Show GOOD ROADS NOT EXPENSIVE interesting account of surprisingly low cost of constructing stretch of road in missouri the cost coat of good roads depends upon so many things that it rarely can be estimated with accuracy in advance of a minute examination of the localities the roads are to traverse there may be heavy grading to do or it the course of 0 the proposed road is level as a barn floor it may bo be necessary to spend considerable money in transporting from a distance the material needed for surfacing sometimes with absolute honesty on tho the part of contractors and strictest economy the cost of constructing a given piece of roadway provokes astonished comment because it is so great says milwaukee evening wisconsin some Z 44 Z fine macadam road in missouri times unfortunately costs are swollen by reason of dishonesty and waste now and then however there are surprises in tho the kotlier oth er direction there is now circulating an interesting account of the surprisingly low cost of constructing a stretch of highway in missouri it seems tho the state highway commissioner reported to the effect that the best graded earth road in missouri was a piece of considerable length in the wellington and napoleon district whereupon the president of the national old trails road association at once wrote to wellington to ascertain the cost of this road he was told that the total expenditure on it was six dollars a mile thinking this a mistake he wrote again only to learn that the figure named was correct the district it appears owns modern road machinery and pays fair but moderate wages to an and two gra demen the per diem expenses run to an even twelve dollars two miles are graded daily roads elsewhere in missouri that are no better for practical purposes cost six thousand dollars a mile the surprising revelation thus set forth would seem to impose upon officials enar entrusted with responsibility on behalf of the people when good roa roads ds are to be built the duty of making careful surveys and estimates before letting the contracts |