The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-11-06
.SAUK CENTRE HOST
TOALARCE NUMBER
FORMAL OPENING OF CITY'S
PAVING MONDAY ATTRACTS
MANY VISITORS
AN ENJOYABLE PROGRAM
MAYOR PARKER OPENS EXER
SISES - OTHER GOOD AD-
DRESSES AND SPORTS

The crowd attending the official
opening of Sank Centres paving
Monday afternoon and evening was
not the largest ever in the city but
the program was varied enough to
care for the tastes of all and each
one seemed to have good time.
The three free shows at the Caugh-
rem theatre in the afternoon attract
hundred were disappointed because
they could not obtain admission.
The speaking program was trifle
late starting, Mayor William Parker
presided and very graciously well
coined the visitors to Sank Centre,
assuring them that the city was theirs
to do as they would for the day and
tevening. He reviewed the develop
ment of the paving idea in Sank
Centre and took occasion to thank
Melrose and other cities to the east
of "Main Street because their coop
GRAFTON made the paving in this city
a reality.
Senator Peter Ahles, the able rep
Preventative from this district in the
Minnesota legislature, was the first
speaker introduced by Mr.. Parker.
This was the first opportunity the
people of Sank Centre had ever had
to hear their Senator deliver pub
lie address.
Mr.. Ahles gave an interesting re-
view of the development of the hard
surface highway plan in Minnesota.
He called attention to the fact that
the legislative session of 1919 passed
an act which enabled the counties of
the state to issue bonds in the sum
of $25O,000 which were to be taken
over by the highway department and
paid out of the highway funds of the
state derived from the taxes on motor
vehicles. This law expired by limi-
tation in Jan. 1, 1921. Many of the
counties had failed to take advantage
of the act and in the session of 1923
Mr.. Ahles was on of the joint auth
ors of Senate bill which would re-
enact the law of 1921 and permit
Stearns and the other counties to
take advantage Of the bond issue. This
bill passed in the last days of the
session of 1928. 1t provided that the
funds derived from the bond issue
must be used wholly within the coun-
ty and on Babcock or trunk line
highways. In the early fall of 1923
the county commissioners issued
$125,000 in county bonds which was
used to help build the paving be-
tween st. Cloud and ST. Joe on No.
Is. Under the agreement with the
county commissioners in which Senat-
or Ahles was in close record it was
agreed that the remaining SIPS, 900
should be used on No. 3 in the vi
cinity of Sank Centre and Melrose.
These improvements have cost APP
proximately 100000 the amount
over the $250,000 county bond issues
has been paid out of the general
highway fund of the state. The
Stearns county bonds have already
been. taken over by the Highway de-
partment.
Senator Ahles played no small part
in the making of paving for Sank
Centre possible.
Charles A. Forbes, division engi-
ineer of the Highway department was
next introduced and made a splendid
talk. The gentleman has large
fund of keen Scotch wit and kept his
audience in extremely good nature.
His address was full of much infor-
nation which gave his audience a
much better insight into the work,
aims, accomplishments and ambi-
lions of the Highway department.
Just before Mr.. Forbes finished his
address little excitement was caus-
led when smoke was seen issuing from
the Armory and Sank Centres Fire
Department rushed down Third
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