New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-16
pO5D REFORM IT ITBJNI.


| II i t. be hoped that the cause of improved
| highways is not - be impcrillcd at Albany
this winter by an embarrassment of riches.
Seyclal bills have been introduced in the in
! tcrcSt Of the reform. One OF these carries ont
the recommendation concerning roads which l.
| contained in Governor Flowers last annual
| message II provides that majority Of the
| Supervisors in any county may designate GER
tain roads which shall be leading thoroughfarcs
between the county towns. The supervisors
are authorized 10 repair and maintain such
roads at the cOuntyS expense, each town bear
ING IFS share of the burden, and to borrow
money for that purpose at rate not exceed
ing per cent per annum. Another important
rr.vision cf the measure looks Il tho appoint
mcnt Of u county engineer, who shall have the
general supervision Of the con- traction and re-
pair Of the roads.
Another Of these road measures known as
the RYDER BILL is 4 commcndablc attempt TO
kill two birds with one stone. II has arc ady
been Diseased in these columns. II aims 70
improve roads and at the same time 10 con
tribute b. the solution e the convict labor
problem Tw0-thirds Of the prise ncrs in our
prisons rcfol matoricS and pcnitcniarics are to
he employed in rOadmalling. while the rest are
10 be employed, 50 far a. may be necessary, in
the manufacture Of clothing for them. and Of
tools and other implements which they may
require The bill also provides for the APP
pointmcnt Of road commissioners, who are au
thori2cd TO lay out and determine lines Of
highways between number of important points
in the state A third and less ambitious bill
of the series amends the Highway law by add
ing to it the following section:
Every person who during the year ending June FIRST
eighteen hlndrcl and ninety three. and each succeed
Ing thereafter the public Highways Of
this state only lumber wagons with tires less than
% three inches In width for hauling loads exceeding
eight hundred pounds IN weight: 90 three and
half inches in width for hauling loads exceeding twelve
hundred pounds In weight; 81 four inches In width for
hauling loads exceeding sixteen hundred pounds In
weight shall receive rebate OF oneourth third and
half respectively OF his ASSESSED highway tax for
each such year. Upon making affidavit showing
that he has complied with the provisions Of this
ton during any such period he shall be credited by
the Of highways Of the road district which
Lc resides with such rebate.
Still another road bill is pending which was
before the Legislature last year. 1t asks for
the submission TO a popular vote of PROPOSE
ton T. bond the State for ~ 900, 900 in order
TO raise fund to construct and improve our
highways.
Now rs we have indicated. our lawmakers
may stand bcwldcred among so many PROPOSE
tons. But it seems & TIE TRIBUNE that
they might well dismiss the hill last mentioned
on the ground that whatever its merits. the
people as a whole are not rs yet in love with
road reform to the extent of $4,000, 900.
Tho Convict 4 abor hill which i untitled IN
careful consideration, having much t. recon-
mend it, might prudcnily g over until another
sc sion, 80 that ample time NAV be afforded
for general discussion of its features from
all points of view. Its adoption would call