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About Vernonia eagle. (Vernonia, Or.) 1922-1974 | View Entire Issue (April 5, 1929)
Library, U of fi , Highway Special ^Edition West Side Pacific Ikrnonia Attend the Big Road Meeting at Vernonia Monday, April 8 VOLUME 7 i.ifiM ______________________________________________ ______________ VERNONIA, OREGON, Saglc T* FRIDAY, APRIL S, 1929 D! At the Joy Theatre At 2 O’clock p.m. The Public is Invited - L MEET ATVERNONIA MON., A PRIL 8 Mj// Highway Will , Benefit Many Oregon Cities Traffic Over Longview Bridge to Be Great See Few Obstacles Meeting Will Be l:ei<! in Joy Theatre; Recently construct ed Here were Detailed preparations made yesterday to call a meet ing of all the road enthusiasts in the towns touched by a north and south road leading directly from Eugene, north to the Can adian line, through Longview, Wash. With the hope that a road as sociation could be formed by representatives from the various towns along the route, a meet ing has been called to be held in Vernonia on Monday, April <8, at 2 p.m. in the Joy theatre. This theatre was recently con structed and accords excellent accommodations for a crowd of 650. Prominent speakers will be on hand to fully explain all the benefits accruing to the various sections through which the road will pass, and it is believed that the sentiment will be great at the meeting to arouse enthusiasm which will mean the completion of a through road, graveled and with low grades, which will link western Oregon and western Longview Washington at th« bridge. Wesley Vandercook, who has made a long detailed study of the traffic situation in the north west, will be on hand to explain the probable volume that can be expected to pass through each section of the state covered by this road. Other speakers will point out the agricultural advantages to be derived from the increased settlement of the country due to the completion of this project. The Longview bridge builders are under contract to complete the structure in less than one year. In the opinion of many »who have made a study of the ‘ situation, every day that passes before the through route is com pleted north and south means that the status quo in regard to the tourist trade and settlement of land of these various sections will remain the same, whereas the completion of the road means in the neighborhood of 500,000 to 750,000 cars per year passing through these sections. Effort Being Made In Washington County ficient funds to practically fin- ish the job in 1930. the Roadmaster Jones told people in the Banks-Buxton dis trict that they could hasten tile construction materially if they would vote special road taxes in their respective road districts and aid the county through the sections benefitted. Washington county has decid ed to relocate practically all of the road between Banks and Buxton on account of the fact that as it is now located it winds over the tracks of the S. P. & S. Ry. and the Southern Pa cific Ry. which practically makes it prohibitive as a state high way. The actual work has been held up on part of this section by reason of the fact that some of the property owners through whose farms the road is relocat ed have refused to deed the rights-of-way to the county and has forced it to start condem nation proceedings. The matter of right-of-way has been practically adjusted at the present time and the county road department of Washington county road department of Wash ington county will proceed to complete the road as soon as weather permits. Rainier Delegation Meets With Vernonia Chamber of Commerce The regular meeting of the Vernonia Chamber of Commerce, held yesterday, was well attend ed by a delegation from the Rainier Commercial club, who came in the interest of the com- pletion of the West Side Pacific highway from Eugene tothe Can adian line through Longview. of Judge Wood, president Rainier Commercial club, Jos. McKay, J. A. Schunesen, and W. E. Proctor represented Rain ier, with Mr. Proctor, secretary of the Commercial club, as spokesman. W. E. Proctor quoted Wesley Vandercook, chief engineer for the Longview bridge, as stating that the bridge would be com pleted about January 1, 1930. A meeting later in the after noon of the executive committee of the Vernonia Chamber of Commerce with the Rainier Com mereiai club members was held, at which time the joint com mittees decided to issue a special edition the Eagle called “Special edition of the West Side Pa cific highway,” which would be used to inform people living along the route of the proposed extension, that the big road meeting would be held in Verno nia Monday, April 8, at 2:00 p.m. at the Joy theatre, where numerous speakers well inform ed on the road situation would address the gathering. Dean Rogers, president of Corvallis Chamber of Commerce and Dean of school of engineer ing of Oregon State Agricultural college, has been invited to ad dress the meeting, as also E. C. Apperson, chairman of highway commission and banker of Mc Minnville. Loyal Graham of Forest Grove and Senator Norblad of Astoria have also been invited as other well known good roads boosters of Oregon. At a recent meeting of the Washingnton county court, at which delegates from northern Washington county and Colum bia county were present, the court assured the delegates that every effort was being made to connect the remaining uncom- pleted sectioni s between Banks Rainier at Northern Forest and Vernonia on the Terminus of Highway road. Grove-Vernonia market The court stated that they were The city of Rainier has the in favor of the project; but good fortune of being located • were limited somewhat by the at the northern terminus of the small amount of the funds avail proposed extension of the West able and that they were not Side Pacific highway at the authorized to expend money on junction of the lower Columbia this road which was apportion river highway. Its location is ed or voted for some other ideal from the standpoint of be roads in the county. ing accessible to the tourist and It was pointed out by the will share to a large extent the Washington county roadmaster enormous development of the that there were approximately Columbia