Evening journal., 1912-05-27

sdlsly myself on this point I have
asked for data from the engineers Of
tne State Roads Commission as to
{ "hat 1t will cost to complete the $40
miles Of most important gaps. Their
estimate is over Sf.00O.000. It is thus
evident that an appropriation of only
Sz,OOO,000 proposed in the Goslin bin
is not in itself sufficient In my
judgement. it would be most unwise
TO make the amount less than this.
Our road system must go forward
and TO now delay it materially for
two or more years means that the
people cannot secure the full benefit
OF the parts already completed the
different sections of the state will not
be connected by good roads; it will
cost more to keep up the completed
portions, and it will be an altogether
losing proposition for the state
The argument has been used that
not more than S1,000,O0O per annum
should be spent i'm the next two years,
because the perfect road for modern
traffic has not yet been attained
This consideration is not deterring
any OF the other stats Of the union
from pushing road work forward. nor
can we afford to adopt such a policy
OF procrastination The State Of PENN
sylvania will this year spend $4,000
900 or more on its system Of State
highways. and in June will vote on
single bond issue of S50.0O0.000 addi-
tional, and St VIII probably spend
from S50000,00O 10 S1OO.000.OO more
than this to complete its system.
Value of Such Roads.
The benefits from good roads in in
crease Of land values and farm pro-
ducts. cheapening transportation. de-
creasing the cost of living, etc. are
not generally appreciated. More than
twice as much freight in this country
passes by wagon road as by railroad
More than half Of this freight starts
in the country and stops in the city.
where it is consumed. less than one
/, half going to another market. Statis-
tics show that it costs about seven
cents per ton per mile to transport
freight by wagon load in France. Ger
many and England and % cents, or
more than three times as much. I'm
our country. In a recent speech in
favor Of good roads Speaker Champ
kClark asserted that bad roads In the
United States cost us SSO0.00O0OO .
, year. nearly as much as the entire
scarcely comprehensive. but thev ey-
plain why America will NOT stop in
its road-building.
Nor should the State Roads Com
mission have its hands tied by being
limited in the amount Of money IL
may spend each year. II should be
given authority to expend the money
in its discretion In this way sur
Ira
tons can be prepared ahead. rights
Of way secured. etc. for a large
amount of work to be done In the
, future to very much better advantage
} than when It can use only a specified
sum per annum. Agains It is impos-
sible TO estimate accurately just how
J much money will be needed from year
TO year because of delays in COM
pleting contracts. from bad weather.
failures of contractors and other ad-
verse conditions. To illustrate how
disadvantageously such a limitation
/ works out In practice, I have only to
, call attention to the fact that under
the existing law but S4,O00,000 can be
spent in the four years ending June
/. 1917, and as there has now been
expended over $685. 900. the com
; mission will be compelled to cease
operations Immediately unless relief
J IS given by new legislation, although
il has considerable cash on hand
Our road system has now reached
} a period of development where pro-
vision must be made for proper main
tenance. The receipts from the Motor
Vehicle Fund applicable for, this pur-
pose, which will approximate $50. 600
TOT the past year. are not sufficient to
cover this In my opinion, there
should be, in addition, a direct annual
. tax of. say one cent, which would
bring I'm a revenue of perhaps $780,
O00 Any excess could be carried
over for future maintenance or be
turned into the general or construc-
tion fund
Resurface State Turnpikes.
Whenever practicable, I believe thai
Il will be wise and economical to Sc
cure moro milage by resurfacing the
old beds Of the turnpikes purchased
by the state A little work of this
kind has been done experimentally at
a cost OF about $4,000 a mile. and the
result is apparently satisfactory This
was done under rather favorable cir
cumstances, but If $1,000 more is al
lowed for grading, unfavorsble condi-
tons. widening the rOadbeds. etc. and
another $1,000 for bridges. culverts,
drains, etc. it would still bring the
total cost up TO not more than $4,000
b per mile. which Is a decided saving
over the cost OF new modern road.
A continuing appropriation of $780,
OOO per annum is made by the state
under the Shoemaker or State Aid
road law. This sum is apnortioned
among the counties upon application
by them. The roads are built by the
state, which pays one-half the cost.
The other half is paid by the counties
or by private contributions. When
completed the road Is maintained by
the counties The theory of this act
was that the counties would aid the
state in building good roads and II
has worked well in practice At first
the counties did not call for their
share of a small appropriation. but
S200,000 is not now sufficient to satisfy
their demands. This appropriation
should be increased 10 at least $780,
600. II the state can afford TO spend
S20O00O0 year in building $4,000, 900
4 worth of roads, II can certainly afford
5 20 spend 100000 in building $780,
b, 600 worth of roads.
? Keep II Out of Politics.
: A Baltimore newspaper reporting
. the conference of the Democratic
l. senators on the question of Good
Q Roads, held in the Senate Chamber
D on Monday night. says that the con-
s ference decided to make radical
changes I'm the law. fndood 60 .l-.,t