The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1905-02-24
FOR STATE HIGHWAYS.

FUR STAT Hull " "A ~
Alta meeting of the State Geologi-
cal Survey Commission, held last
Tuesday at the offices of the Mary
land Geological Survey for the purpose
of taking formal action under the
Shoemaker Read Law, recently de-
clared constitutional by the Court OF
Appeals of Maryland, it was strongly
advocated that the work of building
state highways should 60 forward as
rapidly as possible. Owing to the
fact that the law requires all counties
to make formal application for state
aid before the first of March, it is
necessary before any actual construc-
tion may be carried on, to have formal
applications received from the Boards
of County Commissioners before the
first of next month, and the Commits.
sion last Tusday urged prompt action
upon the part of the Commissioners
for the accomplishment Of this purpose.
The members of this Commission
include Governor War6eld, State
Comptroller Atkinson, President Ira
Remsen Of the Johns Hopkins Uni
versity and President r. W. S'lves-
ter Of the Maryland Agricultural
College. With the ex-
ception of President Sylvester, who
was i'll, all the members were present
1t is understood from the results OF
this meeting that the state funds
necessary for the highways, as provided
by the last legislature, will be avail
able during this year. The law pro-
vides for the state to meet all obliga-
lions incurred under the operation OF
the Shoemaker act in the same man.
ner as other general appropriations by
the legislature, and bills will be sub
mitted with the proper vouchers to
the State Comptroller. While but
little difficulty is expected in meeting
this years road appropriations it will
be well for the state to provide for
future expense by bond issue making
it possible for future generations,
which will share the benefits of the
state highways, to bear part Of the
expense.
The following resolutions in ad-
,ocacy Of the building of state high
ways were passed by the Commission
at the meeting:
RESOLVED, That the Court of Ap-
peals having decided that the State
Aid Highway Law (Acts OF 1904,
Chapter 225) is constitutional, we be-
gin work at once under its provis-
ions.
Further, That the boards Of COM
missioners of tie respective counties
be notified that the State Geological
Survey Commission will proceed in
accordance with the circular already
sent out, and that second copy OF
these instructions be mailed to each
board Immediately, informing them
that applications for State aid must be
feled on or before March, /, next, if
it is their plan to take advantage OF
the law during the year 1905, and
that any balance remaining to the
account of any county and unapplied
for on that date will be allotted to the
other counties applying in accordance
with their public road mileage as re-
quired by law.
Further, That the necessary sur
veys will be commenced as soon as
practicable after March l, and that
plans and estimates will be sumbmitt-
ed at the earliest possible day.
The Boards of County Commission
ers of the various counties should
allow themselves no delay in petition
ing for state aid. as less than one
week now remain in which to file the
petitions with the Highway Division
of the Maryland Geological Survey,
as the law demands that all such az
plications must be made by March l
of each year. There is no time to be
lost, and the county commissioners
who hesitate now will simply put their
counties behind other more progressive
counties in beginning this advantage
Gus work. Nor should county com.
missioRers who are accustomed to
hold one meeting a month wait un
til their regular meeting next Eon''
As it will then DO too late to take an,
action this year; but in such instance
special meetings of the commissioner
should be called at once and the r.
gular application blanks furnished b,
the State Geological Survey Com
mission should be filled out at once
and sent to the Highway Division of
the Maryland Geological Survey.
It should be remembered by tie
county commissioners that while the,
will have no further chance aft