Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-11-02

This state has approximately $1,000
miles of highway. of which 1.7S7 miles
have been improved by the state,
counties and towns under the Higble-
Armstrong law. Under this law $50
miles more of state road are now under
construction.
In the year 1905 the constitution of
this state was amended so that $780,
100000 of bonds for highway improve
ment could be issued OF this sum
s13,0OO,O00 has been appropriated by
the legislature. of which sS,000,000 has
been expended. and there remains to
carry on the work the sum of $4,000
600.
Prior to Jan. last the construction
Iof state roads was a department an
the office Of the state engineer. and as
he was elected every two years, there
was no continuity of method either In
building roads or in maintaining them.
The legislature of 1907 appointed a
joint committee to Investigate into the
matter of highways, Of which Hon.
lothian p Aids was chairman. This
COMMITTEE made very able report and
drafted new highway law, which re-
pealed all of the old and confused
statutes on the books. The new law
was adopted by the legislature in 1908
to go into effect on Jan. 1, 1909. Among
the many important changes under the
new law We're the following:
The appointment of highway COM
mission consisting of three men, TO
have entire charge of the construction
Of the state and county roads and to
supervise the work of maintaining
the town roads turnout the whole state.
The state roads consist of 1882 miles
Of road, approximately, which were
laid out more or less definitely in the
law and are to connect the principal
centers of population with each other,
that is, the principal cities. The coun-
try roads form a system of main mar
ket roads connecting county seats. Any
board Of supervisors may petition for
country road If the highway COM
mission approves the petition it is CIV
en- number on the list and when that
number is reached 1t is built, provided
| the legislature has made a sufficient
appropriation. The law requires an
equitable distribution in road money
The state state maintains at its own
cost the state and county roads, excep'
that each town thru which these roads
pass must contribute $50 per mile pei
year toward maintenance. The towr
roads are cared for by the town super
| intendent and built and maintained by
the town. The state, however, gives to
each town an amount based upon the
amour. raised by the town for road
purposes The state aid this year
amounts to the sum of s1,397,000, and
with the amount raised by the highway
tax will make upward Of 100000 ex.
pended by the state and towns on the
town highways for the current year
This money is not used at all in main
tanning the state and county roads. The
new law gives the commission power
under certain conditions, to remove the
town superintendent, formerly called
the highway commissioner
With this large sum expended on thu
town roads under the supervision from
a central authority, skilled in road
maintenance, and with power Of de-
moval to enforce it's orders, we are al
ready beginning to see great improve
men in the town on dirt roads. Under
the new law Governor Hughes appoint
ed Hon. S. Persy Hooker, chairman O.
the commission. Thomas w. Allen, {
noted engineer, who has had great ex
perience in road building in Porto Rico
was appointed the engineering member
and Robert Earl, of Herkimer. is tn,
third member. The work of the com
mission is divided into two branches
maintenance and new construction
Every county is trying to find out hoy
to maintain macadam road so tina
pneumatic tires will not destroy it. ii
almost every county where macadan
roads are used experiments are bein,
carried on to find binder which viii
bind together the small stones of
macadam road so that a pneumatic tir
will not damage the road The Mas
sachusetts Highway Commission trie
last year over 800 kinds Of binders. an
while the greatest experts have com
|, to the conclusion that q semi-elasti
binder composed Of either asphalt. ia
or oil, or a mixture Of the three, is bes
j suited for the work, yet they are nc
! certain as to exactly what method
; adopt, and the different authorities {
r his country ana abroad must coniil4i