The Nespelem Tribune

Announcement Gives Road Boost For Early Completion

Meyer Gets Notice Projects On Two Reservations Involve Expenditure Of Nearly Half Million

Practical assurance that work on the Omak-Disautel-Nespelem road will be rushed and that a combination of funds from the Indian service and the state highway department will be quickly made available for the project was given Monday when Harvey K. Meyer, superintendent of the Colville Indian reservation, informed the Tribune that official notice has been received approving proposed work on the Colville and Spokane reservations.

The projects involve the expenditure of $440,000 and include the completion of a large portion of the Disautel road.

The announcement indicates that there will be no delay in the appropriation of $150,000 for the road by the state highway department. Lacey V. Murrow, state director of highways, announced at Okanogan recently that this amount would be made available when the expected Indian service work funds were allocated.

Work Camps Enlarged

In the meantime the Indian Emergency Conservation Work crew at Disautel, supervised by M. H. Davis, has been enlarged to about 50 men, Mr. Davis said Monday. The workers are centering their activities on the portion of the road between Disautel and Coyote Creek canyon.

Several miles of the route has been finished or is being graded now. Right-of-way for the remaining portion has been cleared and it is expected that the enlargement of the camp expected to follow quickly upon the receipt of the new funds, will make the work move along quickly.

Although no official announcement has been made, it has been reported that the Indian service contemplates establishing a new work camp between Nespelem and Coyote Creek canyon, a portion of the road which is not now being improved. The state's funds will be applied on the road to be built through the canyon and on other sections of the road in that vicinity.

Cites Road's Advantages

In promising an allocation of funds from his department, Mr. Murrow said at Okanogan that the road was given preference over other proposed routes because it could be built more cheaply and quickly, and because of the work already under way by the Indian service.

He expressed the opinion that there is an urgent need for a road from this district to the Grand Coulee dam, and that he is anxious to lend cooperation of his department to secure it.