The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-02-28
MINNESOTA THIRD
IN LOCAL ROAD WORK
INDIANA, OHIO, ONLY STATES
WITH MORE MILES OF SEC
ONDARY ROADS SURFACED
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AT
TEND CONVENTION.

Minnesota ranks ahead of all the
states, except two, in the improvement
of its local roads, G. M. Babcock, COM
missioner of highways, told the county
commissioners at their annual state
convention in Minneapolis yesterday.
Mr.. Babcock's message, due to his
absence was read by T. j. Ellison, chief
engineer of the State Highway de-
partment.
Quoting reports of the U. S. Bureau
of Public Roads, Mr.. Babcock said
that on January /, 1929, Minnesota
had 27,607 miles of local roads sur
faced with gravel, sandclay, or higher
types Indiana with 46,4O3 and Ohio
with SO, TAB were the only states shown
age thus improved. Wisconsin had
1929 Illinois 1890, Iowa 10000
Missouri 8,O61, North Dakota 708, South
Dakota 1,427, Nebraska TIA and Kan
SaS 1856.
These figures include all roads ex-
cept the primary or trunk highways"
Mr.. Babcock said. ut will be noted
that states like Illinois, Iowa, Wis
consin and Missouri, which are far
ahead of us in paving and other i'm
provementS on their trunk highways
are far behind us in the Surfacing and
improvement of local roads. Now
am not quoting these figures in crit
iciSm of these states. For one thing
they do not have gravel as plentiful as
we have. Time may also show that
by paving all of their main trunk
routes and stopping the expensive
maintenance, they will in few years
be able to concentrate on their Sec
ondary roads and get ahead of us in
the improvement of these routes. But
these figures should refute the charge
sometimes made, that Minnesota is
spending too much on the trunk high
ways and neglecting the local roads"
Up to 25 years ago, Mr.. Babcock
said, the cost of rural roads was paid
entirely by the taxation of farm prop
erty or poll taxes, except in unusual
cases of donations or special approp-
riations. Today the people in the
cities and villages pay almost half OF
the cost of rural roads, plus the cost
of their own streets. He estimated
that in 1929 they paid $11 100000 in gas
and license taxes into the trunk high
way fund and 100000 in gas taxes,
state aid, and county road taxes to-
wards the secondary roads. The
amount paid by people outside the in
corporated cities and villages towards
the trunk highway fund was estimated
at $5,200OO0, and the payments to
state aid, county and town roads funds
at $14,20O,000.
1t is perfectly proper that urban res
idents should help pay for rural roads,
Mr.. Babcock said, both because they
use these roads and because roads pro-
mote prosperity and thus help all the
people in the state. He said he was
not sure the distribution of costs was
just right, but "as long as the money
is well spent and good results obtained
I do not believe anyone will find fault.
But if either we in the State Highway
department or you county boards, do
not get the best possible returns for
every dollar, there will be complaint,
and just complaint, from the people
who furnish the funds"
County Commissioner Jacob L. Pete
of this district and the other COM
missioners of st. Louis county are in
attendance at the annual convention
of the county commissioners of the
state and the county highway engineers
at Minneapolis Wednesday, Thursday
and Friday of this week.