The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-03-19
Trail. East
West Main
100 IT..

100 IT.
Posts must be set in an unobstruct-
ed view outside the fence in ground
belonging t. the road.
These road markers to be placed at
every mile unless at some cross road
which has been legally vacated. This
gives the public confidence for they
are certainly on the watch for mark.
ings. Also the traveller knows when
he strikes the trail from a cross sec
ton road. We believe this system of
marking will cover every road con.
dition in our state.
1t is unfortunate that the last legis-
lature which created the state high
way commission did not make some
provision for the activities of the COM
mission. There was no appropriation
made for salaries or expenses of the
commission, not even postage, rail
road fare OF stationery. We are pay
ing these out of our own pockets.
This is more than can be expected of
us by the people of the state. No other
commission has been compelled to pay
its own expenses, and give it's time
free gratis for a great movement
which Is of benefit to the state.
While we are seriously hampered
in our work, yet every member of our
commission has given his time and
best efforts to every call to appear at
public meetings throughout the state,
and gave counsel and helpful sugges-
lions at all times both at meetings
and by correspondence.
We find that the dragging of high
ways is proving Of great value in
maintaining our dirt highways prop
erly built, and the use of this import.
ant feature Is increasing rapidly. We
shall urge the use of the drag at all
road meetings. They car be bought
at the local machine establishments.
The Bureau Of Good Roads of Wash
ington, d. c., issues a pamphlet on the
value of dragging the highways which
is instructive.
We find also that the wire-tired
wagons are constantly more in evil
dence, and the farmers using them tell
us they would not do without them.
They pull easier by keeping the road
smooth and packed. The wider the
tire the better. In some states they
are exempt from taxation in order to
encourage the use of them.
We are able to report with great
pleasure that the growth Of the good
roads movement is progressing very
satisfactorily. Under the new law
passed in 1911, known as the Issen.
huth law, any county could avail
itself of the option clause to submit at
the next general election 1912, to as.
certain whether the people of that
county desired to operate under the
law. The following counties voted on
this proposition:
Mcpherson, Roberts, Sphinx, Hamlin.
Kingsbury, Buffalo, Moody, Turner,
Brown, Day, Clark, Deuel., Brookings,
Sanborn, Minnehaha, Lincoln, Mar.
shall, Grant, Codington, Beadle, Stan.
ley, Miner, Clay, Hutchinson and
Union.
The results were that the law wa
endorsed by all of these counties by
an average vote of more than two to
one.
1t is also especially gratifying to
note that while the levy for road pur.
poses by the counties of the state in
1912 was less than 500, 000-only q
few counties making levies at all
yet, in 1913, %ifty-three counties levied
a total Of $561,622, being more than
five and one-half times the amount OF
the 1912 levy.
Only seven counties made no levy.
They are Codington, Grant, Hamlin,
Lincoln, Moody, Sphinx and Turner.
This shows a marked increase for
funds to be used in road building.
In addition to these levies there are
the levies by townships throughout the
state which we roughly estimate at
one-half million dollars, making in all
over a million dollars which will be
used for road work in 1914.
Respectfully submitted,
e. c. Issenhuth,
N. o. Monserud.
Ben M. Wood,
Members of State Highway
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