river district. three tnd one half miles of the It is just across the Columbia road uncompleted at the present river from the new city of time, but that the county would I Longview. Wash., and its growth have sufficient funds during the will undoubtedly keep pace with year 1929 to construct approxi- the development of the city on mately two miles of the remain the opposite side of the Colum- ing section. This money would bia. Located on the gently ris- be expended in constructing a I ing slopes of the south banks of mile on each end of the remain- i the Columbia george it offers ing sector. The rest consisting ideal home conditions and the of one and a half miles, would cities of Longview and Kelso be near the summit of the can be seen across the river to divide and would be the most gether with a great expance of difficult part of the project; but the Columbia valley in both di- * that the county woj W have suf-1 rections. Enthusiasts For Project Interviewed All Towns Expected To Cooperate Responses Procter and Warm Vandercook Profitable Week Proposed Along Spend the Route Wesley Vandercook, who holds the position of chief engineer of the Long-Bell Lumber company and who is promoting the con struction of the Longview-Rain ier bridge, and W. C. Proctor, of the Proctor-Martin company of Longview and Rainier, made a trip this week through Ver nonia to Forest Grove and Wil lamette valley points to deter mine the sentiment of the people in the various sections concern ing the proposed extension of the West Side Pacific highway through Forest Grove Vernonia to Rainier. They reported that at all of the various places vis ited there was practically no op position and everyone interview ed expressed themselves as be ing favorable to the project. At Forest Grove they inter viewed Loyal Graham, ex-state representative, who expressed himself in favor of the road, and. stated that it was the one single | project that would develop the western Willamette valley more than any other proposition. The highway committee of the Forest Grove Chamber of Commerce. Called a meeting and adopted a resolution favoring the early construction of the road and ex pressed themselves as willing to use their efforts to put the pro Traffic Will Be Passing Over $5,800,000 Structure ject over. By January 1, 1930 According To Wesley Van At McMinnville they inter viewed Mr. Apperson of the Mc dercook, Chief Engineer of Longview Bridge Minnville bank and he was very enthusiastic in his support of According to advices received out being impeded in any way. the proposed road and agreed to have a large delegation at from Wesley Vandercook, pro The central span will be 1000 the meeting to be held in Ver moter of the Longview-Rainier feet between piers which will Bridge, the project will be com nonia April 8. At Corvallis, permit the largest of ocean go Dean Rogers of the school of pleted about January 1, 1930. ing ships to pass through. The The concrete piers upon which engineering of the Oregon State bridge will be without a draw college, was approached on the will rest the huge cantilever or lift and will, according to the now being poured structure are proposed route and he expressed promoters, have a capacity to himself in favor and would at and the actual placing of the take care of any future traffic spans will begin within a short tend the meeting in Vernonia that will develop, The northern and do his utmost to see the time. approach will be from Oregon This is one of the longest way, and will be a _ gradual in- project completed. At all other points along the West Side Pa spans of its kind in the United cline from the southern part of cific highway as far south as States and will when completed Longview to the northern span Junction City they met with the connect Longview, Wash., and of the bridge. The southern ap same ^response and everyone Rainier, Ore., which are now be proach will be on practically a agreed to be at the meeting at ing served by a ferry between level grade to the Lower Colum Vernonia on the 8th of April to the two points. bia river highway. It is planned perfect an organization for the In granting the permit to con- to make two approaches on the the purpose of constructing the struct this bridge, the war, navy south side so as to permit an northern section of the highway. commerce departments of the approach either from the east Upon their return to Vernonia United States government were or west. A large crew of men they held a meeting with local very desirious that the structure are now employed in the con- business men and were very en when completed would in no structing of the piers and work navigation is being rushed as fast as ma- thusiastic about the . recention way interfere with they had been accorded and ex up the Columbia river to Port terial is available. pressed themselves as certain land and inland points and re From the traffic reports f ur- that with the right organization quired that it be placed at such nished by the engineers at the a height above the Columbia at the head of the project it| time the bridge was projected would become a certainty within river that ocean going shipping it is estimated that approximate'- would pasB under the span with- ly 500,000 automobiles will pass the near future. over the bridge during the first year following its completion. Huge Bridge Well Under This fact alone will divert thous Road Adjacent ands of automobiles into Colum and Washington counties Construction Between bia and all points along the west To V ernonia Pacific highway, according to its proponents. Rainier and Longview side Is Completed VANCOUVEfT ANACOflîTS 1 PORT 1 OWNS L ND 1VFPETT Topography map in perspective showing Colum bia River Long view bridge, the Columbia river radiation point of the principal arterial highways of the Pacific northwest. Log of Route Shows Shortcuts A log of the proposed exten sion of the west side Pacific highway from Forest Grove through Vernonia to Rainier will show the relative distance be tween the terminus of the com pleted sections, the sections now uncompleted and the saving in distance that would be accom plished if the proposed exten sion was completed. Starting at Junction City, where