Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1911-03-17

INC INeuJIetn legislature of WASH
lngton failed to adopt any kind of plan
Tor practical road program before
1t adjourned Thursday, the question
OF roads in this state is so full of
complications that no one has yet
been able to explain satisfactorily
what the situation really is. 1t is
agreed however, that the cause of
good roads is hampered seriously.
The state highway department has
been left with no funds available ex-
cept to conduct the bare routine of
the office work. The only important
road measure that did get through
was the bill as q substitute for the
state aid road law This BILL known
as the McNeely bill, has been signed
by Governor Hay and is in effect.
Under its provisions counties can
carry on road construction without
the state participating in the work
further than directing the state high
way commissioner to determine the
feasibility OF proposed roads.
Farmers Want Voice.
Heretofore there has been a one
mill state levy for the creation of a
general fund. This fund was divid-
ed between the county roads and
state aid roads. Under the working
of this law, it was necessary for ey-
cry county desiring state aid roads to
raise an amount equal to the amount
raised by the general road levy in
that county This entire amount
then went into the state treasury.
The proposed road was then passed
upon by the state highway commits
sioner and if he found it feasible, he
ordered the survey made and took
charge entirely of the construction of
the road. By this method, it was
found that the amounts raised for
various state aid roads in many cases
were almost entirely consumed by
the cost of the survey. The farm ers
demanded that they have voice in
carrying on their road work
Commissioner Snpervises Only
The new measure provides that the
work of surveying and building roads
shall remain in the hands of the
county commissioners and the county
engineer. The state highway com
missioner exercises only general
supervision over the work, but
the salary of the commissioner was
raised from $500 to $4,000 a year,
under the new act, he will have but
little money to spend and little work
to do because of the failure of the
various other road laws to pass.
There is reappropriated, however,
the sum of $94,929,66 to complete
contracts now in force on state roads.
When these contracts are completed
work on state roads will cease, and
the highway commissioner will act
largely as a consulting engineer for
the county engineers of the state.
One of the effects of the defeat of
the state road appropriation bill will
be immediate calling off of convict la
Dor on roads. Highway Commits
missioner Bowlby notified Warden
Reed yesterday, to call in the 90
convicts that have been employed in
making the two-mile cut at Carrolton
in Cowlitz county, as there will be no
funds available to complete the work
there Only half of a mile of work
remains to be done to finish the cut.
State Aid Refused
Senator Stewart of Kelso, asked
Governor Hay to provide means to
carry on the work at the Carrolton
cut, but was informed last night that
no assistance could be given. Sena-
tor Stewart says that it will take
about $4,000 to pay for the work
that remains to be done. He de-
clares that the people of Cowlitz
county will raise the money by pri-
yate subscription and go ahead with
the work This cut is included in
the survey of the Pacific highway
project over which the senate
locked horns with the house and de-
feated will all important state road
undertakings.
In addition to the McNeely bill the
Basset law was passed, but it was so
amended that a half-mill levy may
be raised for the purpose of creating
permanent highway fund, but no
provision was made as to how the
money shall be used.