The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1940-02-29
ubc Works Administration Funds Spent in Redwood County

area in addition to the two now
included" according to Mr.. Slew
ertS.
Application to the PWA for an
increase in scope to include this
area has been made and county
authorities are anxiously await
ing approval so that work can be
done this spring.
Referring to statements that the
rigid standards set by the Public
Works administration on wage
scales and qualities of materials
used, have increased the cost of
construction to such an extent as
to nullify the benefit of the PWA
grant, Mr.. Siverts gave his views
on the matter.
MY observation has been," he
stated, "That at no time during
the 81 years of my construction
experience has the public reeeiv-
ed higher value for each dollar
invested than on the PWA pro-
jects constructed during the past
six years.
During the first two years of
the program, some contractors
were somewhat edgy about the
higher standards set up by PWA.
However in the last four years,
this attitude has changed; so much
SO, in fact, that many contractors
have informed me that they are
actually bidding five and ten per
cent lower on PWA jobs because
they know exactly what they will
have to do and they also know
that funds have been set up to
pay them in cash. This eliminates
two of the greatest CANDLES a
contractor takes when bidding on
large job"
Explaining in detail, the de-
velopment of the vast sum that
goes for labor out of the PWA
projects, he said:
II believe that it can be more
easily pictured if I trace through
the labor created by the placing
of the steel beam that supports
the arch in the beautiful Redwood
Falls High school auditorium.
Let's start at the beginning Of
that beam.
"The iron ore in northern Min
nesota in its virgin state has prac-
tically no value before labor is
employed in exploration either by
drilling or test-pitting to find the
exact location of the ore body and
its extent. The value of the ore,
when found, is determined from
samples taken during drilling by
the highly skilled labor of chem
lists.
Next comes the labor of engin-
GERS making estimates and min
ing layout plans for the successful
production of ore. At this point
our ore has developed a value
ranging from 10 cents per ton up
to as high as so cents per ton, the
average about Is cents per ton.
"A very large item of labor is
involved in opening a mine for
operation and in the actual min
ing and loading on cars. The aver
age value of the ore on board cars
ready to be shipped to the Lake
Superior docks, is approximately
So per ton. Out of this value must
be paid nearly 81 per ton to cover
the tax bills of the various taxing
units of the state, and the royalty
to the owner of the land from
which the ore is mined.
ut is reasonable to assume that
these tax monies 60 directly into
labor channels in paying for gov
ornamental functions of the state,
county, school district and NUM-
cipalities.
''The freight charges to the
docks and loading the ore onto
ships is approximately 81 per
ton. The state extracts five per
cent of this again in the form of
gross earnings tax. About go per
cent Of the balance of this dollar
is broken down in payment of
the various forms of labor invol-
we'd in building, maintaining and
operation of the transportation
system.
''The same percentage of the
next cost of $1.20 per ton-the
transportation cost from the docks !
to the furnaces divided among
different classifications of labor |
involved in this operation. Now
our ton of ore has developed a
value of $4.20 per ton.
"The next operation-very lar
gely labor is the reduction of |
the ore to pig iron. The limestone |
and coal, necessary to add to the
iron Gre to effect this reduction in
the furnace, must both be mined |
and transported to the furnace in
another heavy labor
charge. Inasmuch as the aver
age ton or ore contains only about !
SO per cent natural iron, two tons
OF ore are required to produce /
one ton of pig iron.
"The pig iron is next heat treat
ed for a considerable time, above
the boiling temperature of iron to /
produce steel. This molten metal !
is poured into molds for cooling. /
We now have the steel billets. Be-
fore going to the rolling mill the i
billit in turn must be soaked in
'heat-wells'' for hours and when I
it has bone through the rolls we !
have our 81" beam.
s'The last two operations in
volve highly skilled labor clas- |,
Our beam, however,
must again run the gauntlet of
highly skilled labor in the process /
of fabricating the beam so that it
will fit exactly into the place de-
signed by the architect.
Finally it must be transported
to the construction site and plac-
ed in the bIIiIdipp with itc nj a