The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-02-17
SEEK BIDS ON ROAD
WORK DUE IN 1922
Fifteen Big Construction
Jobs Are Planned
OPEN MARCH 9TH NEXT
Revision of Auto rax Is Favored
BY State Highway Com
missioner
OPEN MARCH 9TH NEXT

tnTee" miles OF paving huu q nuinDe'
OF bridges estimated at moro than ST.
900 ,00o-make up the first 1922 list
OF trunl; highway projects.
Charles N. Babcock. state highway
COMMISSIONER, tCaS week ca!led lor
BIDS on The group 10 he opened March
. in the new building in st. Paul
leased by the EiSnTay department taI;-
Three or Jour Dig lettings early inns
spring will speed the new work
planned, he said.
Johu II. Mullen, deputy commits
sioner and CHIEF Highway engineer,
aunounced thai the inst list repre-
sents ISSE tnaE a third Of the new
projects fcr which plans and esti-
diately upon final approyals, the ad :,
ditional Jobs viii be made public and
bids will &c asked. Policies Tor build
ing up the poor stretches in long IS .
leages of otherwise good roads s.1o
fox wide distribution Of work that all
continued this season, he said.
New Record Year.
Highway officials are agreed tLS1
in spite of 4 possible reduction OIL
funds from the 1921 total, conditions
are favorable for d new record ysar
of advancement or the trunk highway
system Prices are back to pre- war
levels. freight rates are lower, the
department organization is better
perfected and other conditions are i'm
proved, it was explained. The high
way program should be pushed to the
limit, the officials, added, to take ad :;
vantage OF bargain prices, to speed
restoration of normally, and 10 make
needed road betterments.
Commissioner Babcock's first 1922
call for bids covers '.hese projects:
Trunk Highway No. Near Farl-
6ault, two bridges, Estimate 10000,
T. H. No. Two Harbors- Knife
River. S,3 miles grading Estimate
T. H. No. Little Marais- Schroe
der. 14.5 miles grading, Estimate
T. H. No. 2-Near Cromwell, one
bridge. Estimate $4,000.
T. II. No. 3-Near West Union,
2.S miles gradinr- -stimate s22,74S.
T. Fl. No. New Ulm high water
crossing, rs miles grading, Estimate
T. II. No. Grand Rapids Black
berry. 7.3 niles grading, Estimate
T. II. No. 1O--Near Deiane, bridge
on Crow River. Estimate $4,000.
T. H. No. 15-New Ulm- Klossner,
% miles grading, Estimate S44.23S.
T. II. No 20--Chat1eld Fountain
81 miles gading with bridges. Esu-
T. II. No. 2o-Preston Fountain
miles grading with bridges, Esd-
T. H. No. 2O-Near Chatfeld, two
bridges, total 81 500.
T. H. No. 27-Near ST; Cloud, 2.S
miles concrete paving with grading,
Estimate-s36,627.
Reno. SO miles grading, Estimate
T. H. No. 3o-ogema- Galloway,
12.l miles grading, Estimate s97,971.
Grading figures include the cost OF
farm entrance and other. culverts and
like items. The paving will complete
the twin city paved way into st.
big undertaking which could not be
built last season because of physical
conditions.
Would Revise Auto Tax.
Charles NJ. Babcock, state highway
commissioner, this week Joined the
ranks of advocates of revision of the
present motor vehicle tax rates.
The schedules only are unsatisfac-
tory to the majority of car owners,
he said, but they cost the state high
way department last year $437 $50.
"The general complaint is not against
the amount of the taxes but is due to
a common belief that the rates are
not fair and equitable" said Mr.. Bah J.
cock Scores of people express their
readiness to pay larger sums to get
better roads in shorter time because
they are becoming convinced that
they will gain through savings in car
up.keep, tires and gasoline in addi-
of good roads. But they do object to
having more than their fair shares"
John H. Mullen, deputy commits
sioner and chief engineer, agreed with
the position taken by Mr.. Babcock
and explained how the trunk highway
tax rates Mike Holm, secretary OF
state, reports 1921 collections Of S.
61,6,113.60 taxes on 336.29 cars. The
average is $3.50 car, compared with
SIS proposed and approved by the
vote adopting Good Roads Amend
ton during the legislative session
that the average would be near 500
car. The average loss of $1.30 on
336292 cars cur/-iled the fund by
S437. 100.
The highway executives said the
department will co operate in the
move 20 effect new rates based on the
actual car value and perhaps weight
and mileage, and expressed satisfac
ton that the public demand is for
Just taxation and also for speeding
rather than retarding highway devel-
Opment under the new state program
Corn To Prevent Drifts.
Practical demonstrations that rows
of corn left standing nearby prevent
the blocking Of highways with snow
drifts this week prompted Charles
M. Babcock, state highway Dmmis
sioner, this week to recommend to
the farmers of the state general
adoption OF the idea next year.
The result accomplished, the com
missioner said. bids fair to be the
same as that represented by big out
LAYS for snow removal in winter. In
cidentally, he added that a general
snow clearing campaign would be SO
costly that no funds would be left for
regular permanent and maintenance
work during the seasons when the
public gets the greatest general use
Of the highways.
w. F. Roscnwaia, state highway
maintenance engineer, suggested that
Minnesota farmers make plans at
once to help keep roads open next