Ripley County democrat. (Doniphan, Mo.) 1905-1920, 1907-06-21
Recent Lesislation on the
improvement of the
Public Reads.

more important legislation effect
ing the road system of the state,
perhaps, than any other Legisla-
ture in the history of the state.
If the county courts and other
officers having charge of the
road work will take advantage Of
the provisions Of the recent laws
there will soon be a marked i'm
provement in the public roads of
the state. In the first place the
Legislature provided for more
revenue. The war fund, amount-
ing to 475, 10000 was divided
among the ia counties and the
City of st. Louis which will give
a little more than $4, 900 to each
county. This money is now
available upon requisition by the
county treasurer and will go into
the county road fund to be used
at the discretion of the county
kcourt. :, There was also appro-
ptiated out of the general revenue
fund S500,000 to be apportoned
to the different counties on the
basis of assessed valuation, limit
ing any county or city to 5 per
cent of the funds. This will
give st. Louis City and jackson
County each 5 per cent, leaving
80 per cent or S450,0O0 to be di'
vided among the other 113 coun-
ties. This money, however, will
not be available before the first
of January 1908 and will be avail
able then upon condition that the
county, road district or citizens
actingly jointly or separatively.
shall provide an equal sum for
permanent road Improvement.
| A constitutional amendment
was submitted by the Legislature
which will be voted on at the next
general election in 1908 and
which, If adopted, will give to
county courts discretionary power
to levy not to exceed % cents on
the one hundred dollars valua-
ton. 1t will be sometime, how
ever, before the counties can
avail themselves OF this provision
and until that time those counties
whose funds will no. permit ap'
propriating money for permanent
; road improvement, must depend
} upon special roaddistricts max
ing benefit assessments or upor
, funds provided by the citizens tc
supplement the money from th'
state fund.
Another important law is th'
one creating the Office of stat
highway engineer. This office
will be appointed by the Boar
of Agriculture early in July an
: as soon as appointed his service
! will be available by county court
and road commissioners in lay
:, ing out OF roads, selecting ma
. terials, making plans for bridges
: ;, etc., his services being paid fc
: by the state and viii be free
! the counties. Any county
: community contemplating built
! ing a permanent road and hi
I. not the advice Of o competel
!. engineer will do well to call upe
! the state highway engineer I
= that purpose.
to On the first Of January 19
id another law, revising the emit
ne working system Of the road la
,y will go into effect. This Ia
he provided for the appointment
i'd county courts Of q county hig
at way engineer who win have ge
as eral supervision Of all road wo
Ir. and over all overseers. 1t
ad important that county courts 9
lect for this position good, prat
We lical men, and men having Sol
'ds knowledge Of foad materials a
AZ road construction. Under h
ali Ilaw the overseer may provide
:. tba =, = fnfofy,o a., . y<zso ~ fhn ant