New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-07

these items being provided for in the annual
HSrspitUpIlduon Dill. 10 the end that may know
printing ~ ' u 'A
Recent legislation has greatly reduced the
&c. printing expense. and I am Informed
laI uuEing the present year the amount will NOT
exceed S250.oG0. Prior to recent Iegislation on
SaGn s SJ this expense had up between
soooOOo and 100000 a wear The nuhIica tion
OF such bulletins as have referred TO above
without being specifically provided for In the
Appropriation bills, If the practice be continued
may reach amounts never contaminated /
would suggest therefore, that in making IN the
annual Appropriation bills these items OF the
various departments which issue bulletins should
De PROVIDED for, so that the Controller may have
Iul knowledge as to the extent of the printing
conract and that large deficiencies for printing
expense may thus be avoided.
GOOD ROADS.
Four hundred and eightv-four miles Of road
nave been improved by State aid since the
enactment OF Chapter lis of the Laws of 1898
me counties have already contributed their half
VI the expense for building go miles, for which
plans are now ready Petitions have been pre-
sented Tor the construction of $3.50 miles. The
totaI mileage Of roads in the State is "A 09T In
oruer 70 FORM a perfect system of highways
through the State. it is estimated that the i'm
proTehent or not more than 10 per cent of the
f TO meage will be necessary. In other words.
IN order 10 secure system of good roads
throughout the State. the total ultimate mileage
would be about go miles The counties have
provided for their half OF the expense for 1O3
miles or improved roads, while the State has
contributed its proportion for ONLY 4S4 miles
u is estimated that S2.SO1 600 will be required
from the state TO complete this 1 103 miles
w ME II mas taken a number Of years for
THIS system of road improvement to grow into
popular favor, it will be seen that probably
within the next six or eight years all necessary
roads Will be under construction or will have
oeen completed, provided funds are avaiIa bic
Whlch VIII give a perfect system of highways
throughout all portions of the State This with
the states contributions for the repair of roads
In counties which have adopted the money sys-
tenl ought 70 give TO New-YOrk a magnificent
system of highways. Some changes are neces-
sary in the good roads laws in order TO protect
and repair these rOadways. These necessities
can be met by amendment OF the existing stat
ute w nile II is not contemplated that the re-
pairs to these roads shall be the States duty
except In so far as provided under the so-caIIed
FLANK law, yet there should be supervision by
Ilie state IN order to insure the maintenance
or these improved roads With this end in
view II might be proper to provide for State
supervision over State roads by giving TO the
state Engineer and Surveyor such Jurisdiction
as will always secure uniform plans for repairs
in all counties in the State.
With the improvement of the canals with
better roadways and with greater facilities of
all Kinds for transportation. the resultant benefit
should be of a satisfactory character. The ap-
prevail OF an item in the last appropriation bill
Tor the change of grade crossings in the city
OF Schenectady brings up important question
Tor consideration by the legislature. As is well
known heretofore almost all of these improve
ments. so far as the State has been concerned
have been restricted TO the rural communities
The State has declined to aid IN the construc-
ton of roadways within the boundaries of the
cities. But IL is the States duty to protect the
lives of its citizens, whether in the cities or
rural communities. Under existing laws the
State contributes % per cent the locality %
per cent and the railroads 30 per cent for re-
moving crossings at grade. There have been.
however, no appropriations for any single piece
Of work such that approved by me for the
removal of crossings at grade in the city OF
schenectady. If the policy OF the State is to
continue along this line it would be we'll 10
define some maximum limit TO which it should
go. and the whole work thereafter should be
under the control of the Railroad Commission
appropriations being made in accordance with
their recommendations II would be we'll also
TO prohibit by statute any future grade cross
ings in the State in the construction OF rail-
roads so that this expense may be guarded
against in the future. 1t will certainly grow
to alarming proportions otherwise unless the
localities have their interests in this direction
sufficiently protected