WAUPACA COUNTY NEWS

October 4, 1923

Local Attorney Talks About 18 Between Waupaca and the Point

            The following articles in regard to State trunk highway 18, between this city and Stevens Point, are taken from the Stevens Point Daily Journal.  The first, whereby L.D. Smith, local attorney is quoted, is from Saturday’s Journal and reads as follows:

            “People living in neighboring counties, as well as those at home feel the need of better roads in Portage county.

            “Lloyd D. Smith, Waupaca attorney in the city today on business, declared to a Journal reporter this afternoon:  “Outside of where state highway 22 and No. 87 are in Portage county, highway 18 between Amherst and Stevens Point is the worst road I ever want to drive on.  Eighteen after a rain is terrible. I’m going back on the Pleasant Valley road.  I hope it will be a little better and I’ll be able to survive the trip.”

            The next is from Monday’s Journal and reads as follows:

            “I’ll admit that state trunk highway 18 in Portage county is no boulevard and won’t be until we get concrete,” declared County Highway Commissioner T.E. Cauley today, “but I cannot understand Lloyd Smith of Waupaca. He complains of the terrible condition of 18 between Amherst and Stevens Point, but he doesn’t say a word about 18 for four miles out of Waupaca, in Waupaca county.

            “Waupaca county,” declared Mr. Cauley, “has had poorer roads on 18 than we ever had in Portage county. Eighteen between Weyauwega and Fremont, until the state came in and put concrete on it, was so bad that it could hardly be driven on. And the road west of Waupaca on the way to Sheridan is rotten right now, worse than any part of 18 in Portage county.

            “Ben Halverson and George Starks of the county road and bridge committee and myself were over 18 the day Smith drove here and we found it in good condition, better than it has been for a long time.  He said he was going over the Pleasant Valley road.  I hope he was able to get through the sand on this road in Waupaca county,” he concluded.

            The News will admit that 18 is bad – it is rotten in both counties.  Is it not time for the two counties to take united action towards making this a permanent concrete highway between Waupaca and Stevens Point?  It is needed, and the increased volume by auto traffic passing over it would exceed the wildest dreams. Let’s have some action on this matter.