highway., between Wren and Newport, graded and rock surfaced, ; making possible all-year travel between Corvallls and Newport; completion ; of the Roseburg-Coos Bay highway grad ed and rock, surfaced, 65 miles, completion of ' th Ashland-Klamath Falls highway, graded and rock surfaced, .57 miles, comple tion of the Crater Lake highway. graded' and rock surfaced from Medford to 'Klamath Falls. 147 mlles - . i , Completion is on the program of the Neskowln-Siletz river and Newport-Otter - rock - sections ! of the coast highway, insuring con nection between. Newport and Til la m ook i n 1 9 2 4 . ; Also , im prove ment of the coast highway be tween Coqujpe" and Bandon and betweenCoos bay and : the ITmp qua river; also Improvement of the Coast highway In Curry coun ty. Also bridge across Iewis and Clark river In Clatsop county, placed under contract for com-: pletion in 1924 Also , further work ' on the MCKenxfe highway betweeii Bend and Eugene; furth er work on the John Day highway and also on ! the Lakeview-Prine- rvlllci highway; further work on The Dalles-California highway . in Wasco. Deschutes,- Jefferson and Klamath counties. " Since December 1, 1.922, 24 contracts have een, awarded at a, total estimated cost of $1.52o,- 000. These? contracts' ilepresent 104 miles of : grading, .94 miles ot macadam and ; 3 XA miles of pav Legislation Will Help Legislation enacted by the ses sion, of the legislature Just closed will materially v assist tjie state highway program The addition al tax of lc per gallon on gasoline will produce, approximately $500, 000 per year additional revenue, which will be expended on the state "highway system. ' Under the new law the high way commission is given author ity to route the state highways through cities and towns, which will result In direct ", location on streets best adapted to carrying the through travel, without re- sard td local Influences. , The highway commission is also given control of telephone, telegraph and power lines on' state high ways. The present law providing that . the commission could close roads or limit the loads, when It seems Wr the best Interests of the state, was amended to provide an adequate penalty for violation.,' Park and Camp Sites, Ktc. 'Acting on! , the . authority given y the 1921' legislature, the com--nlssion reports that some prog ress ha3 been made In the matti-r of acquisition of parks and camp ing sites as well aa the saving rf trees along the roadside and tt.e olantlng of ; young trees and shrubs. Th response tof many ?ivlc. organizations to the ; latter feature Is encouraging, and it is expected and hoped that this tocal Assistances will continue as tho re ilts accomplished become rnore noticeable. V ."t 5 It has been the though, of the commission that in very many In stances public-spirited cjtlzens rronld be glad fo donate park nd thua conserve the state funds for improvements.; and th!a ;x pectatlon has been realized - to a limited extent, several such, gifta if - ' .' j ".fit- V- .II 1 ,J: having been received wU arcs gratefully acknowledged! And which have been accepted for the state. A gift of approximately 5 acres on the West Side highway In Polg Icounty was received from; Sarah, James and Amanda Helm- Ick. Twentv acres at Clatsop Crest have been deeded : to Clat- sop county for a public park' hy the Bradley heirs. A strip of land ; between the Pacific highway and; the Umpqua river south of Dil-' lard, containing approximately 6.8 acres, has been donated to ' the state by J. H. and Catherine Booth of Roseburg. -v- r -: " ; ; f io!a Camp (J rounds ; The commission has acquired bj condemnation : pertain parcels ol land on the Columbia River high way, loops Just east ot Hood River in order to prevent the ' erection of buildings which .would cut cofl the sight distance around ' th curves. Another purpose was ; to protect the roadbed from being un dermined by the removal of gravel ort ' the adjoining property. ' Tei acres on the Salem-Dallas high- J ray nearEola have been acquired roin Thomas Holman fori 41000 for a . camping place, but' no im provement work , has been done.. In order to improv the sight dis tance on a sharp curve near Rain ier, two acres have been purchas ed from Dr. Ditto for $600, a di lapidated barn removed.' and the property otherwise Improved. i Many Beauty