The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1916-02-03
LET'S COMPROMISE
Great Interest Manifested in the
Selection of Route for the
Jefferson Highway.
Why Not Have A, B and C Routes
Between Elk River, St.
Cloud and Bemidji?

Several hundred people from north
ern Minnesota were in attendance at
a meeting of the state highway COM
mission in st. Paul last Thursday.
The cause of the large attendance was
the re-hearing on the location of the
Jefferson Highway, the great north
and south national highway from New
Orleans to the Canadian border, and
on to Winnipeg. AS yet the "Great
National Highway" exists on paper
only. The name is all there is to it.
The road as mapped out enters the
state in Freedom county and passes
through Albert Lea, Owatonna, Fari-
bault, Mortified, St. Paul, Minneapo-
lis, Anoka and Elk River. At Elk
River the trouble commences. AS
originally planned by the highway
commission the route was from Elk
River northwesterly to st. Cloud, Lit
tie Falls, Wadena, Park Rapids, and
the state park, and northerly to Be-
midi, and from that point in west
erly direction to Crookston thence
north to St. Vincent.
Brainerd people claim that the JEFF
ferson highway is supposed to be "a
scenic highway, and that the proper
route is north from Elk River to
Princeton and the queen Of Minnesota
lakes-unsurpassable Mile Lacs,-
Brainerd, Gull lake, Leech lake and
a hundred other beautiful lakelets to
Bemidji. If scenic beauty is taken
into consideration the Mile Laos lake
Gull lake and Leech lake route cannot
be surpassed.
But the people Of Sank Centre and
Long Prairie were also on hand to
urge the claims Of their section. They
are DESTROYS of having the road branch
off at St. Cloud to Sank Centre and
thence northward through Long Prai-
RE to Wadena. Much can be said in
favor of this route as the road would
pass through very rich farming
country, but for scenic beauty it cam,
not compare with the Mile Lacs-Leech
Sake route.
Of course Little Falls people object
ed to both the Sank Centre and Mile
Laos lake routes, and wanted the orig
inal location to stand.
Something can be said in favor Of
all the proposed routes, each has it's
advantages and disadvantages, but, of
course, the Union thinks the Mile
Laos lake route is by far and away
the best.
There is no dispute as to the loca-
ton of the road as far as Elk River,
and no one dreams Of not touching
Bemidji, it is the designation be-
tween these two points that is worry
ing the highway commission and null
tiplying the grey hairs of the heads
of the members thereof. The Union
suggests this compromise. Let there
be three Jefferson highways between
Elk River and Bemidji as follows:
Route A via Mile Laos lake, Brainerd
and Leech lake; route B via St. Cloud,
Little Falls, Wadena and Park Rapids;
route G via St. Cloud, Sank Centre,
Long Prairie, and Wadena- the B and
C routes would converge at Wadena.
IF the compromise is adopted and
later on there is to be any additional
aid extended through the highway
commission other than the regular
apportionment from the state road and
bridge fund, let if be given to the most
deserving.
There is nothing unfair in this prop
osition, and it is an easy way out of
the difficulty for the highway COM
mission.