The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-07-19
Shake-up in Road
Building Methods
Continued from Page u


if the road committee and the
taxpayers felt favorable to ex-
tending Ogren's contract.
But Mr.. Robillard of the road
committee said contract had
been entered into with Balch &
Company for the competitor OF
the work and had already been
signed by three members of the
committee and delivered. Good
and Iverson Of the committee
did not sign the contract and
Olson said that Mertz had told
him he did not sign it, but
finally Mertz admitted that he
had signed something and that
it probably was the contract in
question. While Mertz hated to
admit before Ogren that he had
signed the contract with Balch
& Company, yet he claimed there
was nothing else to do, for the
committee was being bounded
by the Highway Commission
through Division Engineer Hall.
The letter to Ogren's> attorney
saying the Commission was
willing to extend the time would
not indicate that they were
anxious if the people here were
not.
Mertz again grew eloquent
about the peoples rights being
abused and the hardships under
which the committee was work
ing by being pushed by the
Highway Commission, yet after
signing a new contract with peo-
pie whom he could expect would
complete the work, he seemed
willing to extend Ogren's time
providing Ogren would agree
to pay a penalty of $75 per day
for failure to complete the work
in time. Robillard stood pat on
the action taken and said he
would not flop around for any,
one. The other members of the
committee were inclined to show
leniency to Ogren and intimated
if he could patch up matters
with Balch & Company and
promised to complete the work
by September LIST they might
consider granting him an ex-
tension.
But when Ogren and Olson
and the attorney left all the
members were again inclined to
stand pat on the action taken in
engaging a new contractor and
unless the Road Committee of
Bayfield, County holds another
meeting Balch & Company of
Minneapolis, whoever they may
be, will be on the job with their
equipment and expect to COM
pete the contract by Sept. LIST.
Another phase of the laxity in
road matters was demonstrated
at the meeting when Robillard
of Bayfield, notified Olson that if
he did not complete his Sand
River contract, which should
have been completed over a year
ago, that the county would move
a crew on the job and complete
the work, deducting the amount
from the original contract. The
Sand River people were hound
ing Robillard and he was deter
mined to take action. Olson
politely notified Mr.. Robillard
that he had until August 18th to
complete this contract, an ex-
tension of time having been
granted by Highway Com
missioner Sundell.
The whole thing in Bayfield,
county is this: Either the road
committee has too many rights
or they have not enough. The
taxpayers should have someone
that they can hold responsible.
Road Commissioner Sundell re-
ceives his orders from two
sources--the Highway Com
mission at Madison and the
County Committee. When the
people kick to the Highway
Commissioner the State Com
mission and the County Com
mittee are blamed. When they
kick to the County Committee
the Highway Commission is