The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-06-23
SNOW HAS has! A PLAN
HIGHWAY PnAlssIoEEl M-
PAlfs STATE AID III Y
DESIGNED to Have Most Of County
Roads Built Under Expert SUI
pervision-State VIII Pay Half
the Cost If All the Conditions
Are Complied With.

Olympia, June 18.-Stato Highway
Commissioner Joseph N. Snow has
prepared Estate aid" highway bill,
patterned closely on the successful
New York law, which he will urge the
next legislature to pass. In brief It is
designed to have most Of the country
roads built under expert supervision,
to the end that first class and perma-
nent highways may be secured with
economical outlay, land further the
bill provides for state aid for such
highways and an abandonment Of the
past extravagant and wasteful outlays
for so-called state roads.
Past legislators have appropriated
large sums for such Estate roads, and
the money has been expended. Jet
there does not exist state road wor-
thy Of the name. Most of the appro-
priations were solely by the state. Tho
last legislature switched bit and pro-
vided that instead Of the state paying
the entire cost the counties in which
the roads were to be built should pay
part Of the cost.
Counties Refuse to Build Roads
The result was a decided expose,
for almost without exception tho coun-
ty authorities have refused to make
appropriations for their share of the
cost of the roads, insisting that the
proposed roads are not of sufficient i'm
portance, and giving the lie direct to
those who had urged the legislature to
provide for the highways. or the
$11O, 600 appropriation passed BY the
last legislature for roads not to exceed
81, 200 have been expended.
Under the bill proposed BY Mr..
Snow, who is pioneer surveyor of
the state and knows the state thor
oughly, the counties may blow in their
road money in their own sweet way,
without scheme or system, but no state
aid will be rendered, or they may
place the road building for. any par.
ticular highway or part Of highway
under the state, as directed BY the
proposed law, and in that event the
state will pay half of the cost OF the
road.
Provisions Of Proposed Bin
The proposed bill, which deals
with the procedure in detail, provides
among other things that state aided
roads shall not be less than eight feet
wide, nor more than sixteen feet, I'M
less special reasons demand greater
width. The county is required to ~
curo tho RIGHT IF wav
One half of the cost shall b paid
from astate highway fund.- which fund
was created by the last legislature;
the other half to be paid By the coun-
ty. IF the road is built without petit
tion Of the property owners the coun-
tvs half is to be apportfoned 81 per
cent to the county general fund and
Is per cent to the special roaA district
fund, but if by petition this Is per
cent Is to be paid BY owners Of the
property Immediately benefited.
Road taxes on property abuttlng on
state aided and improved roads must
be paid in money, not work.
Counties are required, upon direc-
tion of the state commissioner, to CON-
struct highways of not exceeding one
mile In length. If he deems il necessary
to connect state aided roads. = 't,s
To Collect Data
In addition to his other powers and
duties the state highway commisaioner
shall compile statistics relative TO the
public highways throughout tho state
and shall collect all sinformatisn Ii 10
gard thereto deemed expedient He
shall investigate and determine apon1
various methods Of road construction
adapted to different sections Il The.
state and as to the beat mSthods' Of
construction and maintenancS Of roads
and bridges, and such other inf0rraa-
ton relating thereto as he shall deem
appropriate. He may be consulted ct
reasonable times BY county oflcers'
having care and authority over high
ways and bridges. He shall also hold
In each year at least one public meet
ing in each county and shall cause due
notice Of such meeting to b givsa.
He shall cooperate with all highway
officials and shall assist county OH,
cials, and when requested by them
furnish plans and directions for thu.
Improvement Of public highways and'
bridges.
H~.ur>~~> N~-~~~:>. u4.m ~