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Show RICH COUNTY ROAD HAS THE EARNEST SUPPORT Of II OFFICIALS OF FOREST SERVICE. Editor, ngdpn Stand.ird Durinr the past ten days a series pf article haf apppared in'ihp Odfri pnpors regarding regard-ing Hip proposrd road from Hunts-ville Hunts-ville tr Bear I-ike. which apparent! -ivr an entirely erroneous Impression regarding thp attitude of the Forest Service toward this, project, which I would like to correct. The Forest Service clearly reconiz 68 1 he merit and value of a road be-tween be-tween the two points mentioned. In proof of this fact It tentatively set aide the sum of $15,000 to cover Us share of the cost of such a road, and the proposal to cooperate to the extent ex-tent mentioned was approved b tin-forester tin-forester and the secretary of agriculture agricul-ture This decision was based on the fact that such a road would furnish improved transportation facilities between be-tween important points ot supply and ronsumption; would stimulate travel between centers of heavy population and points i reel cai ional value; and would constitute a new and important im-portant Mnk in tue'sen ol road- leading lead-ing to Yellowstone National park. At no time was there any doubt as to the merit or importance ol the project. To qualify for federal CO-operatlon a road project must be a post road or lie at least partially within a nn tional forest. The decision to cooper ate in the construction of the road was based on the promise that the best and most practicable route would traverse the Monte Cristo division of the Cache national forest to an extent warranting federal aid in the sum of $15,000. Our plans nnd investigations were made wholly with this idea in mind. The investigation by District Er.cl-neer Er.cl-neer Martin dsiclosed the fact that the route through the Monte Cristo division di-vision of the Cache national forest was not the most practicable one It would involve a very considerable mileage of expensive construction, would attain an elevation of almost 9,000 feet in crossing the summit, (which would limit its period of use to about three months out of th" year) and would not be much shorter or quicker than the route via Evan-ston Evan-ston and Weber canyon Because of these circumstances, Mr. Martin 1 I that the benefit to the federal government gov-ernment would not be anywhere ne:r Commensurate with the probable cost of construction. He also concluded that, so far as this particular route was concerned, there was no advantage advan-tage over the Evanston-YVeber canyon route. After discussing the results of the invest igalion, Mr. Martin and 1 concluded that ihe route via Beaver Creek, Hardware Ranch, etc., offen d so man advantages as to location, mileage, loiv summits, costs, quality ol road material, nnd other factors that 'Iip state and count could secure better bet-ter and more economical results by developing tins project without ed rral co-operation than it could by developing de-veloping the Monte Cristo project with federal co-operation. A subsequent trip over the Bear Lake. Hardware Ranch, Hunts i-ille route, confirmed Mr. Martin's impressions impres-sions regarding the desirability of that road. It is the shortest route to Bar Lake, the- maximum elevation it at-talns at-talns is 7,100 feet, the material is naturally nat-urally adapted to road construction, and ihe cost 01 construction and maintenance main-tenance would be very reasonable. Mr.j Martin estimated that $5,000 to $10,000 1 would clear the road of loose rock, reduce re-duce some of the short steep pitches, and provide a little of the more ne-i cessar drainage, thus placing the road I : in reasonably good condition for use pending permanent reconstruction. He e.-t imates roughly that the road could be reconstructed throughout, according accord-ing to good standards, at a cost nor greater than the cost of the Monte Cristo route, and would be a very much better road, open for a much greater part of the year. I v. ish to repeat that the adverse opinion expressed by this office reflated re-flated strictly to the proposed Monte Cristo route If Mr Martin or myself entertained any doubts of the necessity neces-sity and desirability of a high grade road connecting Ogden valley and Bear I Lake valley, we would not have recommended recom-mended the expenditure of $15,000 of federal funds upon such a project. As a matter of fact we believe it com-I com-I pares in importance with any project upon which the Forest Service is now co-operating in Utah. The route from the Hardware Ranch to Beai Lake crosses a very small corner of the Cache forest, the distant dis-tant B inside the forest being almost negligible. Under the circumstances, the proportion of federal money al-! lowed 1 ou hi no I be a: great as planned ! in connection with the other route, but ;if the state and counties decide to con-;:nci con-;:nci or improve the road a limited; I amount of federal money, possibly 1 j $1,000, can be made available by the forest service The misunderstanding which seems to have arisen Is very regrettable Very sincerely yours. I 3igned) L. F. KNEIPP. District Forester. |