The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-16

quarters amounts to Ss,13s.5a or "a
per cent Of the total estimated cost
Of the work, said the state engineer.
Careful scrutiny Of the expense ac-
counts Of the commission, he aadds
conVinces him that this item IL ag
low as could be expected. as the nsid
parties have generally paid less
than Sc per man per day for board
and ROOM while railroad fare is a
fixed amount and livery cost is sub
stantially so.
Supplies, equipment and fixtures
totaled S5,202.21, according 70 the
figures that he produced OF which
furniture and fixtures amounted 20
&1,42s.49, the sum of &3,773.72 being
for supplies and equipment. He said
that IL goes without saying that
work cannot be done economically
without the necessary material and
equipment in either the ONCE or in
the field.
Careful Buying.
1--WE have only purchased those
things that We found necessary and
they were bought 10 the best possible
advantage" said the engineer. "Ail
of our furniture and equipment is
plain and seTviceable, as a visit at the
commissioners office will show.
we purchased four new FOrds and
a. heEoHu- mana one lOE @Asa06tAWs
Postage and other incidentais
$914.94 require no explanation, the
commissioners salary and expense
amounts TO 1910 for salary and 1911
for expenses, totalling 1921. The
item for construction Is the states
portion Of 1892 contract let for
seven miles Of road III Trail coun-
ty.
II want you to know that I have
not gone into this matter of expenses
of the department for the purpose OF
offering any excuses or Justification
for any item OF expense. The COM
state most vitality interested in
every purchase made and neither
equipment nor help is secured until
we absolutely know that IL Is need
ed.
Il am always glad, however. to err
plain everything in connection with
the work and the expense attached
TO IL, and am always ready to give
the closest attention TO honest
criticism and suggestion from one
actually interested in better roads and
better methods Of securing them.
The only things that l resent are
criticisms and accusations made by
persons who know absolutely MOTH
ing about our work and who have
the opportunity OF finding out about
it without trouble TO themselves and
won't do so.
Just a word in closing relative to
the motor vehicle fees. There has
been returned directly 10 the coun-
ties this year &7l,534. DeductinE our
expense, $4,000 and 10 per cent con- (.
struCtion fund 1885, $69,2l7 has 10
be expended in the counties IN which .
II originated, making a total Of $780,
ISL that will be spent in the coun-
ties pro rata. s.s.#
This year IL is estimated that
there will be returned direct to the
counties $135.441. DeductinE from the
balance an estimated expense OF STO,-f
900 and a 10 per cent construction
fund of $20.091, there will be a bal
ance Of &1S0,795 to be spent In the
counties pro rata, making a total OF
$3l6.236. In 1915 there was returned
TO the counties, $712,335.
Gentlemen, IL lies with us to make
road building history In
the state of North Dakota in the
next few years. Let us go to II and
put the Job across. The people Of
the state want roads, the county
boards and the commission are the
only agencies through which they
can be secured. 1t is then up TO
U.s."