The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1914-01-15
Good Roads Meeting
STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION VISITS TUSCALOOSA

Club, a member of the Iowa State
Highway Commission, II. c. Beard,
was in the city, and also the state
highway engineer, Thomas Fl. Mac
Donald. The afternoon was spent in
conference with the Commercial Club
committee, which is composed Of Geo.
c. True, chairman, D. P. Mcclure, G..
e. Lofland and |. w. Cook.
In the evening there was an open
conference and probably fifty business
men and farmers joined in the deliber-
ations. 1t was not known till the last
moment possible that an evening meet
ing was possible. Had there been time
to give out the word much larger
number from the country and sur
rounding towns would have been glad
to join in the benefits of this roads
round table.
rs to the benefits accruing TO any
county from the present read legisla-
ton, great deal depends as always
on public opinion. To the credit of
the law, it may lie said that the divis-
ion of work Is such as to clearly fix
responsibility, and the reporting re-
quirements are such as to inform those
who care to know, where practically
every dollar Of expenditure goes. The
law does not restrict, but it does de-
fnitely define. In more than sixty
five counties the officials are using the
road law as an efficient and practical
instrument.
II. C. Beard said in part: We have
had o Highway Commission in Iowa
since 1904, but for long time with
only advisory powers, and with linn
tied appropriation. The present road
law, as you know, enlarged The powers
and duties CT the Commission. and fix
ed the membership at three. The en-
tire force connected with the work OF
the Iowa State Highway Commission
numbers about thirty, including steno-
grarEers. There is field department
at the head of which is Fred White,
and under whom there are five district
engineers.
You will notice each engineers terri
tory contains about twenty counties.
The purpose is to reach each of these
counties once u month, and oftener
where nee assary. These district en-
giueers devote their time to working
out the provisions of the law, as be.
tween and related to the respective
county engineer, boards of supervis-
orr, and the Highway Commission. In
our force. als1. there is an Office, or
cou-ty engineer; likewise a superin-
teudont Of the drafting department.
The past year this latter department
h. ) prepared plans for more than
million dollars worth of bridge work
in this state.
The first duty of the Commission
was to aid in getting the work of the
counties changed over to harmonic
with the new legal provisions. The
greatly increased and rapid traffic now
passing ever the highways of the state
brought forCibly to the attention of
the Commission, among the first
things, the subject of permanent
bridges. Most CT the time up to about
the first Of July, was occupied in prep
aratiCns without really accomplishing
a great deal. II was hard for the Of
fetal mind Of the various counties to
change to the attitude OF approval. The
officers thought that the legislation
that Is the foundation of the work OF
the State Highway Commission, was
a reflection upon their ability.
AT the end Of the first years ex-
perience with the new road law, | am
pleased to stand before you and say
tina. in siXty-five Of the ninetynine
counties of Iowa, the road legislation
that has oCCasioned so much comment,
has been and is an unqualified sue
vess with many of the remaining coun-
ties now giving hopeful indications.
Never before has Iowa had road law
that so infinitely defines the duties OF
road officials. Our present law is de-
finit The highways are classified.
Comfy highways have Teen establish
ed IL III of the counties but six, and
the wclk win he completed by the first
of March. The board of supervisors
look after the county roads, which in
mileage, must not be more than Is
per cent Of the total mileage of the
county. In Mahaska County, you have
about 1856 miles of county roads. The
township trustees look after the re-
naming IS per cent of the roads. Not
all of the county roads in your, county
have been definitely passed upon by
the Commission, but will be within
the next few weeks. II is incumbent
upon us to see that the main travelled
thoroughfares of one county, selected
as county roads, join in a practical
way with like thoroughfares in each
of the adjoining counties.
Among the duties Of the commission
is the approving of drainage and grad
ing plans, such part of your road work
as are of permanent nature. The
prevalent idea in some counties that
the present road law hampers the ac-
ton OF the local officials in quite
wrong. The law does not restrict, it
simply defines. County officials, as
has been splendidly Illustrated. in
more than half the counties of the
state, may and do work with and I'M
der this law as an efficient and prac-
tical instrument. # a
The county board of supervisors
must employ county engineer. who
among other things falling within his
duties, must provide bridge plans. the
same to be approved under certain
conditions by the state commission,
and he must know at the end Of any
Job that the money has been expend-
ed in accordance with these plans.
The auditor may draw warrants for