The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1924-03-05
County Men
Discuss Roads
BIG ATTENDANCE AND INTER
EST SHOWN AT WABASSO
MEETING MONDAY.

The Redwood County Road meeting
held at Wabasso, Monday, was very
successful both in attendance and in
the interest and enthusiasm shown IN
the subjects discussed. Commission
er John Ahrends presided at the meet
ing which was attended by all mem-
bers of the County Board and several
of the other County officers. The
Highway Commission was represent
ed by o. L. Kipp, Construction En-
gineer; w. F. Rosenwald, Maintenance
Engineer and C. L. Motl, Division En-
gineer. J. F.. O'Meara, Highway En-
gineer, of Redwood County took
prominent part in the program of the
day. Commissioner Ahrends, in open
ing the meeting made short intro
ductory talk in which he aptly placed
before the assembly the road policy of
the county. The attendance was re-
preventative of every township in the
county except Swedes Forest and Hon
ner and one hundred and eleven men
answered to roll call at the afternoon
session. S'~------
Much Of the afternoon session was
devoted to discussion in which men
from at least half Of che townships
took part. Many phases of road WORK
were discussed and no opposition to
Z! the Co1nty's policy developed. There
was some feeling expressed that. t.ne
work should perhaps be temporarily
. retarde! during the present tax pres
sure, but the majority of the speakers
were optomistic concerning the future
road building and heartily endorsed
the progressive policy cf the Board
and the Highway Commission. At
! the close of the program standing
/ vote, carried by approximately one
/ hundred to ten. was taken on whether
the County Aid system should be con-
/ tinueI. hfr. O'Meara will, in the near
| ticle dealing fully with this matter
! of County Aid and other projects OF
! the road program.
I The first speaker was Mr.. O'Meara
who showed, by the use of clever
/ and interesting set of mans, the dc
velopnient of road building in the
County since 1911. These maps, and
Mr.. O1Teara's talk concerning them
| revealed a wonderful progress nade
everywhere throughout the County
and also a unity of purpose and plan
or the part Of the County Board.
Special mention was made during
the program. of the splendid pioneer
work done by former commissioner,
Fl. III. Anne.
Mr. Kipp was the second sneaker
and he spoke in hearty endorsement
and compliment of the work of Red
:! III L. Al
oughiy acauainted since he was at
one time the county road engineer.
He asked for the County Board the
sincere cooperation of every resident
interested in better roads He also
gave some interesting facts showing
that the surfaced roads in the state
have increased from 93S miles in 1913
to 12,D36 miles in 1928 with $50 miles
of paving. Redwood County has 251
miles of surfaced road and was one
of the pioneer counties in developing
this road building. Mr.. Kipp also
spoke briefly concerning the proposed
constitutional amendment which will
permit the State Legislature to fix a
tax on gasoline. A similar tax is now
in operation in about two-thirds of
the states.
Mr.. Rosenwald gave many instruc-
tive facts on maintenance among them
the following figures on maintaining
roads; Dirt roads cost an average Of
1915 per mile, gravel roads $535 per
mile, old concrete roads $169 and new
concrete roads $3.50 per mile. this in
creased cost between the old concrete
and the new being necessary because
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