New-York tribune., 1911-02-22
|D|X REVERSES HIMSELF
| ON ROAD BUILDING
Tells Highway Commission to Go
Ahead on 4,000.0 900 of Con-
tracts Which He Held Up.
COSTS MONEY AND TIME
Governors Critics Say His About
Face Indicates That He Acted
in Ignorance of the Entire
Highway Situation.
rHv telegram 10 Tn. rr,bu,.

Albany. Feb. 21-Governor Dix. who
early in January forced the State Highway
Commission 10 hold up the letting of con-
tracts for good roads building amounting
n nearly A.TN.0 900. to-day told the commits
sion 10 20 ahead with the letting Of those
contracts The commission will have TO
readvertise for bids at an expense Of some
&. 500 and an additional delay of at least
three weeks.
These contracts when let will be awarded
on the specifications drawn by the High
way Commission. Governor Dix's excuse
for holding up the original awarding OF
these contracts was that these specifca-
tions were improper and productive of
waste Of state funds. In support OF this
contention he obtained from State Engineer
Bensel a long communication crticising
them severely on grounds which the COM
mission later proved 10 be largely mis-
taken.
The Governors reason Cor his change OF
front is the discovery that II different
specifications for these contracts were made
they would have TO be submitted for ap-
proval 10 the boards Of supervisors ri the
counties where The roads in question are
10 be built This would be long process
and might mean that none Of the work
could he done this year. Even the Gov
ernor is not willing to 90 that far.
Opponents Of the Governors bill TO wipe
out the present commission declare that
this backdown is a confession OF the Gov
ernor's ignorance Of the entire highway sit
uation. II the commissions business meth
DDS we're such. they argue, as 10 Justify
the Governors interference and his recon-
mendation to abolish II. certainly in the
states interest he should not now permit
the commission 10 go ahead on its waste
full" and "extravagant" course. They say
his about-face indicates that he went into
the matter on insufficient investigation and
had bad information. and now has 10 ad-
nit himself TO be in the wrong
Governor Dix's explanation Of his action
is set forth in the following statement from
the Executive Chamber
The Governor has carefully considered
the plans. specifications and contracts for
improved highways now proposed by the
commission. He regards them as in many
respects indefinite, uncertain and as caus-
ing unnecessary expense He sees no rea-
son for the importation Of considerable
quantities OF stone from without the state
for the construction ~ our roads A
heavy charge for freight
II is evident that the engineering eT-
penses on the roadwork in the state Ia e
been very high and can he materially low
cred without detriment 10 the work
The result Of all these festurAs IS that
the cost Of construction Per mile has be
come So high that the people will not re
ceive the number of miles of improve 4
roads which the enormous expenditure of
$50, 600 900 would Justify.
With reference. however. - the lettin :
~ contracts for this wears work the Gov
ernor is advised hv his counsel that
changes in the plans and Specifications IN
respect 70 county roads necessitate reap
proval nv the boards of supervisors in the
several counties. and in case Of state roads.
10 he entirely safe. reapproval by county
superintcndents. The delay necessary n
secure such approval and 10 amend exist
ing plans would. IN all probability. greatly
retard. II not prevent. construction during
the coming season, result which should
be avoided ~ possible
The present situation can. therefore.
only be treated as an emergency. and the
Governor deems N expedlent under the cir
cunlstances 10 favor the letting of contra ri :
on the plans and specifications already al
vertised. He has accordingly written m
the commissioners. requestin them 70
proceed with the securing OF bids and the
letting Of contracts as proposed He
trusts that he can secure A lowering of
engineering costs and less expensive speci-
fications on future work.