Evening journal., 1922-01-04

Appeals have been taken by the
property owners in four cases; in
three OF these the final award was
within 5 per cent OF the first finding.
Public hearings have been held In
these cases. the State presenting
sufficient testimony to establish a
fair basis for the award OF damage.
Much credit is due the departments
attorneys for the manner in which
they have conducted these cases,
whereby the State has been saved a
substantial amount and at the same
time justice has been given the
property owner.
Property owners throughout the
State have in most instances shown
their appreciation OF the benefits OF
an improved State highway system
and Of the work OF the Highway De-
partment. A large number OF own
ers have conveyed rights OF way free
of charge. and in most other cases
the damage has been only nominal.
To these citizens the department
wishes to extend its thanks for their
courtesy and assistance.
~ AANAA ANAiMA AUNAA tAAAn UAhAf
in the year covered by this report
indicate marked decline in the
cost of construction, which can be
attributed in part to the decrease in
cost Of labor, materials, freight and
the keen competition which existed
among the contractors desirous OF
doing work In Delaware.
The bidding prices for the year
1921. have been from 10 to is per
cent. lower than those for 1920.
Transportation, materials and labor
supply have been subject to no re-
striction, there being an abundance
OF cars, materials and labor.
The important item of labor has
decreased during the year from 45c
to soc in the northern county and
from 35c 90 2Oc in the lower
counties. The Department is justi-
fed, I think, IN expecting a further
reduction in freight rates. and in
the cost OF materials for 1922. which
will permit Of future construction
at less cost, or more miles for the
money.
THE Department carried over
from 1920. uncompleted contracts.
amounting to 53S miles. and during
1921 awarded contracts for ia
miles, and, at the close OF
our 1921 construction season
there remains but IA miles OF
uncompleted roadway under con-
tract, so that during the year there
has been constructed 80 per cent OF
the mileage undertaken and SIS
miles Of improved highways added
to our State system.
During 1921 the average contract
price for our i6' concrete roads was
$4,000 per mile. or $4,000 a mile
less than the average contract price
for the same roads in 1920. II is inn
possible to estimate exactly for the
year 1922, but conservative esti-
mate would allow for a Is per cent
reduction over 1921 prices.
Following is a statement OF con-
tracts under construction during
1921 Laurel-Seaford. 491 miles.
Seaford- -Bridgeville. 6.61 miles;
geville-Greenwood. 3.55 miles;
Farmington-Harrin S.96 miles;
Magnolia Dover 492; Milford.
Frederica, $50 miles: Harrington
FELTON,, 3.72 miles; Wilmington City
line Market street bridge. .65 miles
Through Frederica, la; bridges
north and south Of Frederica; Fred.
erica approaches. grading, .9s miles
lsmyrna-Armstrong Corner SO miles
Hare's Corner-Rogers Corner. as;
miles; Armstrong Corner Odessa
9.29 miles; Felton-Woodside 3.67
miles: ST. Georges-Tybouts Corner
grading and bridges. 4.51 miles; Ty-
bouts Corner Hare's Corner. 2.95
miles, through Magnolia, 1.9S miles;
Haven Lake Crossing. 80; Frederica
approaches .62 miles; Bridgeulle-
Cont. 1852 miles; p. r. r. Br.,
worth's Plant-Philadelphia Pike
.23 miles: Appoquinimink bridge.
Expended in 1921 on above roads
1884, ,626.41 estimate cost to COM
plete. s274.OS4Ts; Paid by Mr.. du-
Pont, s1.4S7712; paid by State. ST.
7sO.272.2s.
mt. -Boyd's Corner. 3.45
miles; Naaman's Creek Road, $3.50
miles; Townsend Pine Tree road
1.72. Expended on above roads dur
ing 1921. s197215.74; estimate cos
TO complete. S29,O75.2S; paid b,
state. s235,S92.14.
"Georgetown-Co -Cokesbury Church
4.Os miles; Georgetown Barr's Cor
ner. 4.O7 miles; Millsboro- Harmon
school, 6.26 miles; Selbyville-RoX
ana, 349 miles; Shawnee-M Milford
2.67 miles: Coverdale Y Roads-Ja
cohs' School, 3.44 miles; Blades
Concord, 2.30 miles; Peppers Lau
rel 4.S1 miles; Millsboro- Mission
t49S miles: Georgetown -Harbeson
ASS miles; Roxana- Mnlvile, 46l
miles: Selbyville streets. 1.09 miles
I.aurel-Asbury Church, grading an'
, bridges. 6.57 miles; Laurel-Asbur.
Church, concrete. 6.57 miles; through
Georgetown. .93 miles. Expended
on above roads. in 1921, SS42,149.S0
estimated cost to complete. S17>,
532.65; paid by State. $3.50. .543.54.
THE practice followed by the De
partment of Issuing a weekly bulle
tin. designating the best detour 70
roads under construction and indi
, eating the completed roads in tn
: State system which best accommo
date the through traffic as we'll a
. the semi-local traffic, has been re
ceived with much favorable com
e ment by the public, and Il is ou
) purpose to continue this bulletii
? through the year 1922.
] "The Department sustained los
e in July when its Chief Engineer. MI
. Charles NJ. Upham. accepted a simi
Dnr.rfr.l
o state Highway Department. MI