The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-02-02
CUT our THE WASTE
INCURRED IN ROAD BUILDING
That is The Substance Of Governor
Cruces Letter to Col Sidney
Sugss.

y partment Of highway 10 shoulder tbs
e whole responsibility" in the matter o.
t future highway construction and tc
e, put TO an end as far as possible the
d waste OF public funds in the state So
U far as highway Improvement is con
0 cerned, is made clear by letter from
Il the governor to Commissioner of High
ways Sidney Suggs in reply to an in,
d quiry.
The correspondence between the ex.
!. ecutiye and the highway department
$ arose directly out Of communication
D received by Col suggs from the coun-
e ty engineer of Usage county who com
planned that three townships in thar
county have voted bonds for road i'm
provement amounting to s150,OOO on
the strength of the pledge of the town
ship officials that the money would
be expended under the plans and
specifications prepared by the depart.
ment of highways and the direction If
a competent engineer. These town.
ships says Engineer Behning have
made no move to fulfill their pledge
and taxpayers of the townships have
appealed to him to find out what stanv
can be taken to insure the proper ex-
penditure of the money. A copy. of
Mr.. Behring'S letter was sent the gov
ernor and Col. Suggs held two con-
sultations with him regarding the mat.
ter an dthe result was that Governor
Cruce takes the position that the de.
partment will fail to accomplish it's
mission if it fails to exercise its an
thority as is necessary to bring about
proper road building in Oklahoma.
The Policy Defined.
Following the receipt of the COVER
nor's letter, the departments attitude
was strongly defined in a letter coy
ering the Usage county matter which
will be the policy pursued by the de-
partment in the future in the state.
The position it takes, that under the
highway law, any taxpayer interested
can compel the use of the states stan
dards in all highway construction. in
cluding bridges and culverts. 1t is es.
timated that by adoption of the stand
ard plans of the department and eff
clent engineering and supervision, the
taxpayers of the state will secure over
million dollars a year more value in
highways for the money and labor now
expended. This is based from figures
compiled from official records.
The law creating department of
highways provides that the depart
ment snail furnish standard plans and
specifications for roads and bridges
speelhcally stating that the highway
commissioner shall exercise author
ity in all matters relating to nlans for
the building and the maintenance of
improved public highways" and that
all laws and parts of laws in conflict
with this law is repealed. The high.
way commissioner takes the position
mat no work of any permanent kind
IAN be done in the future on the stan
tards adopted by the department The
department announces that it will not
'hiy prepare and furnish the stand.
lrds but will as the law requires con
Iuet an investigation of the exnenai-
ures throughout the state for roads
nd bridges. t7" --
Governor Cruces Letter.
idney Suggs. Commissioner of uiqh
ways. Oklahoma.
Dear Sir: III am just in recent t'9l n =
our letter Of January 20 enclosing iipl''.
he a copy ofseouhty engineer 4 RRR
lie copy OF your letter from Mr.. H.
Behning, county engineer Of Usage
Dunty.
note that you desire from me an
as to your duty in matters
this kind. In reply permit me to
ate that the statutes define pretty
early the duties of the state high
ay commissioner and l think it is on.
imbent on you to discharge every
lS that the legislature has imposed
your department The object OF
eating the office of highway com
ssloner was to put an end as far as
ssible to the waste of public funds
this state in road building. Your
lee will fail to accomplish its mis-.
III II 1T fails to exercise this auth-
~ as is necessary to bring about
'per road building in Oklahoma Nv
wee to you is to accept the law Ms
IND i, shoulder the responsibility
places on you and don't undertake
shift the responsibility to other ofJi.
Is IL you are in doubt as to the
aning Of the sttute in any partic
+ then would suggest that YOU get
of the same from the
1rney general
Tmpd with fba 1ov.