Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-01-14
SOLUTION TO SNOW FLOWING


Editor Askov Americans:
Everybody talks about the weather
but nobody does anything about it
is an old saying. The same might be
said regarding township roads during
the winter months. We would all
like to see them opened up. but how
to go about it doesn't seem to be
solved as yet.
Most of us agree that we should
have the equipment to do it with here
in the community. Allowing the snow
to get packed two or three feet deep
and then getting slow moving, high
powered machinery to make kind
of trough down through it has not
proved very satisfactory. What is
needed is a high speed heavy truck
with wings that will throw it off to
the sides and do it while the snow is
still loose and unpacked.
| know of a capable, reliable man
who will bring such an outfit into the
community and operate it on five
year contract. How we can get to-
gether on it is another problem.
would suggest that the business men,
truckers, mail carriers, and other car
owners here in town stand One-third
of the cost, the farmers One-third, and
the school district one-third. Nire
hundred dollars from November first
to April first will do it, or three hull-
dred dollars for each unit. In the
caso nf tho farmorS II u,or116
around $3.50 for each one. This could
be talked over at the annual cream
cry meeting and those that voluntarily
agree to it have the secretary hold
the sum out of their cream checks
either for one month or strung out
over period as agreed upon. l don't
think there would be any trouble at
all in getting 200 farmers in this COM
munity to contribute $3.50 each if they
knew the roads by their place would
be open all winter long. In the viii
lage the mail carriers, truckers, gas
men, etc., should raise the one-half
of the sum required and business men
and other car owners the other half.
There shouldn't be any trouble about
that. 8 --.t 5
Regarding the school, that is an
other problem, but | think we will
all agree that some responsibility
rests there also. l understand that
there is law against them making
direct grant for snow removal, which
seems like a foolish law to me as the
district has to pay the cost of trans
portation. However, it would be q
simple matter to raise the school bus
drivers wages whatever per cent is
required to raise $500 and then pay it
in that way. From an economic
standpoint increased state aid from
greater attendance in the grades and
high school plus the possible con-
solidation of routes would perhaps
pay this cost. Could we discuss it at
an annual meeting and let majority
rule?
With part of the roads plowed down
to bare ground and deep snow on the
side roads we are up against an al
most impossible situation. SOmethins
should be done about it. Personally
| have figured it from every angle pos
sible and the above is the method
would suggest from the standpoint of
fairness, service and need
The 5000 would cover the Askov
trade community including the mail
routes. The operator would own his
own equipment and operate it. The
money spent would stay in the COM
munity. | think it would be a money
saving proposition for all of us. Pos
sibly from the standpoint of service
and economy it would be a paying
proposition for Partridge township to
hire the equipment and man to main
tain the roads duringthe other months
of the year. One motor patrol could
do the work that six or seven men
now use horses to do. | imagine if
we checked the cost of equipment for
| half dozen maintainers plus the
money that has been invested over a
period of years in fresnos, wheelers
and scrapers and then add to that the
wages paid out for maintaining and
other work and compared the total
with what one man with a motor patrol
owning his own equipment could do
there would be some startling fnfor-
nation from the standpoint of econ
omy. One man from the creamery
board, one from the commercial and
one from the school board could
handle this proposition if we agree on
it.
A. M. SIMONSEN.
ALL