New Ulm review., 1922-03-15
LOCAL CONTRACTS
NOT YET A'W| v WARD|.||E||;'.D: | | J /
|.RIGHT-oF-WAY QUESTIONS
PREVENT ACCEPTANCE
OF BIDS.
THIRTEEN JOBS LET AT VERY
Low PRICES, SAVING
Is PER CENT.

New Ulm highwater crossing and
grading projects on Minnesota trunk
highways Nos. Z and Is are among
those, on which Charles M. Babcock,,
state highway commissioner, this week
rejected bids because the highway de-
partment was unable to close rights Of
way rotations. Desirous OF speed
ling the, New Ulm projects the highway
department. included them in the list
for letting although, some right-of-
way remained to be acquired. In
ability Of the right-of-way agent to
secure grants at suitable prices before
March 9 necessitated rejection Of the
bids. 4a
Lettings Of thirteen contracts cover
ing nearly Is miles Of new grading, 3
miles Of paving and 9 new bridges and
a call for bids April on five other
undertakings, including about 80 miles
of grading, mile Of paving and 4
bridges, were made on the same day.
All jobs are widely distributed and will
be pushed to completion to afford
public benefits without delays.
Bids at Lowest Levels. b
The state this year is getting road
impr provements at more than 20 per
cent under 1921 prices saving nearly
$25O,OOO Of every $1,000,000, con-
tracts totalling $756,0O0 against en-
gineers' estimates of 81 100000 for the
work. Commissioner Babcock ex-
pressed regret that the state is without
special funds to take advantage of low
prices offered now. Reimbursement
bond interest charges and other items
Of deduction this year will greatly
reduce the available funds for trunk
system work from the 1921 total, he
explained, but low prices will partially
offset the curtailment. The depart
ment will use every effort to extend
improvements over a maximum
mileage.
Bids Broke Minnesota Record.
The contract letting yesterday
brought low bids which broke Min
nesota records, for the past ten years.
johnson Drake and Piper, Minneapo-
lis bid $1.94 ga a yard, or less than
$22,15O a mile on 2.8 miles of rock
aggregate, bar reinforced, concrete
pavement on trunk highway No. ~,
near st. Cloud. This price was com
pared with the lowest bid Of $2.18,
received by the Hennepin county
board in the recent competition on
more than eight miles on the Rockford
road
Grading bids were as low as II cents
a. cubic yard and the average. was we'll
under the best figures for several years,
it was officially stated.
More Jobs Advertised.
Bids are to be opened April 6 on the
following trunk route projects: /
T. H. No. White Bear, / mile "a
foot paving, estimate $4,000. nj
T. H. No. West from Janesville,
4 miles grading, estimate $4,000.
T. H. No. 8 Between Bena and Ball
Club, II miles grading, estimate
$15O,00O.
T. H. No. 11-Between Warroad
and Roosevelt, II miles grading, A
bridges, $4,000. Il
T. II. No. AZ Between Eyota and
Elgin, 6 miles grading, estimate
$40, 900.
!. The work to be done on the thirteen
contracts awarded is located at or near.
the following cities: Two Har bors,
Little Marais, Faribault, Corona, Sauk
Center, Grand Rapids, Delano,
Preston, Chatfeld, st. Cloud, Alex
andria, Ogema, and Fountain.
Most Of the awards went to Mime
apolis and St. Paul firms although
Mankato, Austin, Winnebago and
Grand Rapids people drew some Of the
IiObs.