The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-14
OVERTON'S PLAN FOR
 STATES HIGHWAYS Introduces Bill Providing for
 Highway Commission TO WORK FOR GOOD ROADS Bill Provides for Expert Road Com missioner and Assistant and
 Money for Carrying on Work
 of the Department.
TO WORK FOR GOOD ROADS

Montgomery, August 13-(Special. )-Sen- ator John ". Overton introduced his bill in the senate today to create state highway commission, providing for an experienced commissioner to be appoint ed by the governor for term of four years, an assistant who must be a civil engineer, and clerk.
 This commissioner will receive 5000 a year and expenses, his assistant 5000 and his expenses. the clerk $500 year and his expenses. Ten thousand dollars is appropriated for this commission to be used for salaries and continual expenses until June 10, 1911. The bill does not provide for the continuation of the com mission beyond the first term. The duties of the commission are defined in the bill as printed below, and are expected to So direct the county road work as to con meet the state from end to end with valu- able highways.
 The following is a copy of the Overton good roads bill, which stands a good show of passage at this session:
 A bill to be entitled, an act to establish a state highway commission, to define its powers and duties, the term of office, salary and qualifications of the commis- sioner To authorize the commissioner to call into consultation the professor of engineering of certain state institutions, and approprating money to carry the provisions of this act into effect.
 Section l. Be it enacted by the legisla- ture of Alabama, That as used in this act, the term roads, public roads, county roads and highways shall mean any main travel public road of the county, opened by the county or repaired by the county and used for public travel. That the term commissioner means a state highway commissioner when in the performance of his duty.
 Sec 2. The governor shall within 60 days after the approval of this act ap- point subject to the confirmation of the senate of the next subsequent session of the legislature, citizen of this state pos sessing the qualifications described by this act, to be a state highway commits sioner, whose term of office shall be four years. It shall begin within 10 days
 
 shall have power to fill any vacancy caused by death or registration.
 Section B. No person shall be eligible to the office of state highway commits sioner unless he is a citizen of this state and unless he be a civil engineer and a person well versed in road building.
 Sec. f. The state highway commissioner -l,. 4l,. turn the oaths described by law for all state officers.
 Sec. 5. The governor shall provide suit able offices for the state highway com- mission in the capitol at Montgomery.
 Sec. 6. The state highway commissioner shall have an assistant who must be a civil engineer, and the clerk to be ap- pointed and to hold office at the pleasure of the state highway commissioner, who shall perform such duties as the commis- sioner may prescribe.
 Sec z. It shall be the duty of the state highway commissioner to gather and tabu- late information and statistics on road building, maintenance and Improvements, and to dissminate the same to the State Farmers institute, and the bulletins of the commissioner of agriculture or other wise, and the commissioner shall make an annual report to the governor of the con- duct and work of his office.
 Sec 8. Whenever the local road author fties of any county propose to improve, permanently, any main travel road or part thereof, in their county, they may apply to the state highway commission for a competent engineer to view the proposed road Upon receipt of such application the state highway commissioner shall send such local road authorities a blank form furnished him for that purpose, elicitng from said road authority such information touching the proposed road improvement as he may desire, which blank form said local road authorities shall fill out to the best of their ability and return to the commissioner. If the commissioner be satisfied that the pro- posed improvements will be permanent and upon a main travel road, and that the plain proposed by the local road au- thorities, for such improvements, are in his judgment adequate and practicable, he or one of his assistants. shall view said road or part thereof, proposed to be inn proved, and shall carefully prepare plans, specifications and estimates of the cost of its construction, with the materials agreed upon between the local authorities and the commission A copy of said plans, specifications and estimates of cost shall be submitted to the local road authorities