The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1913-05-10

With $ZOO,0 available when
bond issue to that amount is dis
posed of on or about May Is and al
annual revenue of approximately SIS.
900 derived from licensed automobiles
which will be exempt from taxation
when Idahos new highway law goes
into effect, the highway commission OF
this state will have a large fund on
hand with which to map out and start
improvements on a model state high
way plan. This state will also have
the advantage of law second to none
|Secretary of State Clifford has order
led the new tags and commencing next
month hundreds of automobile licenses
will be issued
Prison labor on public highways
where the construction work comes
under the jurisdiction of the state
commission, is one of the strongest
| features of Idaho's new law. 1t is
highly commented upon mainly for
the reason that in the past and at
| the present time two-thirds of the $50
prisoners confined in the state pen
itentiary do nothing at all but idle
the days away. With the permission
of the prison commission, upon appli-
cation from the highway commission,
these convicts can and will be used in
good roads work over the state. Only
those prisoners who can be trusted
will be worked but it is estimated that
at least $50 of them can be divided
into gangs and properly as we'll as
safely worked in building roads. For
their labor they will receive SO cents
day from the highway commission
fund and this money will go towards
the support of the families outside of
prison walls.
At the present time all automobiles
are taxed as are other goods, wares
and merchandise and the revenue de-
rived from the machines is turned into
the county fund. This system is COM
pletely changed by the new state high
way law. BY it's terms all automo-
biles are exempt from taxation, but
their owners must before using their
machines in this state, purchase Ii
scense from the commission through
it's secretary, the secretary of state
These licenses are based on the num-
Der of horsepower carried by the autos.
The minimum license chanrged will be
SIS and the maximum license between
$50 and $55 per annum. Failure to
purchase such a license subjects the
owner of machine to arrest and con-
viction should he use the highways or
public roads of the state with an UNI
licensed machine. Motorcycle licenses
are placed at IS per annum. Automo-
bile dealers can secure blanket licenses
running from $35 and up, according
to the number of cars on hand, for
machines, but on the sale of autos the
owners must pay the annual license
based on the horsepower carried by
the car. When the machines are trans
ferred by one owner to another, notice
of the transfer must be sent to the |
secretary of the commission. Until |
all automobiles are listed in this state |
it will not be definitely known just |
how many there are in the state. |
Making conservative estimate the
auto census will show there are 5000 |
autos, and averaging the annual IL
cense fee of $25 the annual income
from these machines to the highway
will be $4,000.
The commission will employ state
highway engineer at a salary of $4,000
per annum, whose duty will be to as
,ist in the work of laying out state
highway for Idaho, together with
main and trunk roads and to direct p
he actual work on the roads. When I,
counties of the state decide that any
Dad in their county shall be improved
II constructed they may make written
APPLICATION to the state highway en- I
ineer If the commission is satisfied
fter an investigation that the pro-
osed road will be permanent and is
pom main travelled road and that !
he county is able to meet its proper
onate cost OF construction, the high
1ay engineer will be instructed to i
lake the necessary survey. For i'm
rovements to cost 1000 or less it is \
with the state engineer T
18th the approval of the commission \
, execute the work or let the county 4
0 the work without compensation, A
ut where the cost of the proposed :
Improvement exceeds $4,000 the state
DIS for the work and commissioners
ON the counties in which road work