The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-05-09

49, ~ -
e agricultural bill" made q special
appropriation of $40, 900 to meet the
expense OF a careful investigation
into the condition of roads through
out the country, and for the publica.
ton of such information as would
assist the people in lettering their
highways. The Department Of Ag-
riculture has issued a number of bull.
%letins, and it is gratifying to learn
that a score of states have already
passed new road laws, while nearly
all the Others are planning for
the adoption Of measures for the
promotion Of this reform.
Experience has shown shat the
course pursued by Massachusetts is
the one which commends itself most
strongly, both to the people at large
and to their legal representatives,
the various state legislatures, and it
is natural To suppose that il all were
familiar with the work here the
knowledge would be utilized to bring
about similar legislation wherever
the method Of procedure is still
unsettled. For this reason / would
call to your attention and urge upon
you the ACCESSIBILITY of enlightening
your readers on the good work we
have already accomplished.
Starting in June, 1892, a tempo.
rary commission was appointed to
examine into the condition of the
roads, and to draft a bill providing
for the Improvement of the highways
Of the m wealth. Tho law
suggested by the commission was,
with some changes, passed in June,
1893, before any petitions for con,
struction of state highways we're sub.
mitted TO the general court, an act
was introduced and passed June 20,
1894, increasing the powers of the
commission, and permitting the Sc
lectmen of any town, or the mayor
and aldermen Of any city, as well as
county commissioners, to petition the
highway commission for taking roads
as state highways. In place Of SUBJ
hitting to the legislature a separate
bill for the construction of each road,
it was voted shat the appropriation
be used by the highway commission,
without further legislation, in build
ing state highways.
The $4,000 has been pretty
evenly divided among fourteen coun.
ties. Before deciding which of many
petitions should be granted an Off.
cial visit to each locality, and full in
AS to the value of the pro-
posed Improvement collected. While
this method has distributed the work
in small sections OF roads, thus in
creaslng the expense per mile, the
advantage to the people at large will
be greater, for the reason that each
portion Of the state highway con-
structed is intended to he an object
lesson to those living near by. County
commissioners and other officials will
the work as it progresses, and
out the same lines in building
and other roads which are not
Intended for state highways.
The plan is to build, section by
section, such roads as will connect
he great centers Of trade, and j,in
With through roads in other states, so
hat both local and interstate com.
nunication will be benefited. Under
late of January, 1895, the Massa.
,husetts highway commission has
rendered a report which covers the
work Of the past year, and this pubs
Ication should be consulted by those
Who are considering legislation.
The provisions of our law will per-
nit contracts for the construction to
re let to municipalities or to private
corporations, but the former arrange.
nent Is preferred, as it is more eff.
in teaching the people the art
# road building, and protects the
tate against cheapening the work by
he importation of foreign laborers,
element which is apt to be object
enable.
A resident engineer is appointed
~ the commission, and it is bis duty
o be in attendance, and keep a cor.
'ect account of all items to be paid
or by the state.
Wherever the traffic was of sufi-
proportions to warrant it the
Dads have been broadened. The
to owners derived from
he construction Of the way is, as
'ule, so much Creator than the in.
ury to them by widening the road
hat, in a large majority of cases,
he town officials have been able 20