Spots .') There are many other spots along our highways(wblch should be. secured and preserved for fu ture generations before the timber and shrubbery have; been' removed or destroyed or : other i physical features marred. Several dona tions of desirable property, have been"?promised and are now in process of negotiation. ; j In Deschutes county, by: means of close cooperation between the Deschutes ' county 1 court, the Brooks-Scanlsn Lumber company, the forest service ; and . the' com mission, arrangements were made to preserve the standing pine on a section of the Dalles-California highway south of Bend. This was done under authority ot the De schutes forest exchange bill re cent'y, passed by congress under which the timber company was permitted to exchange their hold-, ings for other areas In the nation al forest. ;- ;i ; Drinking fountains, have been erected, some of which are orna mental, at a few places where pure water could be obtained.! It Is the intension of the commission to construct more , of . these foun tains from time to -time.' f ' j 11 Advertising' Sijns Removed ' ' The commission , has continued its, policy of removing all adver tising sgns illegally placed within the right of way limits, and, by co operation with -property owners and some advertisers' themselves. many objectionable ; signs have been removed. These advertising signs, besides boing a blot on the landscape, constitute a harard by diverting the attention of drivers when they should bo watching tba road. , Signing the Highway ' The work of signing the state highways has been continued with the , result that on the highways where construction operations are well advanced standard direction and v distance signs have - been placed throughout, and on others temporary wooden direction signs have been placed. Warning signs have been placed on .many curves and. at dangerous points, 'red re flector danger signals have been Installed, which .'have received favorable comment. Warning signs have also been placed In the vicln lly of school houses and at dan gerous Intersections. , f ; -" Complete the niphwayn The cbmmlsafon believes that Its policy of closing up the unimprov ed or uncompleted - gaps on the main, highways should be followed t, k . ; -t ins R kUCNB aM Secondly fH K Hhwy St Htpi.no included m fad- AmI Sy W O S Watonal foresf ...1 and that . on the other highways as yet , constructed J only In part that the improvement should 1 be extended Out from the Important cities reproducing centers on" a constructive program " until the whole shall be completed, and un,: til i this Is accomplished no new roads should be added to the state highway map. ;1 " . It will be noted that the work KNOWS LAND VALUES Ben F. West, Realtor, Ma rion Co. Assessor 8Tears Thet assessor's, office is a mighty fine school in which to learn land values" and that Is Ben IV Wet"a long suit. West, who ds now one of the county's well-known real tors, spent eight years as Marion county assessor... The fact that he held the Job for two terms proves his capabilities along land valu ation lines. : He wasn't a stranger to Marion county values when he took office; but. the eight years he : spent assessing , kept " him abreast with all Ihe factors that govern values and he took his ex perience right Into his realty bus iness.; . .. N- " 1 '.' " 'Ill Mr. West has been in Salem tor 32 years. Because of his known acquaintance, with land values, he does a large business in making appraisements for clients, besides transacting a general realty busi ness. ' " .- 'n' ' -';, . It would be misleading to urge that "anybody" could come to the Willamette valley, and grow rich wlth poultry, or fruit, on a small acreage. This is subject to natur al laws; industry,1 and Intelligence, and adaptabllitty, and even blind luck, determine success or failure and not the number of acres. But the soil and climate and mar kets are all here; and information is In books and the near-by ag ricultural college, to make any cultural ' Industry pay, If ,one will but mix these Ingredients' s with Judgment. . . - - Salem Isn't Vlodged to death." but there is almost every lodge that anyone wants to Join, located in Salem, There are, several fra ternal organizations wUh member ships running well ab6ve50,0; one wun more than HOO members, and still growing. And the church es, too, are splendidly represent ed, with almost every known American, denomination having its own buildings end working organ ization. There is no better social city anywhere in the West. i onthe entire state - high way -Bys-tem is well .advanced and many sections entirely completed. The road construction should continue until the, beneflta from the expen- dltu res have been ea.ualized and every section has received itsdue proportion. Anything less is bo tair and should npt be considered. ' : V Work Must flo On !''