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Published 3:13 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008

Fall City property holders and merchants have

contributed over $2,500 in payment of a major

improvement in the business area. Long plagued by dust in

summer and mud in winter from the 32-foot strip of

roadway lying between the paved highway and the curb

on the main street, they subscribed funds for surfacing

of the strip for a distance of 2,358 feet.

Diesel Oil Sales Co. did the work, using

equipment in the area. The firm began surfacing operations

last Thursday in Fall City, completing work Tuesday.

Equipment had been working between Carnation

and Fall City the previous week, applying new blacktop

for the entire distance and re-doing a strip between

Carnation and Duvall. Work on this latter project, begun

by the state last summer, was not completed until this

year because of heavy rains.

Land Belongs to State

This strip of roadway just surfaced in Fall City

was given to the State Highway Department by property

owners a number of years ago. Presentation of land to

the state was made so that the highway would be placed

in its present location instead of one street south as

proposed by the state. Citizens, objecting to having

children cross the main-traveled thoroughfare to

reach school, gave the property and the highway went

through where it is today.

Year after year delegations visited the highway

department, asking for relief from mud and dust on

the unimproved strip. Cars traveling from one point to

another on the main street generally were driven on

this strip in preference to the paved highway because of

traffic. Chuckholes developed. Finally in desperation,

citizens decided to undertake the improvement themselves.

Joe Harris, Al Slott and Elmer Sorensen assisted

in collecting funds. Cost of surfacing intersections,

which are 60 feet wide (instead of 40 as originally

estimated) was pro-rated among property holders.

In applying the blacktop, asphalt and chemicals

are heated to a temperature of 240 degrees and kerosene

is sprayed on. After this mixture is applied, a layer of

gravel is added. Heat makes the kerosene evaporate and

oil comes through the gravel. A second coat of oil and

gravel is applied, making a sturdy, all-weather surface.