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Show IMPROVED ROADS ROAD CONSTRUCTION IN 1920 Coet Was About Twles Much In 191f on Account of OUtlnet ShorUe of Labor. (Prtpared by Ut U. 8. Dvpsrtmtnt of Agriculture.) Kvery kind of road cost about twice as much to build In 1020 as it did In 1017 according to the chief of tho btircou of public roads, United States Department of Agriculture, and highway high-way construction suffered more than nny other class of work through railroad rail-road congestion, strikes, labor troubles and material shortages. After the war there was a great public demand for Improved roads. Many roads had been seriously damaged dam-aged by war trafllc, nnd It appeared that the return of men from military service would provide an abundanco of lubor. The army of laborers which wus expected to npply for the work did not, however, materialize. On tho contrary, there was a distinct shortage w't till r.'-ri?rvlSt Well Kept Roadside Where Weeds Are Controlled by Frequent Mowing. of labor, and wages reached the highest high-est levels attained In the hiMory of the country. In 1017, competent labor could be secgred for from SI 50 to $3 per day, but the corresponding wages in 1020 were from $3 fo $5 for u shelt er days work. In proportion to lids dettinri ibero was also a pronounced scare liy of construction con-struction materials. Sund, travel, stone, and cement, nnd materials commonly com-monly li-ed In road work Increased In price between 1017 and 11)20 from 00 to 100 per cent. Naturally, these Increases In-creases In cost were lellected In tho prices paid to contractors for road work Gravel roads Increased from1 1,535 to $7,250 per mile, concrete) from $21,105 to upward of $40,000 per-mile, per-mile, nnd brick roads from $33,000 to $55,000 per mllo. As funds available for road con structlon are largely limited by stat ute-, or by the returns from taxation ii majority of the stntes this year hnvo deliberately withheld work, the plans for which had been completed, until they could obtnln a greater return for their expenditure. |