The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1912-05-09

crease the number by five or more dis
trict engineers in counties where they
have no resident engineers, and about
twenty road patrols. Each engineer
has about two counties under his
charge and is expected to devote his
time equally to them. The taxpayers
of the state are we'll satisfied with the
plan and the county and town boards
are beginning to work in harmony with
the highway engineers.
Every state in the union that has ac-
complished anything worth while in
good roads construction, has first Gre
ated administrative machinery under
which are highway engineers and
practical road builders. Further, every
state pretending to any progress in the
building OF good roads, whether granted
state aid or not. has provided for an
officer in the county possessing certain
specified qualifications, whose duty it
is to superintend the road work of
the county. This man is generally a
civil engineer who has had experience
in road building or who possesses the
qualifications essential to the proper
discharge Of his duties.
This engineer makes plans for bridges
and road improvements, advises about
machinery and in general assists the
highway authorities of the county with
their work.
Under the county official is the town.
ship or district supervision. This town
ship or district supervisor superintends
the work of the local road overseers
and aids them with advice and counsel.
At the present time more than one
half Of the states of the union provide
state aid for the construction and main
tenance of roads. This aid is some
times given to those counties or town.
ships which expend a like amount.
Some of the states require that the Pc
titioners for an improved road pay a
small percentage of its cost. To my
knowledge there is not a single state
that has ever granted state aid and
employed expert supervision over the
construction and maintenance of its
highways that has ever gone back to
the old system. The constitution of
North Dakota prohibits the granting of
aid for works of internal Improvement,
but concurrent resolution passed the
last legislature for an amendment to
the constitution which provides that
the state may appropriate money for
aid in the construction and improve
ment of highways. This resolution
must come before the next legislature
in 1913 and if concurred in by that leg
islature will be submitted to vote o1
the people in 1914, and if in comes b,
the vote of the people laws making ap.
preparations for this purpose may be
enacted in the legislature of 1915.
One great obstacle in the way of bet
ter highway construction and mainte
nance is the present antiquated methoc
of working out" the highway taxes
To show you how the sentiment in favor
of the payment of all highway taxes in
cash IS growing throughout the United
States, call your attention to the fact
that at the present time nearly one-halt
of the states now require by law either
that all highway taxes be paid in cash
or give the counties or townships the
power to vote to order a money pay.
ment of all taxes. 1t is a significant
fact that those states who have made
the most progress in good road con-
struction have done away with statute
labor, and their experience conclus-
lively shows what every practical build
er in the county contends, namely. that
statute labor is the one great obstacle
in the pathway Of progress in perma-
merit highway improvement.
The county superintendent of high
ways law in North Dakota is not per-
feet, and it was not passed as origin
ally drawn and introduced but the re-
suits obtained by the counties who are
working under it at the present time,
with only one years trial, seem to
prove that the system is far better than
the old system and it is fair to presume
that the longer we work under this sys-
tenn the better the results will be.
which fact has already been proven by
the many states who are working un-
der this system or similar one.
The taxpayers of our state are just
commencing to realize the Importance
of better roads and all these arguments
over methods and means of best accom-
plishing what we most desire, namely,
''good roads," is educ ational. there
fore trust you will give this letter pub
licity.
Respectfully yours,
II. R. Atkinson,
State Engineer.
nEr0pATIGN nav At