The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-06-28
FRIDAY, JUNE %, 1907
o BETTER ROADS.
Recent Legislation on the Improvement
of the Public Roads.

The recent legislature enacted
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 provis-
ions of the recent laws there will
soon be q marked Improvement in
the public roads of the state. In
the first place the Legislature pro-
vided for more revenue. The war
fund, amounting to $4,000 was
divided among the ia counties
and the city of ST. Louis which
will give a little more than $4,000
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 coun-
ty court. There was also appro-
priated out of the general revenue
fund $500, 900 to be appropriated
to the different counties on the
basis of assessed valuation, limit
ing any county or city to five per
cent of the funds. This will give
St. Louis city and Jackson county
each 5 per cent, leaving 90per cent
or S450,000 to be divided among
the other 113 counties, This mon
ey, however, will not be available
before the first of January 1908
and will be available then upon
condition that the county, road
district or citizens acting jointly
or separately, shall provide an
equal sun 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 valuation. 1t
will be sometime, however, before
the counties can avail themselves
OF this provision and until that
time those counties :whosa funds
will not permit appropriating this
money for permanent road inn
provement, must depend upon
special road districts making
benoft assessments or upon funds
provided by the citizens TO supple-
ment the money from the state
fund.
Anoteer important law is the
one creating the Office of State
highway engineer. iI This officer
will be appointed by the Board Of
Agriculture early in July and as
soon as appointed his services
will be available by county courts
and road commissioners in laying
out of roads, selecting materials,
making plans for bridges, ETC.,
his services being paid for by the
State and will be free to the diff
ferent, counties. Any county OIL
community contemplating build
ing a permanent road andihas moi
the advise of a competent engin.
Ger will do we'll to call upon the
State highway engineer for tina
purpose.
On the first of January 1908 an
other law, revising the entire
working system of the road law
will go into effect. This law pro
vides for the appointment By
county courts of a county high
way engineer who will have gen
eral supervision of all road worl
and over all overseers. 1t is i'm
portant that county courts selec
for this position good, practica
men, and men having some knowl
edge OF road materials and roa,
construction. Under this law tn
overseer may provide for tn
maintenance of the entire mileag'
Of dirt roads In his district by US
Of the road drag or otherwise, q
may be deemed best.
This overcomes the handicap II
introducing dragging heretofore