The Devils Lake world., 1922-07-26
CONSTRUCTION Of fort TOT
TEN HIGHWAY IS NOW ASSURED

vate and business organization on
Ramsey and Benson counties as we'll
as all public officers will cause the
federal government to construct
highway from the Ramsey county
line across the Indian reservation to
a point in Benson county where a
state highway has already been con-
structed north and south, then such
road is already assured. There is
hardly person who does any amount
of travelling in either of these coun-
ties but what has gone over the old
trail through the woods on several
occasions, and will insist that there
isn't poorer stretch of road in
either county than this one has been
for as far back as anyone can rem
embers. At the same time it has been
travelled almost as much as any 9TH
Ell road in the two counties, and it is
absolutely necessary that it be put
in a decent condition.
At meeting Of the members of
the Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs of this
city held at Court Lake near the
Narrows yesterday afternoon the road
was discussed from every angle,
and it was finally decided that the
federal government be asked to con-
struct such road. Members of the
board of county commissioners of
both Ramsey and Benson counties,
the federal superintendent Of ma
tional parks, theoverseers of Sully's
Hill National Park, Congressman o.
B. Burtness, as we'll as a number Of
business men from the cities which
are interested were present, and talks
were made by every one who had any
information to give on the subject or
offer advice on how to proceed to
get the road. Everyone present in
sisted that the road must be con-
structed and promised to do every
thing in his power to push the thing
along.
C. o. Russell of this city acted as
chairman, and after lunch called the
meeting to order, and called on
Judge C. w. Buttz, who in a brief way
explained the situation and showed
his auditors the impossibility Of
either Benson or Ramsey county to
do this ,volk. The land through which
the road would pass lies in Benson
county and runs through the reser-
vation where only a small portion
is taxable, but at the same time has
been big source of expense to Ben
son, and for that reason that county
did not feel that it would be justified
in constructing the road, and any,
way it wasn't in financial condi-
tion to do anything about it at the
present time.
The Judge also read a telegram
from Congressman Young stating that
owing to the fact that he was in
Washington he would be unable to
be present at the meeting.
Congressman Burtness promised
to do everything in his power to get
the federal government to construct
the road, and believed same could be
accomplished. The government MAIN
tains the Indian school at Fort Tot
ten and also the national park, both
of which are ten miles from the near
est railroad point from which all
supplies must be hauled over the
worst roads in the state. He pro-
missed to get busy at once and learn
the proper method of procedure to
get prompt action On the proposition.
Superintendent Riley of the Nat
ional Parks Of the country in talk
said that the government had con-
structed approach roads to national
parks in other parts of the country
which were probably not as badly
needed as this one is, and was quite
sure that it would not be difficult to
get the proper officers to see that q
suitable highway was constructed
here.
County Commissioners Thos. h.
Maloney and McNaughton of Ramsey
county both atated that they had
done everything in their power to-
ward making a first class road be-
tween Devils Lake and the fort, and
that construction work was now
about completed and state road that
runs right up to the Ramsey county
line leading to the fort.
The county commissioners from
Benson county said that his county
had already constructed some 20
miles Of road on the Indian reserva-
ton from which they received very
little revenue in the way of taxation,
and that while the county board there
was more than willing to continue
building the road in this direction.
it did not have available funds. He
said he fully realized the necessity
Of such road, and promised to CO.
operate in every possible way to get
It.
Short talks were also made by