A Road to Nowhere on the Wishkah
Thousands of dollars have been spent on a road that remains unpassable, and the city's editorial board wants work restarted to put the unemployed to use.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
According to the county treasurer's report of July 1st, there remains a balance of $622.52 to the credit of road district No. 10. A road was started up the Wishkah River in this district, and over $2,700 expended on it during the early spring, when work was suddenly stopped, the commissioners giving as their reason that there were not sufficient funds to complete the same. What work has been done is in patches and is practically useless. If the amount on hand was properly expended, it would improve a large portion of this road and make it passable. It would be economy to do it at once, as there are a number of idle men around the Harbor who badly need work and money. It is official negligence to ignore such matters at times such as we now have, and our county commissioners should at once take steps to improve not only this particular road but every similar one in the entire county, as it is a wise business move that would help to tide over the present close times. Mr. Commissioners, don't keep this money tied up in 'old socks' any longer.
“What work has been done is in patches and is practically useless. ... Mr. Commissioners, don't keep this money tied up in 'old socks' any longer.”
Infrastructure projects often stall in the face of budget disputes, a frustration that remains common in municipal politics today. The plea to use idle labor to finish half-complete projects highlights the persistent tension between fiscal austerity and the need for public works during economic downturns.
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