The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-09-22
Highway
Offers
For the improvement of the.
Public Roads Of West
Virginia.

4 .-I
this form Ia order 10 call the atten-
ton OF those interested in the i'm
provement OF our public roads to a
few Of the suggestions which will
likely be contained in the report OF
the Highway Inspector.
The Office OF State Highway In-
spector was created by the regular
session Of the legislature OF 1907 within
the object as set forth in section
Of the bill which Is as follows;
Sec. 5. It shall be the duty of Lh@
State Highway Inspector to consider
and report to the governor and to the
next regular session of the legislature
OF this state. what changes are re-.
] CURED in the laws Of West Virginia.
relating to the construction andH
maintenance of the public highways
4 OF the state to meet the conditions
as they exist within the several
| counties If the state, with the leasaI
4 possible burden upon the people anLl
/ property of the state: he shall sub.
init to the governor and 10 the leg.
islature. together with his report,
such measure or measures as he may
deem necessary or expedient to rem.
4 edy defects: remove Irregularities I'm
our present laws relating to the sub.
ject named and give the state a more
efficient system of laws relating to-
the construction and maintenance of
the public highways together with ri
brief report giving the total numbeIr
of miles Of road in each OF thee
counties. the manner in which roads,
are constructed and maintained, thee
4 F11a IN Tx,1at 90. NSt-
purpose Is raised and how expend..
ed, the manner in which accounts
pertaining to the same are reported
the amounts expended annually dur.
ing the last five years by the various
counties Of the the state for the con-
struction and maintenance Of pubt
lie highways, and with what results
as may be shown by their present.
condition OF Improvement: he shalI
make. or cause to be made test of
materials found within the variOu,s
counties of the state suitable fop
road construction, and 1t Is herebY
made the duty of the chemical anG
engineering department of the Wes'
Virginia University to make SUCH
tests whenever requested by thee
highway inspector to do so.
My first suggestion Is that the oflcsO
of State High Way Inspector, as noWI
constituted, be discontinued on anSd
| after the first day of March. 19099I
and that in lieu thereof there be cre.I
ated division of Public Roads to b,tI
part, and under the control of th,tI
Department of Agriculture.
Second That the laws governInsgI
the present Department of AgricullI
ture shall be amended. and so conrI
control the said division of Public
Roads.
Third. That provision be made fodI
the selection of a state engineer Who'd
shall be responsible to the secretary
of the Board OF Agriculture for thatI
faithful performance of such du..|
ties as shall be by law assigned tso|
him.
Fourth. That the state legislature
from time to time appropriate mona
ey from the state treasury for thlt|
support Of this division of PubliitI
Roads. for the payment of salaries
for travelling expenses, contingent
expenses and for road machinery t:t|
such an extent as may seem to beSlI
serve the interests of the people sal
that the road building fund shall nUlI
be available for these purposes.
Fifth. That specific levy be mndlt|
of very few cents on each onAFI
hundred dollars valuation OF aINI
property in the state assessed for taxi
alton. This money be collected and
accounted for by the sheriff as othe'I
taxes are collected and accounted fool
and that the fund so collected sha
be placed in the state treasury to bOtI
known as the road building fund tteI
be dtshursed upon the warrant oil
the auditor and to be accounted fool
by him as other state funds are aCI
counted for. This fund should mtI
used solely for the purpose of bulld'I
ing roads.
Sixth. The fees arising from TINT
sale of license to run and operate aui'I
tomobiles in this state should be sell
apart as part of the road buildlnhEI
fund.
Seventh. The income from the perm
itentiary, over and above that which
is necessary for maintenance and lnn'I
provement of that Institution, should
become part OF the road buildIms
fund.
Eighth. Provision should be madt
for the submission to the people Of
constitutional amendment providing
for the issuing OF state bonds TIM
proceeds of which are to be use4
in building hard roads. Proviao@
should be made whereby those bondl'
would be offered for sale in small
amounts from time to time as tint
money might be applied to roaii
building in the state.
Ninth. Before any of the staSt
road building fund is available ROI
any county in the state the counTr
should be required to appropriate atA
amount equal to that provided br
the state to be used together with
the state fund for the building oil
the road or roads agreed upon, tint
location and construction Of SAIL
road to be under the direction ami
according to specifications provided
by the state engineer.
Tenth. All money belonging to amy
Of the state road funds whether ari'%
ing from appropriation by the leEi's
lature, from the penitentiary, from
automobile licenses, from special tax
-. R.s.a ;,r,,a. ~. FyNnrN INV otl1eA