the east and west side Pacific highways diverge, the route would follow the west side Pacific highway north to Cor vallis where the Corvallis-New port intersects the west Side highway. This would form a junction at that point which would accommodate the travel wishing to go to the coast by this route or wishing to reach the west side Pacific highway from the coast route. The route would then run north through Monmouth and Rickreal to the city of McMinn ville. At Rickreal a junction is made with the west side Pacific highway through Salem and eastern Willamette valley points would be made accessible by traveling ten miles from Rick real to Salem on the east side highway. At McMinnville the west side Pacific highway in tersects the McMinnville Tilla mook road by the way of Sheri dan and makes this route within easy reach of traffic coming up the Roosevelt highway and wish ing to cross to the west side Pa cific highway and proceed north. A connecting link is also form ed at this place with the east side Pacific highway. The route would then run north through Carlton and Yamhill to the city of Forest Grove, which is is now the terminus of the West Side Pacific highway. From here to the northern end at Rainier the road would have to be re-constructed and approximately 13 miles would be new construction. The section from Forest Grove to Banks is now located on a very good grade and is surfaced with oil macadam. From this point north to the town of Buxton the routs would have to be practically re located the entire distance of seven miles. According to pres ent plans the road would follow the west side of the Southern Pacific railroad right-of-way to Buxton. This is relatively easy construction as the entire dis tance is through developed farms and very little grading would have to be done. From Buxton the route would follow the valley of Dairy creek to a point about three miles north of Buxton where it would pass under the S. P. & S. R. R. tracks and thence run north to Scofield. The section of the road from Buxton of the road from Buxton to Scofield has been re- cently completed and is on an excellent grade of market road standards. Scofield is the northern ter minus of the completed section of the road in Washington coun ty. From here the road would follow the general direction of the present puncheon road used by the early settlers in this sec tion to the Columbia county line, a distance of about three and a half miles. From the Co lumbia county line to Vernonia, a distance of about seven miles, the road is in very good con dition with the exception of about a mile at the southern and which will be rocked during the present season. From Verno nia the proposed road would run to Pittsburg, which is of market road standards construction and is surfaced with oil bound mac adam with the exception of one mile of concrete pavement near the city of Vernonia. The route from Pittaburg to Apiary would be entirely of new construction and would be the the most cot Uy of the route to complete. Various preliminarys Would Straighten Curve* And Resurface »90,000 Per Year Section of Road From Washing ton County Line To Pitts burg Is Completed Road district 9, comprising the section of the proposed Forest Grove-Rainier extension of the west side Pacific high way surrounding and extending from the northern Washington county line to Pittsburg, has voted a 10-mill special tax which will be expended in the improve ment of this section. It is proposed, according to the budget adopted at the meet ing of the taxpayers, that this money be used in straightening out curves and resurfacing and oiling part of the five miles be tween Vernonia and Pittsburg. The road from Vernonia south to the Washington county line, about seven miles, has been re cently graded and the remainder of the unsurfaced section, about one and a half miles, will be surfaced this year. This will complete the road to the Wash ington county line and with the early improvement of the Wash ington county section consisting of about three and one-half miles will make the Nehalem valley territory accessible from the northern part of Washington county. The improvement of this sec tion has taken on an added in terest in view of the fact that it is directly in line with the proposed northern extension of the west side Pacific highway and practically all of the work heretofore completed will be used on the proposed extension. All of the seven miles of the road between Vernonia and the northern Washington county lino and the section of the road be tween Vernonia and Pittsburg will be of state market road standard construction and ac cording to the highway engineers is on a much better grade and alignment than many of the pres ent state highways. The Vernonia district is spend ing approximately $90,000 a year in road construction and has, during the past few years, de veloped one of the best market road systems in the state. This has been aided materially by the fact that it was in a rich tim bered area and the taxable val uation was sufficient to raise th^ funds needed for the improve ments. According to the present plans adopted by the taxpayers in their budget at the last special road tax meeting, the present market road system will be prac tically completed this year. This will relieve the necessity of spending any additional sums of money for the present designated roads and give the county court an opportunity to appropriate what money is available to im prove and construct the remain ing portions of the proposed road from Forest Grove to Rain ier. surveys have been made and from the information compiled by the engineers the distance from Pittsburg to Apiary is es timated at from nine to twelve miles, depending on which route the distance is computed. But in none of the surveys is the distance estimated at more than twelve miles. From this point the road would lead to Rainier over the Rainier-Apiary market road a distance of eight miles. This would make th* dis tance between Vernonia and Rainier on the proposed rout* approximately 23 miles and the distance to Forest Grove along the proposed route a distance of 26 miles or a total distance from Forest Grove to Rainier of 49 miles, • ■