The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-12-18
HARD SURFACE ROAD NETWORK
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tions viii be gladly received and Civ
en- most careful consideration.
eve have worked out what appears
to us to be the best possible plans
but it Is hardly probable they are
not capable Of improvement.
JseWith reference to the proposed
routes. we have followed the lines OF
traffic on our existing state roads
and have so. drafted the plans that
every county seat and every city OF
1000 or more Is reached by the
4 Trunk Highway System. tsa
~ .sThe people will be given oppor-
tunity to be heard on these routes
and II changes are necessary 70 take
care Of the needs, they can all be
made before the amendment is sub
mitted.
''If the amendment is ! approved,
the bonds will be sold as the money
is needed for construction work.
"The returns from motor vehicle
licenses should be sufficient to take
care of the sinking fund and retire
the bonds within the twenty-year pc
Rod with little or no assistance from
general tax leytes. s
Value Hard to Estimate.
1.-THE value of such system to
the state is beyond the comprehen-
sion Of anyone.
From a commercial and economic
point of view, it will be worth many
times it's cost and 1t will attract to
the same thousands Of tourists who
will come to enjoy the great attrac-
tions Of the lake region.
Z From the point of the moterist,
there can be no objection. While his
license rate willAbe higher, the re-
duced cost of operation Of his car
will far more than offset It. 80
"There are more than 200, 90 cars
in the state On an average mileage
Of 5000 miles a car each season, the
total car mileage. of automobiles Is
1,0O0,00O,000 miles. ~:
Figuring the cost Of operation at
ten cents mile, the cost of operating
j: cars in the state totals S100,000,0O0
year. A saving Of ten per cent can
easily be made by operating over
well-improved roads. - 4 =
This would mean saving of
$10,O0O,000 a year, or $2000,000,000
in the twenty-year period. ~
II would call particular attention
to the fact that this plan will not dis
turb the state road and, bridge fund
known as, the one-mill tax under
the Dunn Law---arid the counties will
have four on, Ave tim s; as: much mon
ey to spend ON their county road sys-
TENS, which will be the 1aterals' or
feeders to the trunk highways. l.
"This is due to the fact that out
of every $40 received by the counties
for roads and bridges approximately
IS is being spent on the roads which
will be included in this system.
D." = Much Interest Here. -.
This proposition should be Of much
interest to Beltrami county and no
doubt would be heartily approved,
but there are some things cleaned by
a study of the map showing the con-
nections of all county seats that d.
rectly affects this county and this
part of, the state. y Tt. + n .s5 v szas
What Beltrami county needs the
most of anything Is road from Be-
midi northward to Baudette. AS 1t
now, Is there isn't a road from the
county seat direct to-, the larger
towns Of the northern portion OF, the
county. There is good road ffpm
Bemidji to Kelliher, but there 1t ter.
inmates, leaving practically the
entire northern part OF the county
without o road suitable for traffic
The county seat should also have q
suitable road to Warroad, with none
at present. -.
i 3. As Plans Contemplate.
According to the, map, the route
as proposed would take autos from
Baudette, and Spooner. n westward to
Warroad. on west to Roseau,, to
Greenbush,o south to . Thief River
Falls,,.o on south to Red Lake Falls
turning at point between Crookston
and Ersktne eastward through Frs
kline, to Bagley and then on to Be-
midi. y '''.--sr-.. $780,
Or, one could go from Baudette to
point near International Falls on
the border in Koochiching county,
thence southwestward down to Be.
midi. It would mean that practi-
cally the entire county Of Beltrami
would be void Of any highway such
as suggested, while 1t Is noted that
the southern portion of the state Is
heavily webbed with the highway as
planned. AS the map looks as pub
lished, the northern part OF Mime
sofa, compared with the southern
portion, appears like a blank spot
for miles In extent. :. y
d Doesn't Solve Problem.
The plans as drawn wouldn't be OF
much benefit to Beltrami county, sc
far as solving the problem Of con
nections between the northern por'
ton and southern portion OF the
county, one Of the largest in the
state In area and one that extends
nearly one third Of the length o.
the state.