The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1925-09-24
REPORT OF ENGINEERS SURVEY ON
ROAD TO COOKE CITY PRESENTED
District Forester Fred Morrell Presents Report
To Large Audience At The Courthouse
Monday Evening

The report of the engineers who
made the reconnaissance survey from
Red Lodge to Cooke City last spring
was presented 10 the citizens of this
community last Monday night by Mr.
Fred Morrell, district forester, of Mis-
soula; Mr.. Morrell having come over
the proposed route by horseback from
Cooke City to Richel Lodge.
There was large audience at the
Courthouse to hear the report. Mr..
Morrell went somewhat into detail as
to the law and regulations governing
forest development road and forest
highway roads. After considerable ex-
PLANTATION on the part of Me. Nor
rell he stated that he felt he could not
recommend 1t as a forest development
road as this was low type road and
would not take care OF the traffic that
would naturally come TO this road
after 1t was completed. For that
reason and the further reason he stat
ed that the forest resources did not
justify the expenditure of money for
that type of road and at the conclu-
sion of his report he suggested that
we make application to the highway
commission to have it placed on the
forest highway system. lie was in
formed at once that the matter had
been taken up with the highway COM
mission and that the resolution had
been passed asking that 1t be placed
on the highway system which means
that when the road IL built II will be u
forest highway and not forest devel-
opment road. While this will cost con-
siderable more money 1t will be far
more desirable when completed, as it
will take care of the heavy traffic
from the Cooke City mines and the
tourist travel which would naturally
develop as this would be a new en-
trance into Yellowstone Park.
The engineers report, which was
made by B, r. Kilt, associate highway
engineer Of the Bureau Of Public
Roads, and r. Il. Theme, district en-
gineer Of the forest service, shows
that in making their reconnaissance
they made considerable more mileage
than the Siegfriedt survey. The dis
tanee in the Montana side Of this road
Is 31.s miles. The portion Of the road
lying in Wyoming Is S6.2 miles, max
ing total distance Of 6e miles. The
survey was made on a grade not TO
exceed five percent which naturally re-
quired little longer distance had they
used sleeper grade on short pitches.
The report, however, suggests that
when the location survey is made there
viii probably be changes In locations.
AS to the cost Of the road; the en-
gineer's estimates are ridiculously high
according to other engineers who have
made a like survey of the proposed
route and those who are familiar with
road construction in this part Of the
country. For example: the report
gives the average cost for 3l.S miles In
Montana at $18,372 per mile. Their
report estimates the cost Of construc-
ton between Red Lodge and Richel
Lodge $4,000 per mile. Engineers
and contractors, who have estimated
the cost of construction ON this par
ticuIar piece Of road, laughed at the
engineers reports, saying that $4,000
a mile would have been more like IL.
Mr.. Morrell was informed, when here
that the road committee would agree
to build the road from Red Lodge to
Cooke City for fifty cents on the dol
lar of the engineers estimate and put
up q bond, double the amount, to in
demnify the Government that they
would construct it according to plans
and specifications. The engineers
report estimates an average cost Of
$15,464 per mile on the Wyoming
side. According to local engineers
who are competent and familiar with
road construction In that locality, |
there are many miles Of this type of
road, according to the Bureau Of Pub
lie Roads standards that can be con-
structed for $4,000 per mile or less.
The report showed the average cost
per mile Of the entire route to be |
s16,824, which the local engineers feel
is a joke.
Local engineers pointed out that
survey was made few years ago by !
IN engineer by the name Of Hatcher
Tor DR.. Siegfriedt; the distance being
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