Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-14
WORKING ON ROADS.
The County Committee of Fifteen
Meets and Exchanges Views.
UNIFORM GRADES NOT IN FAVOR.
A Subcommittee of Five Appointed to
Frame Proper Report.
ALL THE IDEAS THAT WERE ADVANCED

According TO the programme mapped out
at the County Road Convention, the CON-
mIttee OF Is appointed to formulate a re-
port to the State commission, embodying
the views of those interested in the matter,
met in the Court House yesterday morning,
and in the absence of Mr.. Iams, Mr.. W. H.
Roberts presided, and P. f. Smith was Sec
retary.
The State commission is charged with
securing suggestions from all parts of the
State, all to be woven, if possible. into a
harmonious whole, so that civilization may
not perish from the State, and on this sub
ject, as is well known, THE DISPATCH is
en- rapport with the road reformers.
There was some dispute as to whether the
committee should merely formulate the
views of the convention for presentation to
the State Commission, or whether it should
go further in the suggestion line. The
questions that excited discussion were
whether Supervisors of roads should work
without compensation, as school directors
do, and whether the roads should De con-
troIled by State, county or township,
whether BY township supervisors or by en-
glneers.
UNIFORM GRADES OPPOSED.
Mr.. Alex. Gilfllan, of Upper St. Clair,
thought township auditors should appoint
overseers with power to remove in case Of
dereliction, overseers' pay to be fixed by the
auditors He opposed the proposition to es-
tablish uniform grades as he thought it i'm
practicable.
Mr. smith favored payment of the auditors
for their services.
Mr.. Andrew Patterson moved the appoint
ment of a subcommittee of five to frame re-
port in accordance with the views of the gen.
eral convention. Mir. Smith supported this
and the proposition was carried, and Messrs.
Patterson, Chairman, j. W. Milligan. William
hnOderer, p. F. Smith and Alex Gil6llan were
named by Chairman Roberts.
Mr. Patterson moved a recommendation to
the State Commission Tor the abolition of the
elective supervisors and comforting their ap-
pOinJment on the township authorities. Dur
ing the discussion that followed a recess was
taken until o'clock P. NJ.
Commissioner Mckee suggested that in the
election Of road supervisors many people
voted who had no interest in the matter. and
this was one cause of the failure of the sys-
TEN. He favored putting the control of the
main roads under the State, and allow the
townships to look after the lateral ones.
A MISTAKEN RUMoR.
Mr.. Gilfnans attention was drawn to a
published statement that Upper st. Clair
township paid her road tax in cash and got
good results but he said such was not the case:
that it worked well for time, but the service
had deteriorsted. and a supervisor had been
known TO make $50 days in year, in charge of
a small squad of men.
Mr.. Milligan told of a Braddock township
supervisor who accomplished good work, but
in so doing found that virtue is Its own re-
ward" Mr.. Mllligan favored the employment
OF a competent engineer for a month or so in
each year, instead of supervisors, he to act in
conjunction with the township auditors, SO that
effort would be expended Intelligently.
An adjournment was finally taken, without
any other result, save the instruction to the
subcommittee to make out its report which it
will do next week, and the Committee of
Fifteen will meet at the call of the chair if it
be deemed necessary.