The Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1920-1982, 1921-03-09

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Traynor again comes out in print will
another. article on the, question ,o1
pavement, and in the article Mr.. Tray.
nor refers to his first article regard.
ing pavement written and published
in The Journal last November.
Now, I have read both Of said arti.
cles with more or less interest ant
the thing that puzzled me most i.
why MI. Traynor waited until all tn.
paving was. finished last fall before
writing his November Article"
It strikes me that If. Mr.. Trayno,
felt as he expressed himself in his
November Article" that it would have
been a good plan to have published the
article before the paving had beer
commenced or contracted for, which
might have been a factor toward pre-.
venting the property-owners Of the
city from being "stung."
In MI. Traynor's article Of the End
inst, he Uses the following language
II am still opposed to the contracting
Of any pavement in Devils Lake in
the years 1921 and 1922, and shall
still continue to oppose it., by every
honorable means, even after 1922, il
in my judgment prices. are not rea.
sonable or the need of pavement does
not exist"
High Prices Paid
Now, just please notice the follow
ing language from the above quota.
ton. IF in my judgment prices are
not reasonable or the need Of pave
ment does not exist. In order to get
at the real fallacy of such a state
ment let us compare the cost of paw
ing last year with what it would cost
this year. Last year, 1920, saw the
highest price paid for labor and mat
erial, such as entered. into paving
that has prevailed in this country for
more than fifty years last past. Com
mon labor commanded as high as ten
dollars per day, and we understand
the Haggart Construction Company,
paid that price for stirring mortar
on the streets. Cement was at. its
highest peak in price that it has been
for over fifty years and everything
else in proportion. Had the paving
been done this spring instead of last
spring it could have been done for
less than one half the amount that
it costs.last year. Labor is now down
to such an extent that men could bs
hired. to do the same work this year
that they got ten dollars per day for
last year for not to exceed three dol
lars per day. Cement and" all other
kinds of material that enter into the
making of pavement is now down to
it's lowest ebb and Mr.. Cowley, ouz
city clerk, frankly admitted to me in
his office about two months ago that
had the City Commissioners waited
until this spring to pave a saving OF
a quarter of a million dollars would
have been made. Think of this fol
just a moment and then ask your
selves just what that would have
meant to. one third of the taxpayers oil
Devils Lake for that is just about the
number of taxpayers that the, cost Of
last years paving, $45O,OO0, will fal
upon. !
No Public Sentiment.
Mr.. Traynor intimates that "publi.
sentiment" was very much in fayol
of paving last year. In this MI
Traynor is. very much mistaken fo1
"public sentiment" was not in favor Q:
paving last year. The people were
simply browbeaten into paving TIL
city. Had there been a vote Of tn
people taken on the question Of paw,
ing I believe that I am safe in say
ing that not ten percent Of the voter,