The labor world., 1922-08-12

Duluth and Port Arthur highway
which the governor might have
riding at high rate of speed hea'
Makes Clear Statement.
Mr.. johnson came to Duluth this
week to see that he was set right
before the people. He has made a
clear andscomplete statement of his
position, telling of the problems that
he had been up against for two weeks
prior to the governors visit, due to
series of washOuts caused by a
cloudburst; of the handicaps he met,
OF the fact that the state neglected
to supply him with lanterns to be
hung at danger spots and he was
obliged TO use his own barn lanterns
and furnished his own kerosene; Of
his request for higher wages for his
men and himself and of the refusal
Of the state highway commission to
raise wages, whereupon he resigned
and was relieved from service on the
to Grand Marais.
Johnson was not discharged. He
quit on his own account. A new
man was in charge at the time Gov
ernor Preus arrived near Grand Ma
rails. Neither that new man nor his
supervisor provided lantern at the
danger spot by which Governor
though there had been lantern on
that spot every other night since the
storm.
Lands Another Job.
On his arrival in the city Tues
day. Mr.. Johnson visited The Labor
World and told his side of the story
in an earnest straightforward man.
nerI He is now employed as road
foreman for the township of Rose
bush, adjoining Grand Marais. He
is regarded as one of the best road
builders in the north country.
II am very much pleased with
your presentation of my case" he
said to The Labor World. while
you did not know all the facts,s you
hit it right in most respects. The
state had not furnished me, with Ian
terms to hang at danger spots along
my beat. I had been using lanterns
from my own barn, but I did not
hang them out on~the evening Gov
ernor Preus sped over tie road be-
cause I was out of the service of the
state at the time and had been since
five o'clock on the same afternoon.
Preus Wronged Him.
SNTI1 Il
Injustice and he should set me right
before the community The people
Of Cook county know my record.
They know that I performed faith
full service for the county and state
during the five years I served as
road foreman. having charge of the
. maintenance Of from IL to Is miles
} Of road east and west of Grand Ma
rails, and they will back me up in
, every claim am making in my own
defense.
!, "A washout occurred at many
! points along my beat on the evening
of July IA. There were at least IS
, Of such washouts within my 1S-mile
stretch. among them two large
! NJ AuSCS anu SCNcl dl CulScItSs Vi.
; lowing the storm 1 called on every
, person in Grand Marais and in the
. neighborhood whom I thought
would be willing to work and Of
fered employment at the states rate
of wages, which was 80 cents an
I hour, or IS cents for emergency
time.
Did Faithful Work.
II managed to get six men to
start in the morning and when 1
discovered the extent of damage done
by the storm 1 gathered up from 20
to rs men during the day We all
worked with might End main to get
the bridges and highway in shape
to move traffic. AS a result the first
auto was permitted to pass over the
road from the west to Grand Marais
at six o'clock on the evening of July
Is, in 20 working hours after the
Washout.
ION Sunday morning Of July 16
we commenced to build the bridge
across Devil Track river, four miles
east of Grand Marais. All the con-
crete had been carried away and we
were confronted with the problem
of constructing a new bridge, which
we did with timber we had snaked
from the mouth of the river on the
same day. The state bridge man for
that section came down with eight
men from Finland, IS miles away,
from whence we hauled planks by
truck, and we had the new bridge
completed before dark Sunday night.
The rapidity and thoroughness with
which we built that bridge, so feet
across the river, where fully 80 cars
had been held. up. brought us COM
mendation from many people.
gg5s}.. County Raised Wages.
III During the week following we
were kept busy filling washouts and
sregraveling the road It was big
Job and ! had Difficulty keeping men.
/ Tor the county had raised wages to
h 40 cents an hour, whereas the state
WAS only paying 80 cents or. IS cents
during emergency periods. However
We put three miles Of new surface
on the road and filled many big
!. holes made BY the storm with boul-
ders and stones. The flood was the
b worst had ever. seer, and The dam-
sSl.3I57 "a 4 (c lsl latlllasd 4 q g psTe B