Arizona republican., 1920-04-09
COUNTY HIGHWAY
 COMMISSIONERS
 HAVING COMPANY

III 8 letter to The Republican yes- seroay' Chairman Hackett of the Mari copa county highway commission states that Maricopa county Is not the ohiy locality In this country which .lnds it difficult to secure reasonable Dius on road construction He says:
 me enclosed is an exact copy of Alticle written by the state auditor. eeaee e or Ohio, outlining present condi- n,o roiis as to construction of highways. @ ne article would indicate that the hlgnway commission of Maricopa county IS not alone in baking at the appdrent high bids for road construc- lIoH under the present conditions. It ,Sa voio seem that communities worth o-iions ln assessed valuation are of the opinion that it is not wise to deal out pupLc funds in sufficient volume to ihauce people to work. Roads at any price may appeal to some citizens but ai should remember that the bonded ihoeotedness against the public must pc paid. at which time the question VIII arise, What did we get for our money, or what principles of business guided our highway commission in Se- curing for the public so few miles of hianway for the money expended?'
 Tt seems that the contractors throughout the United States have formed national association, produc- CTS or material necessary for road con- struction it seems have done likewise; Iaoor has followed suit. The repre- sentatfves of the public occupy the unique position of withstanding the nigh pressure of the advocates of roads at any price (thus encouraging the contractors to stand pat on high blds)- The representatives of the pub Iic are endeavoring to secure some thIng like value received for the pro- ceeds of our road bonds. having in mind that the present purchasing power of the dollar as compared with normal conditions, is about 50 cents, and also that dollars worth 100 cents will surely pay the principal and in terest of bonds issued for road pur- poses.
 The state of Illinois with a bond issue of $60.000,000 has abandoned the idea of constructing roadways during 1920, or until conditions become more normal We think that the state Of Illinois and state of Ohio are two splendid examples. inasmuch as these two states are extremely wealthy and could perhaps better afford to lavish public funds on roadways than any other states of our union. It would seem to bear out the fact that com munities are like individuals-the smaller their wealth the more lavish in expenditure.
 Maricopa county is badly in need of highways-to this everyone will agree: but will all agree that we should proceed to give g for $1 in value hastily. later to >epent this ac- ton?
 "E. HACKETT."
 The enclosure to which reference is made follows:
 Madison County Democrat of Lon don, Ohio, March 31, 1920. WOULD HALT ROAD BUILDING
 PROGRAM State Auditor Donahey says the Pres l
 ent Cost is Too High
 COLUMBUS, March 31.-With s15.- l 100000 state and federal money await 1 able for road building in Ohio this l year, State Auditor Donahey. in d l letter to State Highway Commissioner | Taylor, asked whether it might not be | best to abandon the road building pro- gram because of the increasing cost | and turn the labor necessary for such l a large program of construction into l food production channels.
 The letter accompanied a report of 1 H. E. McCollister. auditor of expendf- l lures of highway department Dona- 1 hey points out that in 1919 1t cost an | average of $35,225 for every mile of road, constructed. and that contracts l mile. He also calls attention to the | fact that 1t now is almost impossible | for the highway department to obtain | bids for construction.
 "The question naturally arises | whether it is good policy to continue 1 increasing estimates of cost and build | ing high-priced roads under these con- | ditions," Donahey said. Might it not | be better for the state and the people | during this abnormal period to tenn l porarily refrain from high cost roads | and devote same energy and money to | make a lot of Ohio roads passabIe by | graveling, llmestoning, draining and | filling up ruts and chuck holes?"
 Donahey says he is a firm believer | in good roads under normal conditions. | but thinks the present cost is entirely | too high