The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-08-03

Twenty important improvements
on the Minnesota trunk highway
system. placed under contract at
Sl,0S0 .500-nearly S150,000 less than
engineers estimates-that is the
result Of the biggest 1873 state
highway letting to date on awards
by Charles NJ. Babcock, state high
way commissioner. A call for bids
on another list is planned within
thirty days.
Among the contracts awarded is
bridge north of St. Peter, estimate,
$4,000; awarded at $3.50.
New contracts will cover 122
miles of grading, twenty one Of
paving, Is OF crawling and seven
bridges distributed over the state
wide system. They will be financed
mainly with count reimbursement
bond money, Commissioner Bah
cock said. But 1t is planned to use
less than the S11, 100000 total Of
new county bonds authorized by the
1923 legislature, he added, because
the requirement that funds must be
used in the county issuing the
bonds. in some cases would mean
the taking Of money for minor i'm =
provements ahead OF those most
uooNoo LII oSho"y oAo SohCi a
public gain.
more low prices are gratifying,
but increase the regret that the
state Is without working capital
necessary to take greater advantage
OF them-to give the public needed
road improvements now and at big
savings In the end" said Mr.. Bah
cock.
Highway officials commented on
q decrease In the number of bid
dsrs. More local road work on
which competition is not so keen
and greater building activities tax
ing excavating and other equip
ment had an effect, they explained.
Competition for state jobs was
sharp, nevertheless, and the prices
county contracting on trunk route
projects.
List of Awards
Preliminary awards, made tenta-
lively and to the low bidder in ev-
cry case, are:
T. II. No. 1-Owatonna Glendale,
seventeen miles Of grading In ad-
vance of paving, estimate 500, 611
awards $S6,O32. Nelson Fulton Il
Nelson, Minneapolis, grading at
$e9, O55, and w. T. Baxter, Webster
City, Iowa, two bridges and all cul-
Yerts at $16,967.
r. H. No. Carlton West Du-
luth. nine miles Of grading and paw
ng, estimate. $4s4,ooo-awards s415,-
ga; Johnson. Drake 4 Piper, Min
grading at s1o5,2ss; /. E. Baum
Superior, Wis, one bridge at s4S,-
812, and Chernus Construction com .
pany, Minneapolis, one bridge and
all culverts at $16,293.
T. H. No. knife River Two
Harbors, eight miles graveling. as
innate $21,695-award to G. w.
Humphrey. Aberdeen, S. D.. at
+: H. No. s-Red Wing Lake City
mate. s121. 422-awards $1o4,411: G.
A. Beckman & Co.. Lake City
bridge A and B culverts at S15.l0S;
c. ". Johnson, Red Wing, c hull
verts at $2,109, and w. T. Baxter
two bridges at $1,000.
T. H. No. 5-North of st. Peter
one bridge, estimate, $4,000. award
to Lundin Bros, Mankato, at ST.
T. H. No. 6-south of Angus, two
BRIDGES, estimate, $7,0OO-aWards to
e. Stranded, Crookston, at S9,689.
T. H. No. 9-Fairmont- Welcome
nine miles Of grading and bridge
estimate. $54,325-awards $52.68S:
Charles Weaver, Anoka, grading al
s44.a16 and F D. Gould, Fairmont
bridge at $S,473.
r. H. No. 12-Chaska- Excelsior
nine miles OF grading, and bridge
estimate. s125, 00o-awards S125,666;
Nelson, Fulton & Nelson, grading al
s10S.740; c. W. Johnson. culverts al
11,501. and Adams Construction