.;'" Federal aid for, highways Is now a, well established governmental Dolicy, which must certainly be continued. From this source It is reasonable to expect that the state villi receive from tteven and one haf to ten million dollars In the next five year.v If thla amount Is Hatched dirertly with state fundi or cooperation given by the coun ties. vhi h. l:v permissible under 'he amntd.l;iw, the entire Bys- t'em rovrtl ly the present state highway mai--orat least every important, section of it will be apep to travel and most or Wll of H put In u:?ahl- condition for con '.iauous travel. Must Ix Maintained HIphv:i- !)fttermept ' will ho a constant and oqt Increasing de aiand, and tjje Importance of maintenance ran n,ot be overesti mated. Furthermore maintenance :s a requirement, of the federal acM md an eseential to federal co- operation.1 Ample provl3ion should hrefore be made for keeping the 'roads properly maintained. ; ! . By reports ar.d in various way? n the past, the conimi3ion ha? alled attention to the necessity or speed and load limitation for the protection " of the roads " and for rules ( of safety for the pro tection of human life. ,It Is grati fying that on these matters the public is becoming thoroughly aroused, , but vigilance must be constant or we will lose! all and more than we have gained. At ibest, highway building" for modern use is still In an experi mental stage. The errors, inciden tal lo -pioneering or for lack of precedent ' or any . other reason should not be considered sufficient Justification for discontinuing the great enterprise of highway Im provement demanded and forced by modern industrial and social conditions. " ' ' ' ' " TRACTOR IN FAVOR A. A. Hang & Co. Report Active. Demand for Ctetrac With the trend towards intens ive farming in the Greater Salem district, there has come a growing conviction on Ihe part of the farm ers that the smaileV type of farm tractor, the kind ' that . is- small enough to. handle easily and yet big and powerful enough to do the work, is a money-saving piece of machinery. - That-there is. a real demand for such an implement Is proven by the fact "that A. A. Haag & 1 Co., distributors of the Cletrae Tank Type tractor, sold six of them' during the month of February alone It reports that it believes the March" record will be even better. ' - Intensive farming precludes the raising of horse feed. The. man with 1 a comparatively small farm can't afford to devote any part of it to raising horse feed when he can make his acres earn1 hundreds of dollars' apiece with, fruit. And it's expensive forhim. If he does not raise ; feed. 1 The farmers are solving this problem by substitut ing tractor power for horse power, for the former does not' eat wlien It Is idle. - 1 The Haag firm calls attention to the fact that the Cletrae Is the Ideal tractor for the Willamette valleyMn that it ia adaptable, be cause of its tank construction, to hillside farming; and it's on the sidehiils where much of our best fruit land ijs. It " Is also easily handled, it can be made' to turn around in a small space . and its operation expense; is. light. Salem's street railway system serves the needs of the commun ity admirably. Its lines extend, to all . the residential sections, fboth within and outside the city limits, affording, a . cheap metgd of transportation for the city's work ers. The fare is only 6 cents, 2 cents cheaper than it Is 'In Port land, and as cheap as it is any where, almost.' V Because of its horticultural de velopment, Salem is the home of an ample number of nurseries. 