The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1921-06-09
CHIEF GIVES ORDERS
BabcOck Tells Army of
Maintenance Patrolmen Now in
Field to ''Get Results"
On Trunk Highways Designated for
Maintenance Force Will Num-
Der Over 1000 Men.

Get results opportunity and
necessity for real service is before u.s."
is the order C. M. Babcock, state high
way commissioner, has issued to the
army of maintenance patrolmcn now.
in the field
Maintaining smooth road surface
always will be your first and main OBJ
ject," said tho commissioner. s:The
public bases it's opinion oil a road
largely upon riding qualities, and good
surfacing cannot be too highly empha-
sized. You must also familiarize your
selves with the layout Of trunk high
ways and locations of more important
places, and try to give general, and in
cases of trouble, immediate aid to the
travelling public, all without Charge"
Special improvements on scores of
scattered sections in the trunk high
way system already have been started
and will be pushed rapidly, according
to highway department announce
ments, but the right kind of mainte-
nance will be the principle means for
carrying immediate benefits to all dis
tricts alike. A fund of $3,OOO,O00 a
year has been set aside for this pur-
pose.
On trunk highways designated for
maintenance the force will number
more than 1000 patrolmcn. More
than half Of that number are already
on the job, and the completed list will
be made public about June Is. Each
patrolman must work 10 hours day
with team or tractor, grader, drag or
other equipment to keep his section Of
five to eight miles in good condition.
Floating gangs and district crews with
heavier equipment will build up good
maintenance foundation when neces-
sary. t. ..,A
w. F. Rosenwald, chief maintenance
engineer, supplemented Commissioner
Babcock's statement to the patrolmcn.
"Of the many problems in the new
state highway program" ne said,
"none is of such vast and far-reaching
Importance as providing adequate
maintenance and upkeep. There must
be constant attention and untiring eff
fort to keep these routes always in the
best condition, and each patrolman
must share the responsibility. Patrol
men must be Industrious, honest, sensi-
BILE, courteous, and willing to learn.
They must have brains and demon
strate to the travelling public that they
know how to use them. Their employ
ment is conditioned on satisfactory
performance"
Unless a flag on the section is out
to indicate that the patrolmcn is at
the gravel pit or elsewhere on regular
work he should be found at work on
his beat during usual working hours,
it was explained. Daily reports will
b, required to keep check on tie OPP
erations Of each. Explicit instruc-
tions for employing time alter show
crs, and so forth, to the best advan-
tage are ready.
Keep the travelled way of earth or
gravel roads smooth and even by uSing
a light grader, plancr or drag" En-
gineer Roscnwald added. "Rake off
oversize material, keep drains open,
holes filled, brush and weeds cut,
bridges safe, marker and dctour signs
and guardrails in repair, and in every
possible way safeguard traffic and
give 100 per cent service to TIE users
Of Minnesota trunk highways"
Recent bulletins compiled by M. J.
Hoffman, assistant maintenance engin-
eer, indicate that more than half the
total mileage of the trunk highway
system already is in good condition,
and the bigger part of the remainder
is classed as fair. The patrol service
is designed to wipe bad and irpassa-
bic designations from the Minnesota
highway map and put all trunk lines
in the good roads class.
"With adequate maintenance provid-
ed in this manner, new construction
will be carried forward as fast as
funds will permit. Local road authori-
ties, with more money at their dis
posal, will rapidly improve laterals or
feeder roads. A mighty system of
highways leading into the remotest
sections Of the state will be built up,
and within 10 years Minnesota will
be able to advertise herself to the
world as state with $4,000 miles of
reads and every mile adequately i'm
proved" was Commissioner Babcock's
summary.