The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-08-14
MORE ABOUT HIGHWAYS

The following interview published
in the Sioux Falls Press with a farmer
of Minnehaha county is worth just as
much in Bookings county, for the
good sense it contains, as it is else
where. The Register gives it to oul
readers as worth considering in think
ing of u road problems.
"The more l consider the question
OF constructing a permanent highway
system the more am I convinced that
We should authorize the issuance OF
sufficient bonds to finance hard sur.
facing of all main public highways in
Minnehaha county," says J. B. Slew
erson of Valley Springs township.
We cannot all be on the main high
ways but We are near enough to them
SO that it will be an easy matter to
provide roads suitable for limited
travel on secondary roads.
Il have always favored good roads,
but / know that they cannot be built
unless the farmers and business men
in the cities and towns get behind the
enterprise with a determination to
provide for financing, then develop
our own natural material deposits
and put them into use. We all know
that 1t will take time in which to
bulld them; that we must find men
who are competent to do the work
as we want it done; that machinery
and necessary labor must be provided
for; that surveys must he made and
grades established so as to provide
for necessary drainage; that bridges
and culverts must be constructed.
that the kind of hand surfacing ma
terial best adapted TO climatic, soil
and road grades must be determined.
and these will be best suited for all
purposes. 1t might be necessary to
experiment a little with several differ
Ell kinds of paving material before
we can tell what is best to use.
1--WE have cur general plan of high
ways determined now and we know
the exact mileage. This forms a basis
on which to estimate probable costs
based on present material and labor
market conditions. Costs of construc
ton will vary in localities-proba-
bly, from $4,000 to $1,000 per mile.
In making the estimate of cost on
which to determine the amount of
bond issue to be authorized all these
matters must be considered.
According to the plan prepared
under the supervision of the state
highway commission Minnehaha coun-
ty is to build approximately PIP miles
of hard surfaced roads in addition to
this the state and federal aid funds
will be used to build 80 miles addi-
tional of graveled surfaced roadway.
Figuring the county mileage PIP miles
on an average cost of $40, 900 per
mile we have a total of $4,340, 900.
To pay the difference between cost
Of well bound gravel %surfacing at
$4,000 per mile it will require an ex-
penditure of $4,000 per mile the cost
for hard surfacing for the 80 miles
will amount to $64O, 900. This will
give a total cost of $4,980, 900, and
with a $4,000, 900 bond issue we would |
nave left $24, 900 for unforeseen emer-
gencies, which is as low an amount
as we could reasonably provide under
present conditions.
Another matter of Importance to
the taxpayer is that in the proposed
authorized issue of bonds they carry
no interest charges until the contracts
are let for each section of the road to
be constructed and the money is put
to use. That is the sale of the bonds
the county will retain an option of
retiring them on an interest payment
date in amounts of $780, 900 after a
sisted period. This will also reduce
the total of interest payments, and
were the whole amount Of the pro
posed issue expended at no time would
he people be paying interest on the
full amount of the issue.
Personally / do not believe a better
proposition could be worked out that
the n presented for consideration.
and if we have confidence in ourselves
we can have a highway system that
will be the most valuable investment
that the county has ever made and
will benefit the whole people.
Wv. S. s.