The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1917-01-03
ST LOUIS COUNTY ADOPTS 49,.
PROGRESSIVE ROAD PROGRAM
Survey Of all Roads Constructed Will
be Made. Expert Engineer to =,
Handle Huge Road Fund.

7anoue F1u9o NOao una.
In view of the proposed expendi-
ture of more than .$1,225,OOO for.
roads in st. Louis. county during.
1917, comprehensive system of
highway construction will be inaugu-=
rated by the county board which has;
to do with the bulk of the road:
building in the county.
This was decided upon at the
meeting of the county board this af ::
ternoon, when resolution was pas
sed authorizing the appointment Of
R. w. Acton of St. Paul. a member
of the state engineering force, as ex-
pert or chief engineer at al salary of
$4,000 year. !
He will have authority to employ
sufficient number of engineers at
salaries to be fixed by the board and
will be authorized to make complete
survey of the county road system
and prepare maps and blue prints
as a working base for the highways
now established and those that may
be built in the future.
The preamble of the resolution
which was adopted recognizes the
waste and extravaganza of road
building under the payroll system
and the resolution puts the board
on record as favoring that all high
way construction be by contract and
that the supervision of the various
townships should become a part of
the system which the county board
| intends to establish.
The resolution is self-explanatory
and is published in full herewith:
''Whereas, This board has levied
$750,000 to be expended in the i'm
provement and construction of high
ways in St. Louis county during 1917
and more than $475,OOO has been le-
We'd by the various organized town
ships for similar purpose, and we
believe that more comprehensive
system of highway construction
throughout the entire county--a
system of trunk roads and laterals
connecting the present township and
county roads, that will meet the
needs of the farmers for a number
! Of years--,should, be inaugurated. at
This time, and + sass.sss+sas ,s
*'Wheras, the rapid settlement of
the county, both urban and rural,
makes the subject of highways a vi
tai one and the vast forests that
made up a large part of the wealth
of the county have about disappear
ed, and
Whereas, To derive material bene-
fit from it's natural resources, now is
the time for St. Louis county to act,
to the end that it may take it's right
ful place as one of the great agri-
cultural sections of the state of Min
nesota, place it can never assume
until system of highways is plan
ned and built which will provide the
farmers of the county with adequate
transportation facilities, enabling
them to market the products of
their farms; and
Whereas, we believe the expendi-
ture of both township and county
funds for highway construction in
the past has not produced the best
results because there has been no
system embracing the road work
throughout the county as a whole,
no unity between township and coun-
ty, and lack of engineering system
and supervision; and
whereas, We recognize the waste
and extravaganza of road building
under the payroll system and believe
that all highway construction should
be by contract and also that all
highway construction under the su-
pervision of the various townships
should become a part of the system
this board intends to establish inso-
far as permitting the furnishing of
maps, blue prints and specifications
for construction of town roads, and
engineering supervision, are concern.
ed; and
"Whereas, in order to inaugurate
and put into force an efficient high.
way system that will provide good
roads for the farmers throughout
the county, which will do away with
the inefficient and expensive con.
struction of highways by day labor
or payroll, an expert highway en-.
gineer should be employed at this
time and full authority given him to
employ a sufficient number of enqi.