The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-12-23
HIGHWAY CREWS
MAKE DIRT FLY.
MANY TFITS WITH BIG
GANGS STARTING NEEDED
ROAD IMPROVEMENTS
MANY MEN AT WORK.

Many camps finished and more
nearing completion, actual work is
starting on the first forty contract
prof ects let by Commissioner
Charles NJ. Babcock, of the state
hig way department, under the
more work-better roads" winter
program on trunk routes to cut
forced idleness.
Bound by contracts to finish by
April l the biggest part of 500
miles of gravel surfacing and so
miles of grading on the first list
OF jobs, the contractors already
are getting crews in action in al
most every 4tion of Minnesota,
An unofficial estimate is that more
than $500 mem would be given
jobs on a team work basis. Spe-
cial maintenance work partly for
the benefit of local farmers in adj
vancing some sections, one district
superintendent reporting 388 men
and teams on his December payroll
Commissioner B b C o k closed
bargains with low bidders on his
return from Omaha where he was
elected president of the American
Association of Highway Officials.
The numerous bids checked again
in the meantime, the commissioner
made awards according to the ten
tative list published, except on ane
culvert job on which lower figure
was found. Also, he let to the
Butler Brothers Building Co, big
contractors of St. Paul, the con-
tract for % miles of paving be-
tween Mortified and Westcott on
trunk highway No. l at about
5000 a mile.
This pavement will connect with
that south of St. Paul and the IA
mile strip between Mortified and
taIrbault and is part of the plan
TO extend Minnesota's longest con-
tlnuous pavement next year to
m ore t h $50 miles. Benton
county has contracted for 22 miles
from st. Cloud to Royalton and 10
miles on to Little Falls is to be
let this week by Morrison County.
all under the reimbursement bond
law.
John H. Mullen, deputy COM
missioner and chief highway en-
glneer, expressed the satisfaction of
the department with the bargain
prices on winter road work. 'sPav-
ing prices are on the same low
level with those on grading and
gravel surfacing," said Mr.. Mullen.
and big values are being given for
the taxpayers money. Savings
will enable the department to ex-
tend improvements more rapidly"
TO e is that contractors are
taking work at less than cost we're
made by truck owners at meetings
IN Minneapolis and St. Paul. Com
missioner Babcock said that bonds
viii guarantee performance on con-
tracts and added that the state
was not directly interested in the
controversy. 1t was pointed out
that efforts were made to use
teams rather than trucks toward
giving unemployment relief in yari-
Gus localities.
commenting on the truck own
ers protest, The st. Paul Dispatch
SAID: "AlI evidence points to the
fact that NJ. Babcoek has driven
a good bargain in these contracts
for the peoole of the state, and
That our reads are being built
under the contract system at a
minimum of cost to the taxpayers.
He is to be congratulated on his
success"
In the highway department more
winter work is being prepared for
early letting. 1t will consist main
ly of grading and gravelling again
and VIII be widely distributed over
the state.