'iH' 'rl. Z- "S 7 y c it. . , -" ... , Loading Oregon 'Iistland,t Prunes air-Portland for export.1 ' r , Oresoa Growers' Co-operative Association, shippers.. , TO FRIENDS: 1 ' . Sale;n and Vicinity. ; ' . ' - " ' - ' " ' ' - ' - 'V ' ' 't Greetings: " . - ; r' - - . . ' - Ilnvinjr sold my store to Mr. Tickens of Rosebiirg and Mr. Haynes of Sacra mento, California; I take this occasion of expressing my appreciation of the many favors extended me tlnriug my nearly twelveyears of business in Salem. I. bare no plans Jaid for the near future, Imt'expeet to remain in Salem and will lie found nttbe old location for the transaction of business eonnectei with the settling of affairs. ; - . . : ' ". . Again expressing my deepest regard for the pleasant association T have had with the people of Salem and vicinity, I am, 1 ' . Is Center of Hopgrowing - Pickers Every- Fall front ! Elsewhere in-this Issue the fer tility and productiveness of the WiiUamette River bottom soil at Independence has been commented upon Tho subject is. worthy ,of repetition, for there is no mistak ing the fact that that soil is the best in the state, and Is as good &i the best uny where. 1 These bottoms have been a great asset to , Independenre . and they still are. -They are covered with field after field of hops In the summer " months, fields which yield greater., crops than any othlr hopflelds 'anywhere in Oregon, or anywhere else for that' matterl ; September is - the busy - month J-in the "hopflelds, for this ia the time when the ; picking is under way. Armies of women and chil dren and men make annual cil grimages to these fields to earn their "stakes." . Since. the advent of the automobile, travelers have come from afar to take, a hand in the work. Good pickers can . earn big wages in a day and there is not a child who; cannot, if he at tends to business, make his. days mighty profitable.!; Giant hop-dryers, where the crop is stored after the harvest, give indication of the But the hopyards are not Inde pendence's sole kneans of support. The city is sur-rqunded on all sides by excellent farm lands and gener al farming is' practiced rdund 'about, 'or late years many of the farmers have entered the pure bred stock business. H. D. Ihliff, who came from Illinois a dozen years ago; S. J. McKee, who has not been in'the business so long but who has bred several record making cows, .one, of c them a world's champion ; Q. G. Hewitt and others are among this num ber. . . . Independence is one of the old er cities of "the vaUey and Its history-runs parallel to that of the I "... ' . . . - i1 Very truly jours, Farming: and Livestock Industries City si Mecca fcr Hep-' Whom It GetsBig Bosmess Purebred . CaUIe frtf ortqr.t state. Qt is a ' delightful ' towri. where visitors are gladly wel corned and where the general ap pearance . . f prosperity makes the wayfarer glad to be there. ; Grain elevators, a flour and feed mill, creamery and ther enterprises af ford farmers markets and do their share towards supporting the com munity. - v.1;-;-' '' ;;? ;.-;-tv. Independence is well cared for by business- houses. - Two large banks, ably managed and pro gressive In Hheir "methods, serve the financial requirements ot the community admirably. "There are department stores, clothing stores. Jewelry shops automobile estab lishments, grocery stores which take care', of the ' people's - needs. There is an excellent hotel with one of the finest cuisines that can be found 1 anywhere. ' Several movie houses provide entertain ment. There are several real es-' tale firms and "a 'newspaper. . The city has a live community clubof Which - Mayor "Mike Walker Is president - and D. ' E. Fletcher is secretary. This 'or ganization is doing a big work in keeping Independence on;its for ward march. ' v ';'. ' Independence people are loyal to their city. They have little; Chas.K. Spaulding bogging Co. Manufacturers and Dealers . Douglas Fir Lumber Sash and Doors . Mill Work ' Boxes Building Material Indiana Silo Paints and . Hardware . B. E. SMTH, Mgr. , ReUil Yard; Independence, Oregon ........ Salem, Orpgnn, - Mareh 31, 1023. C. .M. ROBERTS, W9 sfnp't consideration for Ihe person V. attempts to do it any. lnjustlc They' are Jealous of Its rights f.: are prbud-of its accpiapllshniei:. And that's, al'fine trait for a: community to have. First National Bank ' " bi ' Jpd$pende?icQ It has served well its community for years and years and is still doing it. Bf.c -Ccclde L ..J Both Heavy and Shelf Hardware Stock that Meets . . . ; the Needs of Everybody .n