The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-05-13
New Bill To Give State Aid to
Highways in the Hands Of the
Legislature at Madison
LEAVES DETAILS WITH TOWNS
People Not the State to Decide as to
the Kind of Roads to be Built With
State Aid-New Law is
Promised Support

While Assemblyman Jones of Monroe
county was perfecting two amendments
to his bill for state aid to highways,
that the measure might be reported to
the assembly by Wednesday, Assembly
man Thomas Reynolds of Door county
was concluding the final features of
similar measure which throws new com
pllcations in the way of an immedi
ate consideration of this problem.
Upon considering the Jones bill, the
committee on roads and bridges diseov-
cred that the main criticism of the meas
ure was that too great power was cen
tered in the towns and counties and not
enough in the state. To obviate this
objection Assemblyman Jones has
drafted an amendment increasing the
powers of the state commi ssioners, in
that they may hold any county liable
for piece of road for a period of two
years This will compel the counties to
construct not only the best road posi-
Die but the commissioners have been
given the power of Withholding any ad-
ditlonal appropriations to that county
until the roads already constructed have
been found in satisfactory condition.
The Jones bill is drafted upon the
reimbursement plan. The county has
the power to approve the roads con-
structed by the town and the State
Commission has the power to approve
of the roads accepted by the county be-
fore awarding the one-third appropria-
tlon by the state promised in the bill.
1t is understood that additional amend
ments will be presented on the floor
to fix greater equality of power be-
tween the State Commission and the
County Board of Supervisors.
The feature of the Jones bill which
encountered the greatest objection has
been made the predominant one in a
new bill drafted by Assemblyman Rev
nolds which will be offered as sub
stitute measure. He complains that the
state is given too much power in both
OF the measures presented by Senator
Browne and Assemblyman Jones' lie
thinks the town and county should haze
practically complete supervision over
state highway construction. His bill
does not provide for any State Commits
sion or any state supervision, but sim
ply that each county must elect high
way engineer When town has con-
structed piece of highway and it has
been approved by the county engineer
and Board of Supervisors, the record
Of its cost may be certified to the state
treasurer who must pay for one-third
of the cost Of construction. The re-
naming two-thirds of the cost is di-
vided equally between the county and
the town in which the road is built.
recognized the principle OF the present
highway law.
1.-THE people know what kind of roads
they want, declared AssembIyman
Reynolds, "and the people are the state
Door county adopted the present high
way construction paid by the county
1t has worked so successfully that I
think this principle should be, adopted
in the proposed highway law"
The bill by Senator Browne, while
recognizing the feature of the state
bearing third of the expense, places
large powers in the hands of a state
engineer and the Board Of Geological
Survey. Senator Browne contends that
by this system, a more uniform method
Of highway construction and higher
standard of road building can be main
tanned, that will not be subject to the
whimsical ideas of a locanty.
The introduction of new bill so
late in the session it is believed by some
of the members will necessitate that
the problem viii have to be delayed
until the special session of the legisla-
ture next January.