The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-01-11
Babcock Urges Cooperation
Between All Township and
County Authorities
RECOMMENDS DEFINITE,
s SYSTEMATIC PROGRAM
Funds Available Afford Local
Road Retirement Equal to
That on Trunk Routes !

Nearly twice as much money avail
ah1e now for improvement of county
and town roads as is provided reg
ularly for use on the trunk highways
in Minnesota, Charles NJ. Babcock,
state highway commissioners, TINS
week urged tarly good roads conven-
tons in all counties OF the state az
which sounty commissioners, town
supervisors and the county highway
engineers can agree on q definite pro-
cram of cooperation toSget the big.
gest possible results for county and
town road expenditures. 5,:S l..
- ssBeltrani county can secure "a
complete system lof good local roads
in the shortest time and with the
least expense, said Mr.. Babcock, ''by
adopting a definite plan of system
attic improvement covering several
years and then pooling town with
county funds to carry it out under
modern bodybuilding methods, with
the right equipment and so forth.
Funds for local road purposes, ex-
elusive of trunk highways, IN Bel
trami county last year were $780,
900, and the Importance of prompt
action is obvious. Renville, Carlton
and some other countieS already are
working with success in this direction
but I believe that good roads con-
ventions in these counties will ac-
complish much as in all}counties. The
plan will end patchwork road devel-
opmeht and the public will gain in
every way. ~ ss.a,
County and town road authorities
and the engineers can consider at
these meetings the needs on every
county and town road and make pro-
vision for them in the longer term
program. Township lines should be
ignored, just as the state disregards
county lines on trunk route plans.
Counties will assist the towns as the
state department advises and works
with the counties on state aid and
other important undertakings. The
town funds may be pooled with those
of the county and used under the di-
rection of the engineer. Heavier ma
chinery and better methods can be
employed generally to get bigger re-
suits at less cost, and farmers can be
given more jobs than in the past.
"Public road officials are all work.
ing to get the best results now, and.
I am confident. will cooperate to
adopt the new plan and make it yield
maximum results. The fault has been
with the old-time methods, not with
the efforts of our present local au.
thorities." ,--
John H. Mullen, deputy commits
sioner and chief highway engineer,
supported the cooperation proposal
will official figures showing the large
funds now provided for road work in
Minnesota. I'll d
Current funds last yearsin Mime
sofa totaled $1S,790,OOO for local.
roads and $S,690,0OO for state trunk
highways, Mr., Mullen said, and the
greater local funds prove that the so
called Babcock plan is mainly farm
ers' road plan. =.
Taxes brought $1O,s43.6s2 of
county and $6,S62.56O Of township
funds and $2,084,00O of state aid
for local road purposes, besides ST.
308,794 of city and village street and
road funds outside of St. Paul, Min
neapolis and Duluth. .
Regular state trunk funds were made
up of $5,750,O00 of motor vehicle
taxes and $2,840,OOO Of federal aid.
Considerable bond money was used
last year, but laws under which it was
voted are no longer in effect, and if
included the trunk fund total still
would be smaller than that available
for local roads. The local road mile
age is the greater, it was explained,
but that is fairly Offset by the higher
cost Of improvements and mainten-
ance on the trunk system.
With the liberal funds provided,
Mr.. Mullen added, county. engineers
will carry out the programs agreed
upon by county commissioners and
town supervisors in systematic plans
and greater efficiency and economy
will follow to give the maximum Of
good reults. $40
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