Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-09-24
Road Exuert for kansas

Surucu uOWH d Oil W CredC6 d
State highway engineer, but not
because the members were not
interested in having good roads.
The original bill contained some q
provisions that were not approx
ed, and they were rejected and
some good amendments were add
ed and the bill passed the House.
It contained a clause for licenS-
ing automobiles, the License fee
fee to 60 to the support of the
highway engineer and his work.
In the Senate this was stricken
out and. the bill was sent back to
the House, authorizing the Board
of Regents of Che Agricultural
College to employ highway en-
gineer, defining his duties, ETC.,
but making no appropriation.
The House was somewhat dIS-
pleased because the automobile
clause was stricken out, and the
bill failed to pass as amended:
The legislature gave to the Elk
tension Department Of the Ag-
ricultural College an appropria-
ton of $52,5OO for two years, and
the Regents decided to elect an
expert engineer who would per-
form practically all the duties
prescribed in the law for State
highway engineer. Mr.. W. S.
Gearhart, assistant to the. state
highway cOmmissiO nOf Illinois,
was elected to this position in
the Extension Department, his
duties to begin September l, 1909.
Mr.. Gearhart comes highly rec
Ommended by the state highway
engineers of Minnesota and Hi
nOiS, has had several years. ex-
pefience in railroad and highway
engineering, and has for three
years had charge of some Of the
most important road and bridge
work in Illinois.
Mr.. Gearhalt will belong to
the Institute and Extension De-
partment of which J. H. Miller
is superintendent, and his duties
will be about as follows: From
September l to October 20 he
will be subject to calls from the
county commissioners city cOun
ellis, county engineers, and 9th
ers seeking advice in the matter
Of bridges and roads. He will &C
anywhere in the State to meet
with these officers, to advise az
to work, will make plans anG
specifications for roads and brid
ges, will assist in starting work
letting contracts, inspecting fin
iShed jobs, etc. There will bt
no charge for his time and ser
vices, but officers asking fol-
such visits will be expected tt
meet the actual travelling and no
tel expenses. After a time man!
visits will be. made on circuits
and then each county or city vii
pay only its due share of the. ex
pense of the trip. From 0ctObe-
70 to December 20 Mr.. Gear
q hart will attend farmers inst
tutes principally in Eastern Kar
Sas this fall),. lecturing on rOa'
questions and holding Specia
meetings at every point for rOa'
OverseerS and trustees. While o.
these circuits he will be ready t
meet with county commission
erS relative to bridge and rOa
work. He viii attend institute
also during January and Febru,,,
and then from March to Noven
: Der he will ..,NOte his whole tim
to field work fJr counties All
the building Of bridges and road
He will also offer to hold distrit
conferences with county surve,
OrS of eight orten counties, thes
conferences to last two or thrt
days at a place. Road matters
will be tested at the College an
plans for specifications for roaC
and bridges will be made if deSi
ed and work. inspected during p
greSS, In short, this highway e
gineer for the Institute and E
tension Department of the .Agl
cultural College will be ready
serve the people in Kansas
the matter of roads and brid
es as the institute specialists
clarifying, horticulture and far
management will be ready
serve those interests All-ccOrl
spOndenee relative g to this wO
should be addressed to J. H. NJ
Ter, Observation-Disclosures [
partment, Manhattan. D "a
a.