Abilene weekly reflector., 1922-08-03
TALKING OVER SOLOMON ROAD
New Bridges Must Be Built-What
Can Be Done to Save Money

|
The county Is up against a new
bridge over the Smoky Hill at Solo.
mon. This bridge has been con.
demned for years and Is growing
dangerous even to ordinary travel. II
is joint bridge between this coun-
~ and Saline and both counties rec
ognize that something must be done
II bill for damages Is not to result.
"A new bridge is also imperative at
Sand Springs; the old structure is in
bad condition and provocative Of ac-
cidents. According to County Engi-
neer Rees the commissioners have
been looking into the matter of these
bridges and how to accomplish most
with the money The land owners
have pettiOned for hard surfaced
road from Abilene to Solomon and
this has been approved but the COM
missioners do not think this the time
to pave, though they do realize that
somethingf must be done with the
road to make 1t fairly passable. so
they are trying to figure out how to
get the road improved ana the
bridges built at the lowest cost.
The bridge at Solomon will cost
at least $40.000-the one at Chap
man cost $46.0OO-and Dickinson
Will have to pay half. Under the
federal aid law the county can get
federal aid to build its bridges on
the Golden Belt if it also grades the
road-and aid can be secured for
the grading also. This is the way it
figures out under this plan:
Grading and culverts would cost
about $4,000 covering nine miles.
Federal and state aid for grading
and culverts can be secured
to $4,000. leaving the
cost to the county district and town
ship for the nine miles $4,000.
This $4,000 would be divided this
way: County $2.25O; township ST.
125; district SLIPS. Taking the
district as covering 20 sections,
which it approximately does. with
valuation of $50 an acre or $7GS. 900,
and taking the land next the road as
10 per cent of the cost. it would
make the highest payment about 80
cents an acre or $50 for half a mile
,f road. payable in 10 or 20 INSTALL
nents.
Cost of bridge: Solomon bridge
(one-half cost $4,000: other
bridges needed $4,000. Federal aid
AN be secured for $145OO. leaving
otal cost to county, $14,5OO.
The county's share under this plan
would be $14,5 800 for bridges and
$3.50 for grading, a total of $l6,-
so. If the county goes ahead and
uilds the bridges itself without fed
raj aid it will cost $4,000 for the
solomon bridge alone or $3.50 more,
ot to mention the Sand Springs
ridge and smaller one near Solo
ION.
The farmers along the road would
e able to do large amount of the ,
rading work next fall and winter
nd would get as good dirt road as
an be made, properly graded ,
traightened and one that can be $
sed
1t Is largely a question of >wheth- I
r the county shall take advantage
the federal and state aid or not,
nd if it does it will save the tax
ayers of the county over $4,000. | +
or the Solomon bridge must be s
uilt for safety of traffic. 1t is in &
lie worst condition of any bridge in $
le county and the state engineers f
~ it is dangerous to use it longer. !
Many Solomon citizens are also I
esirous of paving the main street
least, of the town. BY connect
G it with the project this can be
'ne-as Chapman did it-by get =
ng federal aid for half the cost.
therwise any paving done will have
be paid entirely by the city Sol 81
non is now the only town in the II
unity with wholly dirt streets but a
ances are that with its progress "
Ieness it will not be so long 81
1t may be that these undertakings is
III be hitched up together to get u
suits with the least possible ex- W
nse to the county and land own is
J. pt