The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-02-14
The Good Roads Bill.

Attorney. General Strauss has com
pleted the draft of the good roads bill
which is to be submitted to the Legis-
lature after receiving the approval OF
Governor Crothers and the committee
appointed for purpose of considering the
most feasible plan for the attainment of
this much to be desired end.
The bill prepared by the Attorney.Gen-
eral provides comprehensive scheme OF
road improvements and extensions
throughout the State. 1t includes pro-
visions for the establishment of general
system of modern and improved State
highways, with lateral, tributary and
branch State roads, to be constructed by
the commission created by the act, in
connection with all the provisions and
features of the Shoemaker law for the
construction. repair and extension OF
county roads upon the application and
initiative of the County Commissioners
or of citizens of the counties. In this
way uniform aud homogeneous scheme,
which shall be as perfect as possible in
its entirety and developed practically
under one administrative head, namely,
the commission created by the act, is Sc.
scured. By this plan the improvement OF
both State and local highways and the
general harmony of the whole system are
provided for.
The bill provides for special COM
mission Of nine to be known as the Mary
land Roads Commission. The chief en-
gineer of the new commission is to be
the present chief engineer of the Di-
vision of Highways, w. w. Crosby. The
commission is to he permanent one and
is to carry on the work until it is COM
pleted, the members to receive fixed
salary for their services. The commission
is given power to purchase and condemn
lands, acquire turnpikes, &c.
It was deemed desirable by the At
torney-General to avoid, if possible, the
necessity of issuing bonds, whereby the
State would be put back into debt; and
bill therefore provides for the f.
Mug Of the whole system of improve
.nents without the State borrowing
money or issuing bonds. The bill in this
respect provides that the commission
shall complete the general system of
State roads as soon as may be feasible.
but within a period not to exceed IL
years from the first day of July, 1908,
during which time the expenditures of
the commission for the State system shall
not exceed $500, 900 year, except during
the first year. when the expenditures
shall not exceed 5000, 900.
To provide for these expenditures, the
act appropriates out of the Treasury of
the State 5000, 600 for the first year,
beginning July I, 1908, and $500 600
annually for each of the following II
years, commencing at the expiration of
the. first year.
the act provides that, commencing with
the year 1909, State tax of ? cents shall
be laid on each $roo of assessable prop
erty, and annually thereafter for II years
State tax of not more than 3H cents
shall be laid. The proceeds of these
taxes are to be set apart as the Estate
road fund.-
The measure also embodies all the
sections and provisions of the Shoe
maker Road law of 1904.
The appropriation of $500, 900 per an
mum provided for by the Shoemaker law
is also provided for in the proposed new
measure, and this appropriation of $2oo,-
600 per annum for the county roads is
exclusive of and in addition to the ap-
preparations for the State system of high
ways.