South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-01
WOULD SPEED UP
ROAD BUILDING
EIkhartanS Are Anxious For
Completion of Straight
Highway.

Declaring that the St Joseph
county officials are not carrying out
their agreement TO expedite the con
Etruction OF a half mile OF new road
way to be built between this city
and Elkhart, which would complete
q straight road between the two
cities free from railway crossings.
a. Fl. Beardsley. chairman OF the
Elkhart organization. behind the
movement. has written letters 20 the
South Bend Chambe Of Commerce,
both newspapers Of the city and 20
several prominent citizens OF the
county urging that pressure be
brought on the county commission
ers 10 hurry the work.
IL is said that the matter was 20
zoe taken up by the county commits
sioners at their meeting last Monday
and contract let for the grading OF
the road, but the matter was passed
without being acted on by the board.
Mr.. Beardsley's letter states that
Elkhart and South Bend citizens
agreed 20 push for a straight road
between the two cities. which would
uecessitate the building Of three
and a half miles Of new roadway In
Elkhart county and One-half mile in
~. Joseph county, 20 be directly
north OF the interurban line and as
direct as the electric line between
the two cities. Last July St. Joseph
county and Elkhart county officials
agreed with the Indiana highway
commission that they would grade
and prepare the road ready for paN-
ing if the state highway commits
sion would take over this road and
pave il under the new highway law.
Elkhart Work Finished.
10 further states that Elkhart
coCnty has practically completed
hsr work. that she has opened up
u~.e miles OF new road, paved
three Fights Of mile in Concord
township has bids out for paving 4
quarter OF a mile Of new street to
make the connection. and has ap-
piled 90 the Indiana highway com
mission for state aid s.. Joseph
county has paid the damages on the
land necessary and has declared the
road opened and has applied for
state aid. But there has been moth
ing done toward making plans for
the grading Of the road and the
building OF a bridge across Baugo
creek.
According 20 Mr.. Beardsley. he
has been informed that someone has
. Gled a petition with the st. Joseph
county commissioners for the inn
provement Of this road under the
three mile road law. including the
pavement, and states that il the pc
tition is pushed and contracts are let
ou the basis OF the petition that
Penn township will have TO pay the
entire expense OF grading and paw
ing the road. lie says he has been
told that the St Joseph county COM
nissioners have said that they will
disregard the petition entirely. and
that they do not know where the
petition originated or what the mo-
tive behind il could have been
shows Need Of Action.
Concluding. Mr.. Beardsley's letter
states: 1T is necessary that these
matters be settled and the contracts
let as early as possible SO that this
grading and bridge can %, put i'm
at the earliest possible time. so that
The Indiana highway commission
can pave this road early next year.
1T Is unnecessary for us 90 point
out the necessity for this road and
for the completion of the road at
the earliest possible time. and we
trust YOU will organize "A citizens
movement which viii get behind the
county commissioners TO help them
expedite this work"