The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1920-06-10
PROPOSED CHANGE
IN HIGHWAY ROUTE
ATTEMPT MABEsTO{RgN BAB-
COCK HIGHWAY THROUGH
LITTLE SAUK
ELIMINATE MANY CURVES
WOULD MEAN THE, BRIDGING
OF SAUk LAKE AT THE
.. SO, NARROWS

There is well defined movement
on foot to route the proposed Babcock
hard surface highway from Sank
Centre by the way of Little Sank
and Round Prairie, to Long Prairie,
Instead of over the present State road
between this city and Long Prairie.
At meeting of the Sank Centre
Club held Friday evening of last
week large representation from
Kandota township and the villages Of
Little Sank and Round Prairie were
present and the matter was thorough
ly discussed. -.
A. n. Hendrickson was chief
spokesman for the visitors. Mr..
Hendrickson showed where the pres
ent route covered a distance OF 20
miles between the cities, while if
the, route was changed it would Short
en- the route to II miles. ="
-. As at present constructed there ara
10 very bad curves between the two
points and if the road run through
Little Sank and Round Prairie cons
meeting with the present road at the
small lake southeast of Long Prairie
Ia of these curves would be elimin-
ated. All of the curves on the new
route would be on level ground.
There are many strong grades on
the present highway which the pro-
posed route would also eliminate.
It is estimated that it will cost $50
900 per mile to construct the Bah
cock highway. A requirement Of .
change in the highway from its pre-
sent location would necessitate the
bridging Of Sank Lake at the Mar
rows. Mr.. Hendrickson stated that
soundings had been made and at the
point where they proposed to erect
the bridge, the lake is 800 feet from
bank to bank, and at no place is it
more than six feet at normal water
stage. Mr.. Hendrickson has bad con-
siderable bridge building experience
and insists that the two spans each
65 feet wide would carry this bridge.
He is certain that even at present
costs the expense woud not be more
than $1,000. ~
The proposed highway would fol-
low the Great Northern road very
closely and would make it possible
to place the road Building material
on the ground at the lowest POSSE
BILE expense.
The proposed route leaving Sauk
Centre would follow Main street to
the Narrows then up the Lake shore
to the point where the bridge would
be constructed. On the old high
way there are very flew cross roads
leading into the present highway, un-
til Round Prairie is reached. Under
the proposed routetno less than eight
cross roads would tap the highway.
The plan is to have the proposed
highway keep on the east side OF the
railway all the way, doing away
with crossings. All Of the land nee
essary to lay out tAeF new road on
the proposed route will be donated
free of expense, and snug sum FOR
tn erection of the bridge will also be
forthcoming. Sc.
Bridging the narrows would be OF
inestimable benefit to Sank Centre.
The local business men present az
the meeting expressed themselves as
in accord with the plan, and they
signed the petition A.to the Todd
County Commissioners, highway
Commission and the Federal Highway
Engineers praying that the pfoposed
route be thoroughly investigated ana
costs figured.
At later date largely attended
meeting Of the Sank Centre citizens
will be held at which the matter WIZ
be discussed more fully and a resoiu-
ton passed indorsing the movements