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Following the publishing of this story, the Hur Herald received death threats by regular mail and e-mail, their sources never learned.
By Bob Weaver 2/2/2001
A Roane County logger is being accused of destroying sections of newly
improved
highway on Rowels Run. After investigating the problem yesterday,
assistant Calhoun
road supervisor Joe Webb said "They have ruined what we did last
summer. It is
showing severe damage." The trucks, including long-based trailers, are
too heavy for
the roadway and often appear overloaded for the rural road.
 Saunder's
logging trucks "often appear overweight."
 Saunder's truck
coming up Rowels Run
A section of Rowels Run received asphalt pavement last fall and
another section on
lower Rowels Run received a few miles of chip and tar pavement. Both
are showing
severe strain, according to Webb.
 New Asphalt shows
wear near Hur Hill turn.
He said it was not the Department of Highway's jurisdiction to enforce
West Virginia
logging laws, although "We are going to do everything possible to
relieve this
situation."
 Hollie Murphy says
"It's disgraceful if we let them do this."
Cremo resident Hollie Murphy said trucks used by Saunders Logging of
Spencer are
harming several sections of Rowels Run. Saunders Logging is reportedly
owned by
Jerry Saunders, whose address is listed on Stover Fork near U. S. 33,
Ripley Road.
"We finally got this country road improved after forty years and this
logging is
destroying it," he said.
 Damage at "Holl
Kerby Turn" where truck and trailer got stuck.
Murphy said one of Saunder's trucks was grossly overloaded last
Saturday night and
got stuck for a few hours in the "Holl Kerby Turn" near Hur. "There
was
no doubt in my
mind what they were doing," he said. The new asphalt in that area is
showing "cracks
and breaking away," he said. "There are places down to the mud near my
house."
 Roadway turning
into mud holes.
The Saunder's operation has reportedly been in conflict with forestry
agents in the
past few weeks over their logging practices on Little Rowels Run. The
rural road
which connects Rowels Run and Little Creek was recently upgraded by
the WVDOH
with stone and gravel. It is no longer passable except with 4-wheel
drive
vehicles.
 Little Rowels Road
was improved recently with rock and stone.
 Road near logging
site.
A local logger said it was a "bad time to move logs." Some states have
"frost laws"
and require bonding to protect highways. West Virginia does not. The
Saunders
operation did not respond to inquiries.
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