WAUPACA COUNTY POST

May 3, 1923

WEYAUWEGA TO FREMONT ON CONCRETE

CONTRACT LET WITH MCKUSIC CO. FRIDAY BY STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION

OVER QUARTER MILLION

            “What is home without a mother” may be paraphrased to “What is a concrete road without cement?”

            The job of constructing 7.3 miles of concrete road to connect the villages of Fremont and Weyauwega on Highway No. 18 was on Friday let to McKusic Construction Co. of Minneapolis for $184,425.27 or an average of $25,263.73 per mile exclusive of cement of which there will be needed 26.221 barrels which it is understood will be furnished by the state at something less than the $3.10 per barrel, the present prevailing retail price.

            Estimating the cost at $3.00 per barrel for 26.221 barrels of cement would add $84,663.00 to the contract price or a total of $269,088.27 or an average of $36.861.42 per mile.  This is almost the identical cost per mile that was paid in 1920 for the first concrete laid in Waupaca county between Waupaca and Weyauwega.

            That portion of the Fremont-Weyauwega project which follows the old railroad grade was widened and surfaced with gravel at a cost of nearly $7,000 per mile about six years ago and could be maintained as a splendid gravel road at a small outlay annually now that the old roadbed has become firmed down.  However, since the state “pays the freight” and Waupaca county contributes nothing direct for this project, no comment is in order.