The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-10-07
|CO. .C0MMITTEE CALLS HALT
REFUSE TO BLEED COUNTY FOR FORTUNE FOR ROAD
PROJECT ACROSS THE BARR0NS
Ask State to Reject All Bids and Cause Another
Investigation to be Made OF Road North OF N.
aP.Track Claiming Other Route too Costly.


mittee and Highway Commissioner
John Friberg refuses to become a
party to "bleeding" Bayfield, County
flor the amount of money that will
I be required to complete the road
leading, across the barrons south Of
| the Northern Pacific tracks. Bids
for this project were opened at Su-
perior this week and the lowest bid
was $176y4 y461.25, plus. The County
Committee figure the plus amount
of this bid will amount to an addi-
tional $45,0GO, making total of
1926, ,0OO.GG fer the road when COM
pleted and in letter addressed to
the State Highway Commission they
ask that all bids be rejected, for they
do not believe Bayfield, county can
or will stand for this excessive cost
being saddled unto them.
They ask the Commission to in
vestigate the road north Of the track,
large part of which has been COM
pleted by the town of Barksdale and
which could be made into a very fine
road with but little cost.
Not only will the building Of the
road south Of the track mean a cost
of a quarter of million of dollars,
but the route from Ashland to
Moquah will also have to be built,
as will the route leading FROM the
present Route 10 and connecting
with Route "a. Tnis will probably
total another $l0O,0o0.OO.
The committee feel this is more
than the country can bear, and would
mean that all other road work in
the county would have to be aband-
oned. for years to come. They have
l-asked the rejection of the bids and
the investigation of the old route,
and in their stand they will have the
backing of practically every member
of the Bayfield, County Board.
Some members of the Wisconsin
Highway Commission feel the same
way about the project, that the cost
of the road is more than is justifiable
when cheaper route can be obtain
ed.
The Times is indeed glad the Bay
field County Highway Committee
have had the courage Of their con-
victions to demand halt in the ex-
penditure of Bayfield, county money
on projects of this kind, for we feel
that all parts of the county are en-
titled to good roads and that to make
this expenditure on the proposed
route across the barrens would re-
tard building of other roads in Bay
field county which are more essential
to the growth and prosperity of the
county as whole. We stand
ready to back up the committee in
their stand.
Below we publish the letter of the
Highway Committee to the Highway
Commission:
October 9th, 1920
Wisconsin Project No. 121.
Mr.. A. r. Hirst.
We the County Road and Bridge
Committee of bayfield, County, anc
the County Highway Commissioners
OF Bayfield, County, at the request o1
your Division Engineer, Mr.. Nc Lean
have attended the letting of tht
Ashland-Iron River xroad. sotherwise
known as the Wisconsin, Project No
III, which was held at Division Office
in Superior on October 9th, 1920.
The lowest bid on this lob wa.
$l76,461.25 plus. We believe this
BIG TO be reasonable and are eve,
inclined to think that it NAV he tn
low. The other bids were approxi.
mately$47, 100000 higher. We con.
slider that they are too high.
However, the outstanding fact i.
that this project is going to cost Bay.
neid County far more than we
originally anticipated. It is true
that at one time the sentiment Is
bayheld County was to certain ex
tent IN favorof route south of the N
r: ny. This sentiment was prompt
ed by the feeling. that a cheane,
route could be obtained through thi,
territory than over the route bv th,
present travelled route. Now tha
the plans are completed and the ac
tual quantities arrived at, we fee
almost certain that the north rout,
is well worth investigating.
AS you full well realize. we hav.
several miles Of this north route
from Ashland out through the tow,
OF Barksdale in very travelabl,
condition. The west end of thi.
route is also in a very fair condition
with exception of q few very ba,
curves, which could be eliminated, O.
fiattened to considerable extent.
i BY following this north route w,
would also be able to eliminate tn,
Ashland-Ashiand Junction improve.
ment, which must of necessity b,
built in case we build project I21.
i We therefore ask and fecommeh.
that alla bids received today. on til,