The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-09-10
THEY DIFFER AS
TO COUNTY'S ROADS
Commissioners Express Their
Opinions = Powers Says
They Are a Disgrace.

The county commissioners Of Ram
sey county have different opinions re-
garding the condition of the country
roads throughout the county, as will
be seen by the following interviews
with the various members of the board.
Some of the commissioners are of the
opinion that the county is getting all
1t is entitled to for the money that is
being expended upon the roads, while
others believe the county could get
much better results from the same
amount of money.
While some of the members express
the belief that Ramsey county has the
best roads of any county in the state,
others say the roads are a disgrace to
the county and that the money which
is being expended upon them is being
wasted.
When asked for an expression Of
opinion regarding the condition of the
county roads, considering the large
amount which has been expended upon
them, the commissioners expressed
themselves as follows:
Wright Brags of the Roads.
Commissioner Wright believe Ramsey
county has better roads than any other
county in the state of Minnesota. For
over twenty-five years 1 have been iden-
titled with the building of the county S
roads, and 1 can truthfully say that 1t is
my opinion that in this time not one dol
lar has been expended fooliShly. The
roads throughout the county are in good
condition, and can be pointed to with pride
regardless of the large amount which has
lieve there is another county in the state
which can show such good roads as can
Ramsey county.
Commissioner Powers-The county
roads in Ramsey county are disgrace.
Many miles of them are unfit for travel,
and the money which is being expended
upon them is being wasted. Under the old
system of having the roads repaired by
day labor. we were able to keep our roads
in fairly good condition, but under the
contract system no one cares to take the
work, and our roads are getting worse
each day. So long as we are compelled
to keep the roads up by contract labor
there can be but one result, and that is,
bad roads for the county.
Commissioner Nash-I believe Ramsey
county has better roads than any other
county in the state. and We are getting
returns for every cent expended. 1t Is
true that a large amount of money has
been expended upon our county roads, but
the roads show for themselves. and there
can be no kick on the amount of money
expended.
Day Labor System Wasted Money.
Commissioner Seng-There are many
miles of roads In the county which
have seen, 1 am convinced that there is
much to be done on the roads. The
money which was expended for road re-
pairs under the old system of having the
work done by day labor. l believe, was
mostly wasted. The only way to have
this work done is by contract and the cry
that we are not getting results from the
money expended is all boSh. While we
were having the work done by the day
it was possible for a commissioners to
give fat job to some personal or political
friend. and there was no one to see that
the work was properly done. 1t was sim
ply a case Of paying political debts, and
that is why some of the commissioners
are making a howl about the contract
| system. You can say for me that the only
] legitimate way to have this work done is
! by contract, and the county will be the
gamer by having it done In this man.
ner.
Good Roads for the Money.
Commissioner Pottgeiser-I don't care
| to talk for publication regarding the con-
dition of the county roads. Since have
| been on the board we have tried to keeI
! the roads in good condition, and I think
| that most of them will compare favorably
! with the roads of any county in the
| state. Under the contract system we are
| having a hard time to get much Of the
| minor work done, and in many instances
We. do not even receive bids for the work
| On account of the bills for road worl
| being held up by the county attorney
| there was no work done on the roads fol
| some time this summer, and On account
| of the rains some of the roads got in bad
| condition. think, however, for the
money which has been expended thai
Ramsey county has very good roads
Commissioner GrayI have Travelled
over almost every mile of the 200 miles
| Of roads in the county, and while some
of them are in bad condition at the pres
ent time, the roads as a whole are in good
condition, and are far ahead Of the roads
of other counties. In Ramsey county are
to be found some of the best roads in the
state The worst roads we have are in
the city, and now that We are empowered
to eXpend a certain amount of the road
fund on the city roads, we expect to soon
| have them in as good condition as the
roads in the country"