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Show ! IMPROVED ROADS ROAD CONSTRUCTION IN 1920 Cost Wa About Twice wi Much as In 1917 on Account of Distinct Shortage of Labor. (PrparcJ by the U. B. Department of Agriculture.) Kvcry kind of road cost about twice as much to build In 11)20 as It did In 1017, according to tho chief of (ho bureau of public ronds, United States Department of Agriculture, and highway high-way construction suffered more than any other class of work through railroad rail-road congestion, strikes, labor troubles and material shortages. After the war t'ier$ was a great public demand for Improved roads. Many ronds had been seriously damaged dam-aged by war trndlc, and It nppeared that tho return of men from mllltnry hervlcu would provldo an nbundanco of labor. The army of laborers whtch was expected to apply for the work did not, however, materialize. On tho contrary, thcro wns n distinct shortngo ''ill1-.. Well Kept Roadside Where Weeds Are Controlled by Frequent Mowing. of labor, and wngos reached the highest high-est levels attained In tho history of tho country. In 1017, competent labor could be secured for from $l.CO to $5 per day, but tho corresponding wages In IOL'0 were from 3 to $5 for a shorter short-er day's work. In proportion to this demand there wns also a pronounced scarcity of construction con-struction materials. Sund, gravel, stone, aud cement, and materials commonly com-monly used hi rond work Increased In price between 1017 and 1020 from CO to 100 per cent. Naturally, these Increases In-creases In cost were rcilected In tho prices paid to contractors or road work. Gravel roads Increased from R.ra5 to $7,2.r)0 per mile; concreto from $21,105 to upward of $-10,000 per mile, and brick roads from $33,000 to $55,000 per mile. As funds available for road contraction con-traction are largely limited by statute, stat-ute, or by the returns from taxation, n majority of the states this year liavo deliberately withheld work, tho plans for which had been completed, until ihey could obtain a greater return for their expenditure |