The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1910-12-07

Legislation, So That Last Ten Days
Of Session Can Be Devoted Entirely
to Appropriation Measures.
BY ROBERT HAiGAT.
Harrisburg. Pa.-AthouEh no def
mite steps looking to an adjournment
have been taken by the leaders OF the
dominant wing Of the legislature. it
gan be positively stated that an agree
ment has been reached whereby the
session will be brought to close Oh
Friday, May IL. This date was finally
agreed upon at a conference OF the
party leaders. It was resolved to get
all measures under way at as early a
date as possible so that the commit
fees OF both houses can begin the work
of threshing out the good and bad
points Of the various bills Efforts
are to be made TO clear the decks OF
all legislation ot any character al
least week or zen days prior to final
adjournment. when the appropriation
committees will be ready to hand vlt
their recommendations.
It has been well recognized faIt
since the beginning of the session that
Governor Tener has some very posi-
tive views regarding the reorganiaa-
ton of the highway, insurance and
mining departments and the heads of
each of these branches have been
busily engaged since the first OF ne
year mapping out suggestions looking
TO the enacting OF general laws 10
cover each of these departments, The
first of these bills has made its lp-
pearance in the presentation by Sent
tor Sproul of Delaware of a measure
providing for a comprehensive plan OF
Improving the state highways and re-
organizing the working force OF the
department to put these suggestion
into effect. In addition to the bills
the same gentleman offered a resolU
ton for an amendment to the constl-
tuition to authorize a bond issue Of
$50,000,000 to carry out the proposed
construction OF the system of state
highways. Both Of these measures are
said to have the unqualified support
OF the administration and consequent
ay they are scheduled to go through.
One of the bills provides for a com
plete system OF main highways TO be
built and maintained at the sole ex-
pense OF the state, connecting the
county seats and connecting the
border line counties with the adjoining
lcommonwea'.hs They embrace BOB
routes and aggregate more than 5000
miles of road and have been so de-
Ssfgned as to allow future legislatures
TO add to these routes with ease and
Nhere are main roads practically Di-
ssecting every county seat and so a.
ranged to touch all the important
clowns and market centers. Provision
Is made for the state to take over
these roads Immediately and main
tain them at the states expense ana
fhe work OF reconstruction Is to 10
carried on simultaneously and uni
formly on all Of the routes.
rifty Road Districts.
Further provision is made to divide
the state into fifty road districts with
q department engineer Al charge with
power to direct all work OF construc-
tion and maintenance on all classes
pf reads to which the state gives aid, !
Rs well as to state highways State
Mid IN construction Of local roads Is
hlso provided for with the require
tneAt that the local authorities first
enter into an agreement authorizing
tho state to subsequently maintain and +
IT, charge one-half of the maintenance
Cost TO the county or township. which
ever is the joint owner. 1t is believed /
Ehat this feature will prevent the de-
Btruction Of the roads through neglect
and 1t also insures to the locality one
half of the upkeep. The highway de-
pertinent is authorized to purchase |
machinery and to actually engage IN
the construction Of repair and con- |
6truction work when it is deemed |
necessary. This is following after the |
Gystem in vogue in New York stase,
Hyt-..- Az o.id to produce satisfactory |
results. Another bill provides that |
the state shall constitute to counties |
and townships toward the cost Of re-
pairs on local roads which are main
tanned to state standards.
J The bills create a state highway |
commissioner at a salary of $4,000 a |
year, first deputy at $4,000, second at
$1,000, chief engineer at $4,000, as
sistant at $4,000, fifty civil engineers
to be known as superintendents OF
highways at s1,500 each year. six to
act as assistants to the chief engineer
at S2,40O each year, chief drafts /,
imam at s2,400 and eight assistants ar
E1,S00 each, chief clerk at $2.400, two
clerks and two stenographers al
$1,000 each, two bookkeepers at $1,000
each. The bills also provide for the
employ ment Of other persons as may
be required at not more than $1,000
p year.
h The bills would thus increase from