The Road over the Jaufen Pass (Part 1)

Appendix.

History.

The road over the Jaufen. 1/2

There has hardly been a more glorious era in road construction for the Austrian state, and particularly for Tyrol and Vorarlberg, than the present. Almost impossible feats have been achieved. Standing uniquely beside the world-famous Simplon is the new road over the Wormser Joch (Stelvio Pass), which joins the commercial road in Mals and is likely the highest in Europe. If one now casts a glance at the map, one might well be convinced that—even purely from a military standpoint—a road over the Jaufen (from Sterzing to Meran) would be not only practical but of the utmost importance, owing to a faster and incomparably safer *) communication with the Wormser road. That such a road is feasible is certain; for even our ancestors, who were far from familiar with all the means to overcome the difficulties arising in alpine road construction, recognized this possibility. A lack of money thwarted the project at the time; yet it may not be entirely useless to recall that earlier plan and the negotiations conducted around it.

On the occasion of a report addressed to the Magistrate in Meran by Hans Christoph Kolber, court clerk in Passeier, dated 26 February 1682, the latter stated that there was much talk in Passeier regarding the possibility of a road over the Jaufen, and indeed a construction contract had already been offered. Nothing was more natural or came more swiftly to further discussion than this project; for owing to various adversities, such as the Engadine wars, plagues, crop failures, devastation caused by floods and burst glacial lakes, the construction works necessitated thereby, etc., and especially through the building of the new Kuntersweg, the once substantial town of Meran had declined drastically. Misery and hardship were everywhere. Commodities were worth nothing. Various remedies were contemplated, some of which were executed—e.g., the levy of the meat tax—while others remained well-intentioned plans. Among the latter was the road over the Jaufen. Kolber's remark was discussed individually and then in the council, thus taking on the character of an official negotiation. A preliminary brief inspection of the route had already been carried out, and inquiries had been made, especially regarding master builders and costs. To bring the project to fruition if possible, or at least to give it its initial impetus, the then active mayor Ferdinand Stickler deemed it necessary to arrange a preliminary meeting of the neighbouring jurisdictions and prominent landowners.

This assembly was indeed summoned on 4 March 1682, **) and on the 20th there appeared at the convention: 1. For Meran: Mr. Zacharias Laicharding, canon of Chur and parish priest of Meran; Mr. Jakob Andrä Voglmair, administrator of the wine cellar office; Mr. Leopold Zöttl zu Griefenstein; Mr. Gaudenz Kager; Mr. Ehrenreich Laicharding; Mr. Johann Wolf; Mr. Hans Waid; Mr. Peter Prantner; Mr. Georg Meitinger, town clerk; Mr. Balthasar Preitenberger; and for the rural communities the village mayors. 2. For the jurisdiction of Stain unter Löwenberg, Sebastian Parthanes from Ampaßegg. 3. For the jurisdiction of Tisens, Dionys Stickler, court clerk. 4. For the jurisdiction of Ulten, Jakob Linser. 5. For the jurisdiction of Gargazon, the aforementioned Mr. Voglmair. 6. For the jurisdiction of Burgstall, Mr. Christoph Unterböck, estate administrator. 7. For the jurisdiction of Forst, Hans Neuwirth.

F. Stickler briefly reiterated the address concerning the utility, or rather the necessity, of the road in question. The deputies discussed the subject and their partial ability to contribute. A further convention was appointed for 6 April. At the same time, on 21 March, the Magistrate of Sterzing was invited to send deputies as well, with the explanation that the road from Kalch onward was to be undertaken by Sterzing. The sovereign government was to be petitioned not to levy customs duty, but rather to permit a road toll.

At the convention there appeared, in addition to the above, Dr. Franz Pomb for the jurisdiction of Passeier and the municipality of Obermais. Those from Passeier denied, however, having offered to undertake the construction under contract for 15,000 florins; it had merely been mentioned that it might cost that much. Otherwise, the road was feasible; yet the Karlegger mountain was friable and exposed to avalanches for half an hour's distance; ***) one could therefore travel only in summer and carry a load of at most 15 to 18 Yhren of wine. They favoured a packhorse trail (Samerschlag) and wished to contribute nothing, demanding rather first clarification regarding land compensation. Burgstall declared itself in favour of the project, but unable to contribute due to poverty. Naturns demanded that the upper inhabitants of Schlanders and Kastelbell should also contribute. All the others, however, unanimously resolved to conduct an immediate inspection of the feasibility or impossibility, and subsequently to have a report presented on the course of the road, its further circumstances, and costs.

Dispatched for this purpose were: Mr. Flugi junior, Mayor Stickler, and the municipal deputies Mooser, Pföstl, Gander, Pircher, Tanzer, and Haller. Construction experts from Sterzing were also to be consulted. The expenses of the inspection were apportioned immediately and taken from advances or from the wine deputation.

On 19 August, the aforementioned persons were convened in Meran for a preliminary conference. ****) It was resolved that the inspection should be conducted as diligently as possible and at the earliest date, with a meeting set for 1 September in St. Leonhard. Newly appointed for the inspection were: the aforementioned Mr. Flugi, Mr. Hafner, the council deputy Mr. Schmidegger, and the municipal deputies Mooser, etc.

(Conclusion to follow.)

*) For the Kuntersweg road remains perpetually unsafe due to its inevitably unfortunate position between rockfalls and torrents.

**) Wherein it was noted that the inhabitants of Passeier had already declared their willingness to undertake the construction under contract against security, which, however, proved erroneous, being merely hearsay.

***) The present-day spirit of road building would know how to overcome all such obstacles, though the route of the road would first have to be determined in any case.

****) As Stickler's term as mayor had expired in the meantime, Christoph Hafner became mayor.