Up to November 30, 1918, fifteen Post Road Projects had been submitted
to the Office of Public Roads for approval. Of these fifteen projects
nine have received approval, three have been rejected as not complying
with the government requirements as regards rural and star route mail
service over them, and three are pending action by the Secretary of
Agriculture. The rejected projects were the Wolf Creek-Grave Creek
project in Josephine county, the Canyonville-Galesville project in
Douglas County, and the Myrtle Creek-Dillard project also in Douglas
County. The first and third of these projects have since been
constructed without government co-operation, and the second is under
construction as a "Forest Road."
Construction is now under way on two Post Road Projects both of which
are in Union County. These are the Elgin-Minam project, estimated to
cost $41,151.00, and the Union-Telocaset project, estimated to cost
$30,000.00. The contracts for the construction of both jobs were let on
July 9, 1918, to Union County, represented by the County Court, the
lowest bidder. Subsequent to the letting, however, the Attorney General
gave the opinion that the County Court had no legal authority to enter
into a contract of this nature, and in order to facilitate matters and
prevent delay in construction the State Highway Commission on September
10, 1918, agreed to take the work over at the prices bid by the County,
the County agreeing to reimburse the State in case the cost of the work
exceeded the bid prices.
The total estimated cost of all projects agreed upon to date is
$1,409,993.24 of which $627,496.62 is to be paid by the Federal
Government, $627,496.62 by the State, and $155,000.00 by the Counties
interested. On page 24 is given a tabulation of the Post Road Projects
approved, giving the estimated cost of each project with the respective
amounts to be paid by the State, the Federal Government and the
Counties.