The Kadoka press. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1923-current, 1924-04-11
SEASONS ROAD
WORK STARTED
County Highway Department faces
biggest program ever, things put
shipshape.


which reminds one OF the busiest
time last summer. IractOrS, grad
ers and other road machinery are
being taken apart and gwen a
thorough examination. Weak parts
are being strengthened and defect
i've ones replaced by new, IN order
that the machines may withstand
the hardest test OF a seasons run
they have ever been put to. What
was once thought might be slim
year for highway construction, is
now proving to be the biggest
ever. 1t will be remembered that
some of our county residents cir
culated petition asking for dis
continuance of all highway con-
struction for two years. These
good people. or at least many of
them have changed their minds
when they calmly studied cold
facts as they were presented to
them and now they are asking for
more and better roads. There are
enough petitions from townships
on file where the minimum they
ask for if given them, to tie up one
outfit for the entire season. The
other two of the three road making
equipments of Jackson county will
be tied up on state work for at
least the major part of the summer.
Even if the petition had been
granted, Jackson county road
makers would have been pretty
buSk folks indeed in spite of it,
for the state is fairly begging to
hire every available piece Of road
making machinery on contracts
for the season at the owners own
terms by the hour, day. week;
month or season.
The two big outfits will resume
the state work on the Custer
Battlefield Hiway between here and
Belvidere where they left off after
finishing nine OF the Is miles taken
up. The state is becging now TO
have these two outfits continue
through to the east county line
and to finish the remainder Of the
twenty eight and seven tenths
miles with the exception Of the
federal work sandwiched in be-
tween. When this work is done,
the next move will be unto the
Kadoka-Philip road a distance of
some 18 or II miles. AS plans now
stand this road is likely to be laid
out for five or six miles due west
of Kadoka and thence straight
north into Philip.
After finishing the Philip road
the big outfits will go west of town
preparatory to extend the l9 mile
straight shot west of town two
miles further and then south
through Cedar pass into Interior,
continuance of highway 30
through to the county line and the
Bad Lands. Thia latter project
however is still somewhat vague,
inasmuch as senator NOrbeck and
congressman Williamson are work
ing hard to have the Cedar Pass
country designated a national park
area. Should this matnrialize, there
would of course be. 20 need of
county or state highway work, be
cause Uncle Sam would see 10 that
better than our folks could afford
to do.
Aside from this work mentioned,
which will tie up two rigs for the
season, the follwing six townships
have to date applied for work. 1t
should be born in mind here by our
readers first that all the amounts
of work asked for are minimum
requirements, which are more often
doubled yea even trebled before a
rig is allowed to leave particular
field. A case in point here is In
teroir township, which in the past
asked for IL miles and actually got
thirty two before roadmaking was
stopped there. Secondly it should
be kept in mind that none of the
unorganized townships have been
taken into account and that many
of the others are about to apply
for road work but have not done
so as vet. The following have ap-
piled for amounts of work more or
less, which usually means more:
Indian Creek, five miles.
Jewett, five and one half miles
Kadoka, five miles
Wall five and half and one and
a half refinishing
Brady. five or six miles
kadOka, four TO recover.
Thirty miles Of road making is
considered a good seasons work
with favorable weather. 1t is graft
flying to note that one of JAG kson
counties roadmakers covered a
total of 42% miles last year in
spite of much rain. This same out
fit orened up AZ miles of new road.
in the year 1922.
What can be done this summer,
can only be comjectured becauae
of the many elements entering in.
But it is very plain that there is
more work. to be done than the
outfits on the job can actually ac-
complish. Jackson count~ has now
372 miles of graded roads and will
add to it RAPIDLY accordingly to
the wish Of the people of the
county. Fifty new bridges and cul-
verts were laid down last year. No.
wonder Jackson county holds the
enviable position as a good roads
county that she does.