The diamond drill., 1921-03-05
MARQuETTE's ROAD GRAB

a lew weeks ago Frank Russell In
vited us into Marquette county's par
lor OF plunder" We entered. had a
look around. told the people what we
saw and let II drop at that. Things
were just getting back to normalcy
the blinds were pulled down, lights
douced, cat out and the door safely
closed for the night when along comes
our friend George Newett. kicks the
door wide open and Invites US TO come
IN and turn on the lights again
through the medium OF half column
article in last weeks Iron ore.
The editor OF Iron Ore can see no
other reason than heat Of the cam
paign" for our recent article concern
ing Marquette county's private way"
We assure him that there was no ex-
ira heat in evidence Of all Just nor
NAL temperature. thank you. tongue
not coated, liver and kidneys work
ing weIl---neyer felt better in our life
nor more In earnest IN protesting ag
ainst what we believe is an injustice
TO other counties OF the peninsula.
One must go back something over
a year In the history OF Mchigan's
new road program" to get true per
spective, TO see this Marquette mat
ter in all It's angles. There was ap-
portioned from the first 10000, 900
OF the s50,000.O00 bond issue, $4,000,
900 to upper peninsula roads-so road
authorities who visited the state dep
artment were told Now, that is a fair
amount for the upper peninsula. The
state commissioner was very liberal
with the district north OF the straits
in Approaching that amount to its
roads
But, when a glance was had at the
intra peninsula apportionment Of
that $2.500,000 II was found that ST.
100000 was hypothicated TO Marquet-
te county leaving approximately a |
million for the other fourteen count
hes.
At that time land at this time as
welD the roads or the east end OF |
ahe peninsula were a fright The 500,
Manistique, Newberry and st. Ignace
were almost isolated because OF the
Trightful condition OF the roads lead
ing thereto
Marquette, while blessed with good
roads between the towns I'm the
county. was but little better of so
world was concerned Between Rapid
River and Marquette Route is was
passible bNt much OF II very bad. II
needed hard surface. Route 45, con-
meeting Ishpeming with the Menom-
inee range. is simply an old tote road
widened out, leyeled of and some
gravel placed thereon. It's filled with
hair pin turns and reverse curves
whore one meets himself coming
back. We have occasion to drive IL
frequently and invariably we fear lest
right at the peak OF one OF those hair
pins We should meet George Newett
spinning along in his Franklin Air
Cooler, his attention ryited on the
gas and oil consumption OF the won
derfully working. multifarious mech
anical contriyanoe 20 such an extent
that he may not see our little Lizzie
until well until It's too late ana
things are All of with little Henry. i
Now, had the big Marquette appor-
tionment been spent III connecting
Marquette county with the outside
world no one would have complained. {
Marquette county Is the heart Of the
peninsula, Almost all peninsula car
owners drive 20 that county several
times each season and they certainly
would appreciate fine "paved road"
connecting the splendid bituminous
macadam that lies between Ishpem-
ing and Marquette city with the roads
IN other counties
But Marquette didn't make that
very necessary Improvement In
stead-and In the face Of consld-
cradle internal opposition among
them Dam Powell member OF the
road commission -the powers that be
decreed that new road should be