The daily sentinel., 1912-09-24
MANY BRIDGES
BEING BUILT
BY THE STATE
Sentinel Special Service.

Sentinel Special Service.
DenNer, sept -Notwithstaud-
ing the fact that the financial status
Oh the state highway commission is
anything but flush, the work of
oulidlns bridges and improving the
roads is gong on throughout the
state uninterruptedly, according TO
reports being sent to the commission
Dy county commissioners. Under the
Jaw, counties are allowed from the
state one dollar for every two dol
lars expended on road and bridge
work: but for the past year very lit
tie money has been forthcoming from
ne state Tor these purposes.
A ZoO-tOot bridge is being con-
stfutted over fork of the Gunnfson
river near Hotchkiss, while one 125-
loot bridge is being built over the
lhcompahgre near Delta. County
commissioner Roberts of Delta county
was mere this week conferring with
the hlShWay commission as to the
pans and Specifications. The two
bridges Will cost S25,0OO and will be
constructed at once, whether state
ald IS assured or not The Hotchkiss
bridge is on the state line between
Delta and Salida The old bridges
were washed out during the floods
last spring.
Engineer J. Z. Maloney of the
highway commission win visit EI
Paso county, and, with the commits
slonors OF that county, will inspect
the l0O-foot bridge that is being
butt over Monument creek near Col
orado Springs. This bridge win cost
about $1,000.
The commissioners of Pueblo coun-
ty, according to the state highway
COMMISSION, have been doing fine
work on tue roads and bridges in the
northern part OF that county between
rueUiO and Colorado Springs. Much
Ct TINS Improvement has been carried
On by state conyilts, and it is esti-
mated that similar work to be done
between Pueblo and Canon City and
between Pueblo and Walsenburg Will
cover period OF from one to two
years. Many new bridges and cul-
NeTts have been put in during the last
year.
MUntezuma county is Just finish
.ng new bridge on the main road
to Cortez. 1t VIII cost $4,000.
Contracts recently have been let
by tue county commissioners OF Mont
rose CUun,y Tor two bridges. One is
near MuntrCse, over the IuCompan-
gre river, whAe the other is near
Oiathe. TAe cost Of eaun will be
about $1,000.
one Ul tue largest bridges being
,On-tlucted IN tue state at this time
IS that over The Arkansas river at
La Junta. Ii mas a span of seven
arches and will be $40 feet long.
Icing butt OF reinforced concrete.
4 n s.1 1gta# rHtF.
ticaFy competed, and the arches will
soon be put in place. When COM
pleted the bridge will cost 100000.
Like other similar work in the state,
Otero county is going ahead with the
construction regard ess of state aid.
TnGre is no question but that the
state will meet its obligation with
the different counties in the matter
of providing money for road and
bridge work, but not until the lcgis-
iature has made other provision for
providing the funds. Should the bill
10 be referred to a vote of the peo-
pie at the fall election carry, there
viii be plenty of money to meet the
demands OF the various counties for
tho lawful state aid of one dollar for
every two dollars put up by the coun-
ty. Something like half million
dollars will be available for this pur-
pose should the bin become Il law,
and it is believed that it will, for
the people of the state sec the neces-
sity for better roads and better bridg-
es in almost every part of Colorado.
There are only few exceptions
where improvements of this charac-
ter are not needed. The good roads
question is of vital importance to
the people OF the whole state, and
for this reason there has been created
quite a favorable sentiment every
where in favor of the proposed new
law.