The Newtown bee., 1908-07-17
FROM COMMISSIONER MACD0N-
 ALD.
STATE OF CONNECTICUT.
Highway Commissioners Office Rooms 25 and 27 Capitol.
 Hartford, July 1, 1908.


 Hartford, July 1, 1908.
 Board of Selectmen,-
 Gentlemen In accordance with Chapter 264 of the Public Acts of 1907, the obligation is placed on the Com missioner of receiving bids and letting contracts at his office. This being true, it is necessary for me to desig- nate a certain day in the week at which time bids will be received and contracts let. The law also provides that all work that is to be done shall be advertised for a period of one week.
 ltis difficult matter to get the plans out and the specifications drawn so as to have the lettings occur on Mondays. have also found that it congests the business of my depart ment to have the lettings occur on the official day for the selectmen to visit the Commissioner. ] have decided, therefore, owing to the stress of busi- ness and the requirements of the town to come and make selection of the highway to be improved under the present appropriation, to have at pres ent no official day at Hartford. So that on and after this date there will be no set day at which time the select men can come to Harford, as formerly until further notice. After the stress of the road building season IS over, l shall then appoint an official day, but at the present time 1 cannot see my way clear to continue the practice of having an official day every Monday. If you will please make note ot this fact, so as not to be disappointed Tn coming to Hartford, it will not only simplify matters, but will also assist me greatly.
 In this connection, perhaps ought to say that the total amount of money allotted by the State under this appro- priation is S1, ,O00,0O0. This allotment covers period of two years from last October and the allotment is to extend through to the first of October. 1909. The appropriation having been made so late, it was impossible to do any thing last fall except to enter upon the work for which an appropriation had been made under the old law, so that the entire business under the new ap- propiation, together with the unex- pended balance of the old appropia- tions, has been precipitated on the de- partment on this year. In addition to this amount, must be added the sum of S224, 900 from the several towns par. ticipating. and an additional sum of S5OO,0O0 for trunk lines, making a grand total of S1, 724, 900 for the cur rent and ensuing years. simply state this fact so you can see the volume Of business that is to be done during the current and ensuing years, which end October 1st, 1909. :,
 Active operations were commenced on the roads on April 18th, so that a little over two months has been avail able for the many obligations resting on the Commissioner. Perhaps it might be we'll for me to say here and now, so as to prevent unnecessary inquiries which only serve to take up the time of the Commissioner in answering in- dividual letters, that it will be lmpos., sible to expend, in the short period ot time between now and the closing of the seasons business. the entire two years appropriation.
 We have not contractors enough Tn the State, if,every section of road that is to be done in the State were ready this moment. to enter upon and complete this work. What is true in our own State is true in adjoining states. There is a dearth of road building contractors. 1 shall. however, visit the towns, make selection Of the roads, get out plans and speclilca.- tiOns and let contracts right through the season, and do all the work that is possible. Of necessity, some of the towns will have to go over until next ! season. Many of my contractors nave already several contracts. These con- tracts take all of their available ma chinery and tools.
 | This letter is for the purpose of fur nishing you with tull information re- garding all of the facts in the case. The