The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-12-01

on the work of the department ami
for the purpose of maintenance, re-
pairing and construction of state hist
ways and for the payment of the
states share of the maintenance and
repairs of state aid highways.
Under the new law the State High.
way Department has made five con
tracts, aggregating about 100000 or
these two are for the recon struction
Of the Narrows Road in Ju.i ta
and Mifflin Counties, between Mi
fiintown and Lewlstown. The Other
contracts are for work on the National
Pike in Fayette and Somerset Coun-
ties.
State aid highways are provided for
in the Sproul law in manner similar
to that provided for under the former
law. Applications for state aid in the
reconstruction of township roads can
be made by the supervisors Of town
ship to the county commissioners, and
the county commissioners must then
make application to the State High
way Department asking the state to
join in the reconstruction of the roads.
In this case the township and county
each pay 25 per cent. of the total cost
of the work, the state paying so per
cent. The board Of township supervis-
ors or county commissioners, without
the Intervention of the other, may
make application direct to the State
Highway apartment asking for state
aid in the reconstruction of township
roads, and in doing so said township
or county agrees to pay so per cent. of
the cost of such improvement, the
state paying the balance of the cost.
Applications For State Aid.
A county reconstructing township
roads under the act of June rs, 1905,
known as the "F'linn law" may make
application to the Department asking
for state aid in the reconstruction of
said roads, agreeing to pay one-half
of the total cost, the state paying the
balance. The state hereafter will
maintain all roads reconstructed as
state aid roads and charge one-half of
the cost of such maintenance to the
respective township or county in
which the road is located. Twenty-nine
applications, asking for state aid un-
der the law calling for the recon
struction of sixty-four miles, have been
received at the State Highway Depart
ment. Several sections of road are
ready to be put under contract as
state aid roads. The Department is ALL
thorized to make a contract for the
amount of the share to be paid by the
state, plus the respective shares of the
townships and counties. The appro
priation to carry out the provisions
of this section of the act is $1,0O0,O0O
which, added to the township and
county shares, gives $2,000,000 for
state aid work for the two years end.
ing May 81, 1918.
The act of May Is, 1909, is repealed
and superseded by the Jones act, ap-
proved June IA, 1911, which provides
for the election of township supervisors
and gives the State Highway Depart
ment an oversight of the $4,000 miles
of earth roads in the state by provid
ing for the board of supervisors of
township making an annual report un-
der oath to the Department on or be-
fore January 1 in each and every year.
1t also provides that all money ap-
propriated under the provisions CT the
act shall be expended by the super
visors of the respective townships for
the making of permanent improve
ments on the townships roads, accord
ing to plans and specifications fur
nished by the State Highway Depart
ment and under the supervision of tAe
State Highway Department, such SUI
pervision to be without cost to the
township" and giving the State High
way Commissioner the right to with
hold from township, neglecting or
refusing to expend the money as d.
rected, the amount to which it would
otherwise be entitled.
Revenue From Motor Licenses.
The Sproul act also provides for the
furnishing by the State Highway
Commissioner of bulletins of instruc.
tions to each board of township super
visors and that official is also to fur
nish free of charge standards, plans
and specifications for permanent i'm.
provements in the building of cul-
verts, establishing of grades, proper
drainage, and such other matters Z
he may deem essential. 1t abolishes
the work tax in all townships in the
state and provides for bonus of so
per cent. of the total amount Of road
taxes collected to be paid by the state,
not to exceed more than twenty dol
lars foreach mile of township road in
said township. The board of supervis-
ors of township is to consist of three
members, who shall be elected as fol-
lows: The term of all supervisors
elected in 1908 shall expire the first
Monday of December, 1911. The term
of all supervisors elected in 1909 and
1910 shall expire the first Monday Of
December 1918. The supervisors will
meet on the first Monday in Decem-
ber, 1911, and yearly thereafter. Many
townships have asked the Department
to furnish information and plans for
small bridges and culverts and to es-
tablish grades for the cutting down
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