The Battle Over the Kennewick-Finley Road

In spite of all the unkind things which have been said about the Kennewick-Finley oiled road, it appears that when the county built this road it got more for its money than in any other road that has been built in the county. It isn't a boulevard, it is true. It may be that the construction was poorly inspected and larger rock than the specifications called for may have been used, but with all its defects and deficiencies, it is one of the best road investments the county has ever made. It will be remembered that at the time the improvement was proposed, the county engineer submitted specifications. Had these specifications been adopted the funds then available would have built about three miles and left the end of the improvement in a sand bank down by the Burns ranch. At the request of the Commercial Club the specifications were changed so that the available funds built seven miles instead of three. The seven miles cost $18,000. It has never been claimed for the road that it would last as long as a more expensive one, but that it would give the people of the valley more real service than a few miles of the expensive type. We know the Valley people have done a lot of kicking about the road, but we have never been able to figure out exactly what they have been kicking about unless it is to play into the hands of the Prosser Tax League which kicks about everything. If the object of the Valley kickers has been to arouse the commissioners and impress upon them the necessity of spending some money on the maintenance of the road, they may have been justified in their kicks. Better still they have accomplished their purpose as the entire seven miles have been put into excellent shape at a cost of about $400.