New-York tribune., 1911-02-17
a. 3. shsttuck Gives Visws.

To this A. +. Shattuck. Of New York,
representing the Automobile Club OF Amer
!ca. added:
What impressed me most in the discus
sion WAS the unTepTeSeDtative Character OF
most of the individuals who spoke in favor
Of the bill Hardly a person. apparently
spoke for anybody but himself On the
other hand. there were in the Assembly
chamber representatives Of oranges, boards
Of trade and good roads committees from
practically every county Of the state oppos-
Ing the bill and tavoring the retention OF
the commission. There were so many OF
these delegations on hand that only a small
proportion Of them could be heard in the
meagre time allotted for the discussion OF
Mr. White, who has made a study Of
good roads for years. opened the fight
against the bill. He told OF the magnitude
Of the good roads work IN this state and
the necessity for building largely, as the
road system had 10 take care Of To- 900
tons OF freight year from the farms. The
state needed continuity in policy and IN
the service Of It's road builders, he said.
Changes every time there was an election
would be fatal.
IT'S easy to carp and say the roads are
TOO expensive" he said. "Yet take the
average. year IN and year out. and you'll
find expenses are being reduced. The COM
mission Is delivering good work TO the
state, and the cost is IN correct proportion
70 the cost of other work of the char
scter"
Then ho called S. D. Gilbert. auditor OF
The State Highway Commission. who told
of the system Of accounting, in which every
dollar expended was kept track Of In such
q way as to show exactly for what II went.
Supervisors Praise Commission.
Next came a long list OF representatives
of the boards of supervisors OF many coun-
ties fsvoring the retention Of the present
law and the present commission. George
y. Tuttle explained that the Niagara
County board early In the year adopted
resolutions favorlng the Dix scheme. but
later. on hearing from the people OF the
county, reversed itself G. Y Webster
attorney for Monroe County. said the COM
mission had done well and should be re-
tsined. 7. 2. Lane. attorney for Ontario
County. presented resolutions passed by
the good roads committee of the Board
OF Supervisors, some county officers and
the grangers OF the county against the Dix
brl. He told Of some roads in the county
built By State Engineer skene which went
10 pieces soon afterward. aud had cost
about % per cent OF the original cost for
repa!rs. One road was so bad that II got
into the courts because the commission
would not accept Il. Another. costins
$500 10 build. went 20 pieces the first year.
and cost S25.oo0 70 repair
4 road built OF cheap material is dear
A, any price" said Ir Lane. while q
road built Of good material. though ap-
parentiy dear really is cheap. That We
have learned 20 our cost, although it isn't
the doctrine state Engineer Densel is
preschlng 70 Governor Dix"
c. W Reece. chairman of the good roads
committee OF the Supervisors Of Jefferson
County, spoke strongly for the commits
sion. TIe caid nc had tried II out and
found IL wasn't playing POLITICS. AZ Tor
the roads built in hts county. he tried
them. he said. with z pick and couldn't
make rauch impression on them. William
r. wallace, FOR the Orang4 County Super
viserg, presented resolutions Of protest
against any change from the board. tie
Oranges and automobiles.
Nj. seaman. representing automobile
peopie IN Nassau County, said he was
strong Democrat. but he hoped his coll