The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-03-17
URGE COMMISSION
PLAN FOR ROADS
Board Of Commerce Is Represented
In Discussion OF Leidlein Bill
In Lansing.
tFrom a star corre.poudentJ

tFrom a stan CorrespondentD
LANSING. Mich March l6.-Some
90 representatives OF the Board or
Commerce and Wolverine Automobile
club OF Detroit and of other trade and
automobile associations In the state,
led by +. 8. George, l.. s. Goodenow
and former State Highway Commits
sioner VI. :. Earle on the one side,
and State Highway Commissioner
Townsend r. Ely. Commissioners j.
,S. Haggerty and William Murdoch, OF
Wayne county and various representa-
lives OF the highway department on
the other, listened To contending argu'
ments as TO amendments TO the high
way Improvement laws In the senate
chamber yesterday afternoon Inc
Board OF Commerce contingent came
10 Lansing 10 favor the Leidlein bill
framed by Mr.. Earle, and the others
favored the Miller bill framed under
direction OF the state highway depart
ment and the Wayne county|highway
commission.
The Leidlein bill provides for a
commission OF three, TO be appoinuve.
IL appropriates $l,750,OOO TO be ex'
PENDED in state rewards In two years.
II Is framed 10 put premium on long
consecutive stretches or highway,
more especially between county seats.
IL divides roads into four classes
state roads. which shall be inter-coun-
IS seat roads: county roads, the lead
ing roads In the county other than
county seat roads; town roads, the
most important roads In the county
other than those before mentioned,
and side roads, designated In the Dill
as OF too little Importance TO make IL
wise for profitable to permanently I'M
prove them. For properly improved
highways of the first class, with not
less than 10 feet width OF metal, and
properly drained, the state is TO pay
one-half the construction up TO $5,Voo
a mile For roads OF the second class,
with 10 feet width OF metal. the state
is To pay onethird the cost up to ~,
600 a mile For roads OF the thirc-
class graded and made ready for
metaling, the state will pay one-fourth
cost up to $500 a mile.
This bill does not provide for state
ii. ways within incorporated cities or
illages.
The Miller bill allows county high
ways TO be built through cities and
villages with their consent. II pro-
yides sor state reward varying &C
cording 10 material from $3.50 mile
for gravel road to $1,000 a mile Tor
six-inch concrete road nine feet wide
On concrete road an additional $6O0
"A mile is given IL the road is $lb feet
wide, and 500 additional per foot up
TO Is feet
The discussion turned more TO the
relative merits of short spurs OF high
way radiating around cities and large
villages as against a straightaway
drive that would enable automobiles
TO 90 from town to town.
Mr.. Goodenow and Mr.. George for
the Leidlein bill, emphasized the fact
that disconnected highways prevents
the proper communication between
centers OF population That with the
state paying for the highways In a
large measure, 1t became more than
a matter OF local preference, and that
Detroit, paying one-nfth OF the taxes
OF the state, was entitled 10 be heard
as TO the manner in which the state
highways should be built. Detroit
through it's Board of Commerce. fay
ored the I.eidein bill They defend
ed the three-man board for the reason
that II would avoid rapid changes in
the policy OF the department. and keep
two experienced men on the job all
the time.
= II. s. Earle said absolutely that he
was not a candidate for position on
the board.
THE state OF Michigan. has not
money enough TO hire me TO take
position for pay in the department" he
said. From now on, | am private
citizen" II had been stated that he
sought the increased board 10 get
himself back In office.
Senator Miller defended his bill by
quoting one argument made by Mr..
George, that the rural highways were
feeders for the railways. He said that
although he was an automobile en-
thusiast himself, he thought that high.
: ways should be built first OF all for
the use OF farmers In hauling produce
to market or to the railways, and thar
statistics showed that the heaviest
haulage was within a few miles OF
large cities so that the greatest good
tould be done under the present sys-
TEN Of giving reward for highways
wherever constructed, trusting the
good sense of the highway commits
sioners 10 put them where they would
do the most good
& Highway Commissioner Ely and
Deputy Commissioner Rogers also de-
tended the bill. The committee did
not come TO any decision.
SANFORD.