Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1910-01-14

mouth as its training ship. This is a
sailing vessel of the old type and Is
not a satisfactory ship for the bat
TALON. Provision should be made at
the present session of the legislature
for a sufficient appropriation to assure
the securing of a proper steam power
vessel for the battalion, and applica-
ton should be made to the secretary
of the nav to assign a suitable ship
Of this class for the use of this bat
TALON.
State Highways.
The highway commission has made a
report, which will be presented to you.
and they recommend the creation of a
system of highways to be maintained
at state expense and to run from coun-
ty seat to county seat and connect
with an ocean boulevard along the At
lantic ocean. This system of highways
will have a length of S53 miles and IL
carried out will establish in our state
a system of public roads which will
not be equaled in any state.
The highways of New Jersey are
now noted for their excellence, and
this plan will increase their notoriety
and draw to our state many thousands
of persons and thus result in great adj
vantage to all Il t~radespeople. Aside
from this, the benefit to the agricul-
tural sections of the state will be be-
yond estimation. The annual cost of
maintaining such a system of high
ways after they are nee thoroughly
constructed is estimated by the road
commissioner at $275,000.
Some of the roads within the route
proposed by the highway commission
are not yet improved. AS to this, they
recommend that they be improved un-
der the state road act, but that the
percentage which the state shall con-
tribute toward the u%nimproved part Of
the route shall be one-half of the total
cost.
The automobile fees which during
the last fiscal year under the present
law amounted to $245, 1860 can be-
utilized for maintenance With this
system of highways our automobile
fees should be increased about one
third above that which is now paid.
and the recommendation of the high
way commission on this subject is
heartily approved by the executive.
In addition to this $50 miles of high
way, the state should take over and
maintain that which was the old turn
pike road between Jersey City and
Newark. A good highway between
Jersey City and Newark is needed and
would be of great advantage to the
state.
Railroad Retaliation.
By joint resolution No. 3 the legisla-
ture at its last session authorized the
appointment of n commission to re-
value the railroad property of the
state. They nave presented a pre-
liminary report which will be before
the legislature.
The work was found to be very ex-
acting and to require great care and
large expense. The appropriation
44 sasass e 1t II the last session
pose was $4,000. which has been ex-
pended, and the work carried on to
the extent of the appropriation.
No subject before this legislature is
of more Importance than the author
ization of the continuance of this work..
1t will cost a large sum of money,
probably 100000 in addition to that
already spent, but if the results achiev-
ed are what it is believed they will be
this expenditure will be wise, and if it
settles the controversies over railroad
taxation in this state. whether the rev.
emu be increased or not. the money
will nave beer well expended.
The cost of the revaluation of the
railroads in other states has not been
less in any case than $150,000.
The states greatest source of reve-
nue. is from railway taxation. II the
help that comes to our free school sys-
tenn from it, which amounts to over
$780, 900 a year, should be a sufficient
incentive to securing a just and equi-
table valuation for taxation.
An immediate appropriation for the
continuance of this work should be
made even prior to the enactment of
the supplemental appropriation bill,
and that bill should include a sufficient
amount to carry the work until Oct.
81, 1910, and a reasonable appropria-
ton should be included in the annual
appropriation bill for the year ending
Oct. 81, 1911, that the completion of
the work may be assured.
Palisades Park.
The development of this natural
park and promotion of its attractive
ness for our people should receive the
support of the legislature. An extern
sion of this park system in the state
of New York has lately been assured
by the splendid gift of 10000 acres of
land and $1,O00,000 in cash by Mrs.
Hartman, widow of the late e. H.
Hartman, and a number of large sub
scriptions by public spirited citizens
Of New York. The fund raised by
these gifts exceeds 2, 100000, and the
state of New York is expected to au-
thorize an expenditure of a like
amount. The governor of that state