Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1921-12-21
HIGHWAY CREWS
MAKE DIRT FLY
Many Outfits With Big Gangs Starting
Needed Road Improvements I'm
employment Situation Relieved Z

Many camps finished and more near
ing completion, actual work is start
ing on the first forty contract pro-
jects let by Commissioner Charles NJ.
Babcock, Of the state highway de-
partment, under the more work bet
ter roads" winter program on trunk
routes to cut forced idleness. ii
Bound by contracts to finish by
April l the bigsest part of 300 miles
Of gravel surfacing anu 50 miles of
grading on the first list Of jobs, the
contractors already are getting crews
in action in almost every section Of
Minnesota. An unofficial estimate is
that more than 500 men would be
given jobs on a team work basis. Spe-
scial maintenance work partly for the
benefit Of local farmers in advancing
some sections, one district superin.
tendent reporting 388, men and teams
on his December payroll. II
Commissioner Babcock closed bar
gains 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 accord
ing to the tentative list published, ex-
cept on one culvert job on which a
lower figure was found. Also, he let
to the Butler Brothers Building Co.,
big contractors Of st. Paul, the con-
tract for 20 miles of paving between
Mortified and Westcott on trunk
highway No. at about $4,000 q
mile f.. s
This pavement will connect with
that south of st. Paul and the IA
mile strip between Mortified and
Faribault and is part of the plan to
extend Minnesota's longest continuous
pavement next year to more than 16g
miles, Benton county has contracted
for % miles from st. Cloud to Royal
tor and 10 miles on to Little Falls is
to be let this week by Morrison Couh-
ty, all under the reimbursement bond
law. s#E y %s%$ M 4#
John H. Mullen, deputy commission
er and chief highway engineer, ex-
pressed the satisfaction Of the depart
ment with the bargain prices on win
ter road work. Paving prices are on
the same low level with those on
gradingN and gravel surfacing,' said
Mr.. Mullen, land big values are being
given for the taxpayers money. Say
ings will enable the department to
extend improvements more rapidly
Protests that contractors are taking
work at less than cost were. made by
truck owners at meetings in Mime
apolis and st. Paul. Commissioner
Babcock said that bonds will guaran-
tee performance on contracts 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 unemploy relief in various
localities. >.5s. :za2
Commenting on the truck owners
protest, The st. Paul Dispatch said {:
"All evidence points to the fact that
Mr.. Babcock has driven a good bar
gain in these contracts for the people
of the state, and that our roads are
being built under the contract system
at minimum of cost to the taxpay-
ers. He is to be congratulated: on his
success z %s s.* es...s.s.
# In the highway department more
winter work is being prepared for
early letting. s It will consist mainly
Of grading and grayelling again and
will be widely distributed over the
state.