Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1921-10-12
COMPLETION OF
ROAD CELEBRATED
Contractor McKusick Host To
Hundreds at Atwater
Saturday

The completion of the paved high
way from Willmar to the east line of
the county, a distance Of eleven miles
from where last years paving term
mated, was made an occasion OF
big jubilee to which Mr.. and Mrs
John G. Mckusicl>, the contractor and
'Nchief assistant" had invited all their
employees and many friends and pub
lie meu in the county.
The affair was held at Atwater on
Saturday evening. The spacious
store. room of Strong's Ford Service
Station had been cleared for the oc-
casion. Two long tables had been
set the whole length Of the room. The
decorations were real yellow pump
klns and Halloween suggestions. The
lights were covered with Japanese
lanterns. The occasion was delight
fully informal and jolly A darky
band from st. Paul produced the JAZZ
ziest of jazz music and were placed in
real cornfield setting.
Moving Pictures
Before the banquet reel OF moving
pictures were displayed showing the
actual operation of all the different
departments of Mr.. Mckusick's ad
mira'ble organization, closing with the
smiling portrait of the contractor and
his "chiet assistant
The Banquet
After the bouteous and appetiZing
spread had been done ample justice,
Mr.. Mckusick addressed his guests,
taking the occasion to thank hiscre'w,
composed mostly OF local boys, for
their hearty cooperation which had
made possible the succe ssful finish of
~ i,,.t n,,1, ,nl
Northern Railroad officials for their
cooperation. He paid his respects
to the County Commissioners, espe-
cially VIM. O., Johnson, the state in
,spectors and other friends he has
made during his sojoorn here. He
called on Commissioner Johnson who
responded briefly. Attorney Chas. A.
'SWenson spoke for the Atwater peO-
'ole and he in turn called on County
Attorney Char les Johnson, who made
an eloquent address fe!icitating the
community on this completion of a
good road between W1illmar and At
water. Mr.. Webster, of the State
'HiShway Department. spoke briefly
giving praise to Mr.. McKusick for the
efficiency OF his work and stating the
aims OF purposes Of the Department.
He stated that the work Of engineers
and inspectors was more important
than most people not familiar with
the work will admit, and that money
expended for these purposes are not
wasted. The Department, he said,
aims to give 100 per cent value to the
people in the expenditure Of road mo-
ney.
At the close the tables were cleared
away and those who cared to indulge
1rirped the light fantastic toe until
a late hour when another lunch eon
was served
Among those in attendance at Sat
urday'S celebration were members Of
the county board, the city council of
Wllmar, Supt. and Mrs. Frogner Of
the Great Northern, and other citi-
zens rf Willmar, representative Of
material firms in the twin cities and
prominent citizens Of kandiyohi and
;Atwacr.
Marks an Epoch
The opening Of tllis Stretcl, Of pay
cd ,<,ad really marks an epoch in the
history Of the county. The road be-
tween Atwatcr and WiElmar has al
ways been nigh on to impassible in
periods Of wet weather, and the pave
ment WI hereafter at all times link
the cast and west parts Of the county
in any kind Of weather.
The Mckusick Contract
Work on the Mckusick contract
started July Is. Working night and
day. ~ hours a day, the eleven miles
were completed Oct 8 at three O'Clock
,wcn,y DAYS before the time limit set,
sNov l. Two hundred men, on the
average have been employed. many
Of them local people. The average
wage was $5.14 per day. Six hundred
carloads of gravel. 500 carloads OF
sand, 110A 90 sacks OF cement are am
OrS the principal items OF material
used. The water was pped and
pumped by o. H. & +. Duplex pump,
the longest distance being 2S,OO0 it,
and the amount Of forms used was
10000 feet. Two 144E. Oshkosh paw
.ers and 23 Ford dump trucks were
used. The equipment included an
electric light plant to facilitate night
work. Among other work done was
the opening Of the new gravel pl,
near I{awick $50 carloads Of grave
were taken there, the balance from
The New London pits. The total con
tract price was 1851 ,72S.00.
The work of shouldcring the pave
ment with six feet of earth road or
either side is now in progress witt
crews of teams and steam shovels
and will continue until frost stops 1t
but this is not part OF the Mchu
sick contract.
SEEKS AID AT JORDAN
Henry Stenson left Monday for Jor
,,rI,nr h under