Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-01-02
MEASURE APPROVED BY GEN.
ERAL RYERs MEETS WITH
APPROVAL
APPROPRlATES $780, 900
Plan contempiates Payment of This
Sum to Townships Building Two
Miles Of Road; Different Rates
For Certain Roads.

roads was Endorsed at the meeting of
the Greater Des Moines committee
yesterday, and a bill prepared by At
torney General Byers which was read
at the meeting, will be presented to
the legislature this winter.
This measure continues the perma-
nent good roads commission. created
by an act Of a former legislature, and
lodged in the state college at Ames,
and provides for the appointment by
engineer, who will be the active head
of the department.
1t provides for the payment OF q
state reward for the construction of
five different kinds OF good roads.
1t appropriates 100000 for this pur-
pose for the first two years.. and of
the amount IL is calculated that prac-
tically all can be collected from d
wheelage tax imposed on automobiles,
which will be provided for in an addi-
tional and separate measure under
contemplation.
1t is possible. also, that the counties
will be authorized to increase the
road levy from one to two mills, at
the same time reducing the township
levies, so that additional impetus may
be given to this important project for
improvement In the state.
Two Miles to the Township.
The bill as Endorsed by the commit
tee yesterday provides for state re.
ward, to be paid from the state treas
ury. TO the. townships in which good
roads are built as follows: m
Ia Ix-ttl, L i,,,, Il
25 feet between the bitches. with 10.
foot crown, a regular dirt road I'M
proved, $50 a mile.
For a gravel road same dimensions
gravel six inches deep, $3.50 a mile.
For road with a base Of crushed
stone, with gravel top, three or four
inches thick, with a nine.foot drive
way $3.50 mile. 4.
For road made Of gravel beneath
and crushed rock on top, same di
mensions, $3.50 a mile.
| For road of macadam not less
| than six inches thick same dimen
sions. 81 900 a mile.
None of these roads can have {
! grade OR I'M cline of more than six pei
cent
| The state highway engineer ma,
name other road making nlateria
aside from those given when he
deems it advisable or desirable, sucf
as cinders, oiled treatments, etc.
/ Each township will be entitled tc
state reward On not to exceed two
miles of these roads in any one year
In the ordinary sixteen township coun
i ty. therefore, state aid may be giver
\ fo,, {I,o
miles of good roads.
Third the Cost.
/ The figures involved In the measure
We're arrived at on che theory tina
they represented about one-third O
i the cost of the good roads to be aided
4 The law will provide that before the
aid shall be paid by the state thu
1 highway engineer must approve Of the
road constructed
! Any township which fails to keel
! its road in repair after construction
will lose eligibility to further state
aid
The application of the township.
for the state aid will be filed in ordel
of their receipt. If more of them make
the application than the appropriation
will satisfy, they will be given thu
state aid III regular order.
4 State Will Manage II.
The state retains complete and en-
tire power over the expenditures o
the funds for state aid That is. tn
state highway engineer will be EN-
1 powered to furnish all the outlines
specifications, ETC., for the building o
| the roads which get the state aid. /
i will be only. on the approval of tn
state TINT he, fur will !,
| paid out.
| The engineer will be empowered t
/ call on the local road officials of tn
a state for all information and aid nee
4 essary to enable him to make the ncc
essary surveys. etc, incident to tn
supervision Of the improvements.
! The engineer will be required to as
licertain all Of the road making mater
ial in the state OF Iowa, It's location
! value, etc, and the cost of It's trans
4 portation.
Il He will make map Of the stat
4 showing the roads in it and the loca
4 ton and character OF the road maxim
material.
! These maps will be for general dis
/ tribution. to the officers Of local com
munities, townships. etc. to aid ther
in gaining the information necessar
to avail themselves of the aid offer
ed BY the state for the building q
good roads.
The WheeIsae Tax. I'm
This constitutes the gist of all of tn
good roads, bill be Endorsed by tn
Greater Des Moines committee.
At a later meeting it is. proposed t
discuss further legislation respectfn
the construction of good roads. it j
proposed to establish wheelage TIA,
So called. This bill may or many nc
be Endorsed. by the committee. 1t !
merely under consideration.
AS now planned this measure wi
provide tax of SIS a year on automo
biles Of less than 3O-horse power an
J, $40 year on automobiles of NOR
than 80 horse power. There are abou
5000 automobiles in the state. 1t I
estimated that the average tax woul
a rive the state about $4,000 a yea
This money, if raised, will 90 into II,
road building fund.
Other projects for raising the fund
with which to encourage good roads 1
the state are under discussion at tn
state house.
There is a general feeling that tn
building of good roads will be of III
first Importance in conserving an
developing the internal resources {
the state or Iowa.