Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-01-05
GOVERNOR TENER S FAREWELL MESSAGE TO
LEGISLATURE rs PRACTICAL AND PROGRESSIVE
Rehabilitation of Abandoned Canals and Construction of
New Ones Problem of Future; Amendments to State
Constitution May Be Necessary to That End; Capitol
Park Extension Is Remembered


growing. home sanitation, household
economics, etc.
Livestock
Notwithstanding the fact that the
livestock of the State is valued at
S1SO,OOO, we are compelled to depend
upon the markets of other States for
horses to do our work, and for cattle.
sheep, swine and poultry for our food
supply. PENNSYLVANIA should furnish
surplus in this line and be able to
export rather than import animals and
their valuable and necessary prod
ucts: and. to that end, its institutions
of learning and the various branches
of the State Government are encour
aging greater efforts in breeding and
raising animals
The wisdom of providing hygienic
measures for controlling the transmits
sible diseases of animals has been
demonstrated Practically. without
warning, aphthous fever, one of the
most dreaded animal plaques of the
old world, has been forced upon us.
From the Chicago Stockyards this
disease was spread to sixteen States
within n period OF two weeks. The
! disease was introduced in it's incuba-
| ton stage to practically 500 herds in
% counties in Pennsylvania. In many
cases the herds were located and
| Quarantined by State agents before
| the first symptoms of the disease had
appeared. Our livestock interests
! have been disturbed extensively.
Regulations restrictions and losses
have fallen heavily on many. For the
public good it has appeared necessary
| to destroy many valuable animals and
much personal property. The Fed
eral and State officers have promised
| to reimburse those that have been
unfortunate in this respect, in so far
as the laws and finances will permit.
The expenses have necessarily been
heavy and the funds provided by the
| last Legislature have been exhausted.
| | therefore recommend that the
General Assembly make prompt pro-
vision for the payment of bills already
contracted and for the payment OF eX-
penses necessary to continue the work
of eXterminating the disease.
Economic Zoology
The Division of Economic Zoology,
to which has been assigned all special
! work concerning fruit production, is
we'll organized. and the gratifying re-
suits accomplished by il have more
than demonstrated it's usefulness.
Original Investigations are made Tor
| the purpose of discovering succesSiul
means for suppresSing diseases ana
destroying insect pests to which irult
trees and fruit producing plants are
subject. Some of the results obtained
by reason of these studies are now be-
ing used. not only in this state, but
by biologists in other States and coun-
tries. Demonstration orchards nave
been established in every county in the
State. making it possible for any citi-
zen who is interested in fruit growing
to reach o model demonstration or
chard in less than one-half days travel
from his home.
Good Roads
Your attention is called to the fact
that on June 1, 1912. the State took
over from the counties and townships
: of the Commonwealth certain exist
ing public roads connecting county
: seats, principal cities and towns, re-
lieved the said townships and counties
of authority over said roads and as
) sumed to improve, maintain and re-
pair the same as State highway routes,
solely at the expense of the Common
. wealth. These routes approXlmated
5000 miles in length.
That such task was stupendous is
5 apparent. Many of these roads were
: not much more than wagon paths.
having no drainage system, but marked
/ by "water-breakers' and encroached
= upon by grass and shrubs.
= In order that money might be pro-
f Vided in sufficient amount for the early
= completion of this comprehensive road
T improvement an amendment to the
\ Constitution of the Commonwealth
authorizing the State to issue bonds tC
q the amount of $50, 900 900 for the i'm
i provement and rebuilding of the high
}, ways of Pennsylvania was submitted
: to the electors and failed~of approval.
:. The work done has been limited tC
o appropriations and funds totally in
), adequate to properly repair and keel
e up the extensive highway system
O adopted by the Commonwealth. Broad
: well-crowned. smooth dirt roads have
8 however, been substituted. as far a:
n possible, for the old-time. il-kep
n paths of travel. and smoth. water
: bound macadam roads have taken tn,
q place of some of the old, rough, ston!
: turnpilles.
, At the close of the season of 1871
:. there had been shaped and rebuilt ap
" proXimately $500 miles of dirt roads
and there were reconstructed approx
;, mately 500 miles of macadam. Also
Il at the close of the current seasons
~ work, there Were approximately 4S'
s miles of new State highway construc
h tion work finished; divided into three
q classes: State highway routes, State
g aid roads and national roads. Thi!
n mileage. in addition to the mileage o
n stone roads reconstructed by tn,
= Highway Department. shows q com
|, pleted mileage equal to the entire
: State highway system of Massa
:, chusetts.
new State road that has been finall!
n accepted and the bond released there
!. on which is not in first-class condition
y and for which the cost of all overhead
u expenses, including engineering. in
spection, administration and the audit
ing of accounts has exceeded Z pc
cent. of the cost of the work. Con
: sidering the area of the territory GOV
e cred. the wide range of activities anC
! attendant expenses. this overhead cos
d compares favorably with similar worl
e elsewhere. In fact the unit cost o
any tyne of work performed by th'
! State Highway Department, either b!
q contract or by force account, will ap
: near to the advantage of Pennsylvania
n when compared with almost any mu
V nicipal or other State governmen
y work.
2 The distinguishing feature of the
. departments work during the pas
Il four years has been its comprehensive
4 survey of the State highways. On June
I. 1911. when the department was re
4 organized, there was fonud a complete
: absence of maps and surveys adequate
= for its purpose. The Commissioner wal
y required, by law. to cause to be made
? n survey of all the roads IN Pennsyl
= vania: to compile statistics and collec
= Information relative to the mileage
character and condition of the roads
to make and keep for the deoartmen
. n general highway plan of the State
I n