The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-16
STATE ROCK ROAD
Mammoth Stone Highway Is
Planned by Senate Bill.
To Cover 400 Miles of Terri
tory in Kansas.
SENATE AUTHORITY SOON
Counties May Use Prisoners on
the Roads.
New Road to Connect State
Institutions.
Original Plan Will Include Use
of COnvicts.
SENATE AUTHORITY SOON

every section of Kansas, built in a net
work of paved highways from one state
institution to another, is the plan that
will be explained soon to the state SEN
ate. bill will be introduced soon
calling for convict labor on this road.
and an authority for counties and
townships donating money and Jail
labor in the interest of connecting
highways. If the Legislature approves
the Milton plan as outlined. it Will give
Kansas the greatest system of perma-
nent roads of any state in the west
1t is furthermore proposed that the
counties in other sections of the state
be encouraged in the proposition by
legislated power to place their prisoners
on the highways. He believes that
within five or six years the state will
be covered by solid stone ribbed mud
less thoroughfares.
The state built road-a highway con-
structed by convicts from the peni-
tentiary would cover from 300 to 400
miles of territory. No preliminary es-
innate of the cost has been made.
Route to Be Chosen by Senate.
Here is the proposed route for the
rock roads through Kansas from one
state institution to another:
Lansing to Kansas City, Kansas,
thence to Kansas University at Law
renee, west to Topeka and northwest
to Manhattan. From Manhattan IL
would lead straight west to Hays City
in Ellis county and northeast to Be
lott with a probable connection again
with Manhattan.
Another route would lead from Kan
sas City, Kansas, to the state hospital
at Rosedale, thence to Olathe, Osawa-
tonne, and south to Parsons and Pitts
burg.
From Topeka would start still an
other highway southwest to Emporia.
on to Newton into Hutchinson, straight
west to Larned southwest to Dodge
City. A connection either at Larned
or Hutchinson would bring the road in
to Ellsworth with possible second
link at Hays City.
Wichita would be given a line from
Newton directly south and on down TO
Winfield. A road from WfnrleId 10
Pittsburg through the larger towns
of the southern tier of counties would
serve this part of the state. A strip
from Lansing to Atchison would han
die this territory.
The main road mentioned would be
built by three hundred state convtcts
with modern road building machinery.
1t would be supervised by state drain
age and road experts. The counties
through which the road ran would
pay for the material and the town
ships would pay for the cost of haul
ing this material to the ground. The
construction work or the greatest part
of the saving in expense would be
done by the state.
Later the county seats and larger
towns could build connecting roads
with county jail labor.
The plan is supported ardently by
enthusiastic road builders in the state.
Another Good Road Idea
a
of motor cars pay the cost of building
roads in Kansas. At least Senator
Bale Waggener of Atchison county
believes in this procedure and he has
will bring the state nearly 81, 500, 900
annually for the improvement and
construction of roads and bridges.
Senator Waggener figures that the
tax will bring in 100000
annually. The license on motor cars
will net nearly 100000 to the state.
This money to be known as the Good
Roads Fund" will be divided equally
among the counties in proportion to
their population.
Here is the way the senator from
Atchison has 1t figured:
Right now there are $1,000 motor
cars in Kansas. Tax them one cent
a pound brings a result of $4,000.
Add to this the tax of five dollars an
ton license tax gives the state an
$S,Oo0,OOO revenue. And the money
is collected.
A Fair Chance to All.
No counties will be given an unfair ad-
vantage, according to the Waggener plans
The money will be distributed first to the
county commissioners and thence to the
township officers, according to the popu-
lation of the county. But in deciding this
the state will place a maxi
mum population of Is, 900 as a means of
dividing the funds The larger counties
Shawnee, Wyandotte, Sedgwick, Atchison.
Cowley, Crawford-would have no distfnc-
tive advantage over smaller counties like
Morton, Stanton, Stevens, Wichita, Grant.
Greeley and others.
One of the best features of the proposed
law says Senator Waggener is the fact
that the farmers are called upon to pay
a very small part of the expense. Only
farmers who own motor cars viii be In
clEded in the taxation. Corporation fran
chise tax and city owners of automobiles
will bear the brunt of the cost.
Along with this plan, Senator Waggener
has outlined the new state automobile tax
will be taxed IS year. Motor
cars will be taxed ! cent pound. The
one tag with Kan" and the year will be
the only number that is required of the
owrers of machines. Municipal or county
tax cannot be enforced. Every m mtchine
in the state will be registered with tn
secretary of state il the senate bill passes.
Senate Notes.
The first senator to come out and
declare his allegiance to the old sol