Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-12-02

First Fruits of Michigan Law.
Elkland Township, in Tuscola Coun-
ty. is the first place in Michigan to
receive the bonus Of $500 under the
new State reward law for building a
mile Of gravel road, and when the
check is returned State Highway Com
missioner Earle will have it framed
as showing the first fruits Of his la
bors, which began ten years ago.
The last Legislature appropriated
$4,000 for good roads in 1905, of
which $4,000 is to be paid out in re-
wards, $1,000 mile being allowed for
stone roads and $500 a mile for gravel
roads. Although the work was only
started in July it has been pursued
with great vigor, and there will be
finished this year something over
twelve miles Of stone roads and eleven
miles of gravel roads, earning rewards
from the State amounting to nearly
$4,000. The miles Of stone roads
completed this year are as follows:
st. Clair County, 2; Saginaw, 2;
Oceana, IA; Bay, ~; Kalkaska, /;
Dickinson, 1; Charlevoix, ~; Ma
comb, 2. Gravel roads are as follows:
Oakland County, 8 miles; Eaton, 1;
Tuscola, /; Kent, 2; Osceola, 2; Ora
tot. 2.
eve are delighted beyond meas
ure," said State Highway Commits
sioner Earle, ito find that the highway
commissioners and supervisors all
over the State have taken up the good
roads movement so earnestly. Already
we have twenty-five miles Of roads
applied for next year, and though we
have only been in operation little
over three months this year our show
ing has never been equaled in this
country. 1t costs from $1,000 to $4,000
to construct a stone road and from
$1,000 to $4,000 for a gravel road
There are two miles of road in Ma
comb County, the Center Line road
which will cost $4,000 mile, while
next year two miles of road leading to
the Agricultural College outside of
Lansing will cost $1,000 a mile.
Recently we held our first county
institute in Branch County and paw
ed the way for securing the most i'm
portant information that could be
| gathered. There was some hesitancy
on our part for fear that we might
| be asking too much Of the township
| highway commissioners, but the re-
| suit shows that they know all about
the work. We sent each commissioner
blank township map and asked him
to fill it in showing all the roads and
designating their character, whether
| gravel, stone, mud, clay or marshy
| Besides this, they were asked to de-
signate the location of gravel pits and
where field stone could be found
There are fifteen commissioners In
Branch County and we got fifteen
maps. An institute will be held in
every county in the State, and when
we have swung round we will possess
the most accurate information obtain.
able concerning the roads throughout
the State. There are $4,000 miles OF
roads in Michigan, SO you can see what
this means.
"Our department does not build
any roads. When we receive an ap
plication for the building Of a road
under the State reward law we in
spect the road and lay down a mini
mum set Of specifications, which the
road must at least equal when it is
finished. We inspect the road when
the work is being done and again
after it is completed.
''The simple building Of a road does
not fulfill the meaning Of the law
Next year we will inspect every road
that has been constructed this year
and if it is in need of repairs these
must be made before the county will
be permitted to build any more. II
this way all roads will be Kept il
first class condition.
zone more thing we want and thai
is the repeal Of the statutory labor
clause which permits farmers tax
ing out part of their taxes by work
ing on the road. All over the State
it is recognized that this is a ba6
plan. Let everyone pay his taxes
and have the roads built and taker
care of by competent men, who viii
be held responsible for the work done.
Detroit Free Press.