The Opelousas courier., 1901-04-13
Roads R6t5s
Good Roads Legislation.

GOOD Roads Legislation
~ ENATOR WILLIAM ARM
~ strong, Of Rochester, who
~ was one Of the authors Of the
Highbie-Armstrong good
roads law, will offer q number Of
amendments to that law that will COW
er the recommendation made to the
Legislature by Governor Odell in his
message, writes the Albany CORE
spondent of the New York Sun. The
Governor suggested that If the State
would pay, through the issue of bonds,
the entire expense of constructing the
roads, leyying the proportionate cost
upon the counties which receive the
benefit 1t would expedite matters very
much, as the State could borrow. mon
ey much cheaper than the counties.
Senator Armstrong is very much in
favor Of this suggestion, and his pro-
posed amended law will provide for it.
The Governor says such a plan would
reduce the cost and extend the time
for payment over a longer period and
ac g. lower rate or interest
Another amendment proposed by the
Senator covers the ruling by the At
torney-General that the counties in
which the improved highways are
built must bear the total expense Of
maintaining the roads. This amend
ment will give the supervisors power
to assess the communities in which the
Improvements have been made so that
the burden Of the improved roads will
not fall upon localities which do not
receive any benefits thereby.
Senator Armstrong thinks that there
will be a more liberal appropriation
this year for good roads than before.
He will introduce a bill asking for a
larger appropriation, possibly $1,000
600, and thinks that at any rate $780,
600 will be secured for that purpose.
The Automobile Club Of America,
which has gone into the good roads
agitation with zeal, is circulating a Pc
tition asking for a million dollars for
good roads this year. At the good roads
convention in Albany, the latter part
of the present month, a resolution will
be adopted asking the Legislature to
appropriate at least a million dollars
this year. The good roads people say
this money will answer a far better
purpose to the State than spending
more money or the canal.
Assemblyman J. L. Smith, Of Lewis
County, will introduce a bill embracing
a new scheme for securing improved
highways, and says If his bill, which
will be entirely different from the
Higbie-Armstrong law, is passed, it
will bring about a far better result
and in a short time give continuous
good roads from one county to the
other. Mr.. Smiths scheme is to es-
tablish plants, including traction en-
gines for rolling the roads, and a stone
crushing machine in each town in the
State. The State is to bear one-half of
the cost Of the plant, the county a
quarter and the town the other quar-
ter. The Road Commissioners would
be in charge of the work and the towns
would purchase the stone; and in order
to make the road irst-class Mr.. Smiths
bill will prohibit the practice Of per-
hitting farmers and others from work
ing out their road tax, as is the custom
in many counties now. They would
have to pay the tax in cash and In
order to make it easier for them the
Road Commissioners would employ
them to work on the road and pay
them wages in cash. II this bill should
De enacted into a law the State would
have to appropriate at least a million
dollars to carry out it's provisions in
purchasing plants, which are estimated
to cost from $4,000 to $500 each.