Roads, roads and more roads

100 years ago:

April 8, 1915

Why is a liar.

This paper last week took exception to a county paper trying to take credit for condemning excessive expenditures by the County Commissioners of this county on roads and bridges. What we had reference to in particular, was the expenditure from 1908 to 1912, and which matter this paper called attention to, and for which we were abused by the Rawlins Journal, and one or two others. Now comes poor old “bad stomach Bill” of the Journal, taking all the credit, for being the paper to whom we had reference. If the shoe fits, why then it was natural enough for “b.d. Bill” to put it on, which he did, and says, “that when the Journal published the report of the state examiner showing that we were paying out more money than most of the counties of the state, and getting less for the money spent, the Sun was one of the first papers to say that statement was a lie.”

Now “b.d. Bill” just read over that quotation, and we will pay your railroad fare to Saratoga and back to Rawlins, if you can prove where we quote your figures as a lie. Now “b.d. Bill” we have called your dirty, low down, disreputable, stinking bluff, and it is up to you to prove it, or get out of the road and let somebody run that can.

Perhaps, in your simple mind, you have gotten us mixed up with some of the other papers who have had numerous occasion to call you a liar. We ask that you come and examine the Saratoga Sun files, from date of beginning to the present date to prove it. Come Willie, make good or “change your breakfast food.”

Willie ain’t forgotten that recommendation we made for him when he was having a fit about the way we were roasting the excessive expenditures, hence his recommendation to us. Get a blacksmith to look over your head and your liver, and perhaps your case is not hopeless.

75 years ago:

April 11, 1940

$80,000 Allocated for Snowy Range Highway

The Sun received a message Tuesday of this week from Senator H.H. Schwartz, in which he advised that the forest service had allocated over $300,000 for construction and improvement of forest highways in Wyoming for the year 1940-41, and that of this total $80,000 had been allocated to the Snowy Range highway between Saratoga and Laramie.

It is assumed the money will be used for widening and oil-surfacing of considerable stretch of the highway between the end of the present oiling near Brooklyn Lodge on west toward the west boundary of the forest.

The text of Senator Schwartz’ telegram was as follows: “Glad to advise Forest Service has allocated $332,000 for construction and improvement of forest highways in Wyoming for fiscal year 1940-41.

Allocation is distributed among Wyoming forest roads as follows: Buffalo -Ten Sleep, $120,000; Centennial-Saratoga, $80,000; Wind River, $108,000. For maintenance and post construction $20,000 is divided equally. Remaining $4,000 is for location survey.

50 years ago:

April 8, 1965

Road proposal appears favorable

After nearly two years of costly delay, an agreement has been reached on the location of the proposed paved road east of town. According to terms reached Monday night at the Town Council meeting and confirmed at the board of County Commissioners meeting Tuesday afternoon, the road will follow approximately the same route it now takes.

Transactions to acquire additional land to widen the road are now being conducted by the Town officials.

Additional right-of-way land must be acquired from Ernest Matson, R.R. Crow, Union Pacific railroad and the Saratoga Inn. Mayor L.D. Donelan reported.

25 years ago:

April 11, 1990

Encampment residents oppose disbanding police department

In the face of overwhelming opposition, the Encampment Town Council will not disband its police department to have law enforcement service provided by the Carbon County Sheriff’s Department.

More than 100 residents attended a public hearing Thursday and the majority indicated they were opposed to the switch in law enforcement.

Residents said they had concerns about the loss of jobs associated with the switch and whether it would have a negative effect of the community’s economy, even though the proposal could have saved thousands of dollars for the town annually.

Other concerns were raised about emergency dispatch operations, who would be responsible for animal control in the town, response times for emergency service and police officials and effect on insurance rates.

In its regular council meeting following the public hearing, the council unanimously defeated a motion to contract with the county for law enforcement and emergency dispatch services.

During the public hearing Mayor Chuck Davis said the council decided to look into the law enforcement change to see if it would be workable and cost effective. “This is a business, we have to run it like a business,” Davis said of the town.

“We felt we were looking at about a $50,000 savings and on a town this size we felt it should be investigated,” Councilman George Craighead said.

“I think it’s a good stroke of bvusiness and I’d like to commend the council,”Joe Remick, a member of both the fire and ambulance departments said.

In response to questions and comments about effects of the change on residential insurance rates Fire Chief Jeb Steward said the switch could have led to reduced insurance rates. That would happen because under the plan there would have been two emergency lines available for people to make calls on, the 911 system also would have been installed, he said.

“I really don’t see any problems with the dispatch system” in relation to fire and ambulance calls, Steward said, but he voiced the opinion of many when he said, “I’m in favor of Encampment supplying the services ... that Encampment needs.”

Carbon County Commisioner Gary Graalman said “it’s never too late” to re-consider the issue if Encampment finds in the future it must make a change in law enforcement and dispatch services. “In two years if we need to re-look at this thing ... then we’ll do it,” Graalman said.

Attending the meeting to answer questions and explain the proposal in addition to Encampment council members were Carbon County Sheriff Don Sherrod, Graalman, Commissioner Bud Willie of Baggs, Carbon County Radio Technician Clayton Kilgore and officials from U.S. West.