The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1919-08-07
PUBLIC HIGHWAYS
/. AND HIGHER COSTS
State Highway Commissioner Owen
Makes Statement-Will Investigate
to Ascertain What Increases Are
Justified-Best Investments.

Little Rock, Aug. Nv B. Owen
Commissioner of State Lands, High
ways and Improvements, has author
lied the following statement that
vitality concerns every county in the
state:
"The State Highway Department is
making careful and comprehensive
investigation of the cause and extent
of increased cost of highway construc-
ton. 1t is matter of vital import
ance to the good roads program at
this time. The Department and the
/ Commissioners are continually con-
fronted by it, and it is important that
the facts be known.
at is fact admitted by everyone
of construction have been increasing.
A low level was reached soon after
the signing of the armistice, due to the
uncertainty of public work in the re-
adjustment following the war. Then
the Legislature, responsive to a gen.
era demand for highway construction,
passed special laws providing for APP
proximately 5000 miles of improved
roads. This gave great impetus to
road building, and the prices of all
labor and material Immediately be-
gan an upward trend which still con
/ tinues.
"There are several elements that
enter into the problem-labor, maleri-
al and freight rates principally. The
tendency has been toward an increase
in the price of all these things, and
the advance during the last few
months, as reflected in the bids on file
in this Office from the contractors, has
more than exceeded the decline due Il
the war when all public work was
subordinated to military necessity.
Another feature that is making the
situation more complex is the fact
that bonds in a majority of the dis
tricts were based upon pre-war prices
and the districts are limited to the
funds that can be raised upon bonds
that are now insufficient. This COM
plicates the difficulties of the Commits
sioners, whose desire is to secure the
best possible results for the peoples
money. This is the condition that has
caused delay in several instances, and
is the source of increasing perplexity.
"The Highway Department has
under advisement several plans tc
meet the emergency, that it may take
necessary steps to cope with the stu
alton. Our engineers are Investigate
ing the question thoroly and compar-
ing prices here with prices in adjacent
states to ascertain how much of the
advance in prices is justified. 1t IL
. reported that the contractors have
, formed an organization, and while il
is said that they have not organized
to raise prices, this remains to bs
seen. A comparison of prices in Ar
7 kansas and those in other states, be
fore, during and since the war, vii
throw much light on the causes, ant
i if it is possible, the Highway Depart
that will ameliorate conditions, an(
J secure maximum of construction fol
: every dollar paid by the people il
Z taxes.
'sThere has never been such an err
} Of road building as that now in prog
: ress. For every dollar expended il
, the improvement of transportation ia
cilties, the farmer and the man whit
has anything to sell will receive ;
| dividend many times in excess. 1t il
an investment far more certain thar
3 can be made in stock development con
. lcerns. for il is a permanent investment
in constructive program of commun
ity building. Arkansas has caugh
/ step and nothing must be permitted t
! intervene 1t is the purpose and TIL
: mission of the Highway Department
) to secure the highest efficiency and as
sure the taxpayer Of 100 per cen
, return on his money. Further import
ant announcements will be mad
later"