them there on heavy grades to keep the edge of the street from washing; and I noticed when I was there a few weeks ago that they were working out very successfully indeed. I consider the matter of the width of a gutter on a street to be dictated mostly by the grade and by economy of construction. I doubt if it is advisable in all cases to build very wide gutters. I would hold it down to 14 inches on streets that are fairly near level.

The previous speaker asked a question with regard to the width in case they used a boulevard in the center of the street or parked the center. I think he could safely cut down his roadway width to 16 feet between curbs and use a low curb about the parking in the center of the street. That has been followed with excellent results at Yankton, South Dakota.

The Chairman: You mean 16 feet between the curb and the parkway on each side?

Mr. Macgowan: Yes. They did not cut down to 16 feet, but they used a low curb in the center on the street; it only projects a few inches, so that if it is necessary for a vehicle to run on to the grass it may do so without suffering any damage, such as it would if the curb was high.

Mr. Kelly: One of the things that we are troubled with is the crossings

on the dirt streets which we have boulevarded. What are you doing in the different parts of the state, with your crossings?

The Chairman: Anyone to answer that question?

Mr. Kelly: Are you making wider crossings? You don't notice it riding in a buggy, but in an automobile it will throw you up in the air.

Mr. O. F. Weissgerber (City Engineer, Austin): You refer, do you not, Mr. Kelly, to a crossing with considerable crown to it?

Mr. Kelly: Yes.

Mr. Weissgerber: What we call a "thank-you-mum" every time we cross it with an auto. When you put in a crossing it should be practically level across the width. We maintain the crown of the roadway and have no trouble with the crowding out of the material on each side. At Albert Lea they lay a brick crossing and I think they have a four or five inch crown across the width, and every time a wagon or an auto or any other vehicle hits it, a certain amount of material is carried away from the edges, and, before long, as soon as your sprinkler goes over it, there is a pool and it keeps wearing away. I think the best way is to lay the crossing as near level as possible and keep the crown of the road four inches on dirt streets.

AN IMPORTANT HEARING The City of Owatonna has made application to the Railroad & Warehouse Commission of this State, under the provisions of Chapter 152 of the General Laws of 1915, to compel a physical connection of the two tele

phone companies operating into the City of Owatonna. A hearing was had before Commissioner Elmquist, at Owatonna, on March 20th, and was adjourned after the taking of the testimony of two witnesses, to the Commission's offices in the State Capitol, St. Paul, on April 3rd, at 10 o'clock.

The Rochester Commercial Club opened, November 23, a Community Home. Nearly two years ago a newly elected board of directors of the Rochester Commercial Club assumed control of a rapidly dying organization, whose chief function was to maintain a card room for about a dozen members.

EDWIN C. HACKETT

This new board resolved to do one of two things, either to bury the remains of the organization so deep that there could be no resurrection, or to breathe a new life into the body that it might become an active, working commercial organization, a factor in city and county development.

Injecting Hypodermics

The first step taken by the Board was to engage a new secretary, to assist

it in injecting hypodermics. The Board then bought the property where the Club quarters had been for years. With an active membership of not more than one hundred, the task of rejuvenation was a big one; not a few members were ready to see the club die. The directors, however, had a vision of big things, and in two days they raised sufficient funds to buy the club site property and a small sum besides.

At first it was planned to construct a modern Club Home for the benefit of members only, but a broader vision. soon suggested a Community Home dedicated to fostering community spirit and to promoting the betterment of Rochester and Olmstead county.

Vision Realized

Today Rochester is proud of its Community Home, costing nearly $30,000 complete, and with practically the entire amount paid. Instead of a burial of the Commercial Club, on November 23, a new home was opened by the directors and the vision of nearly two years of hard labor became a reality.

This Community Home has been built for service of a practical value to both city and surrounding country. On the first floor are the secretary's office, lounging and reading room, and grill

room for the members. On the second floor at the rear is the card and billiard rooms also for members. An assembly room with a seating capacity of 350 occupies the front half of the second floor and is open to the use by any organization in the city or county free