Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-30

! awarding contracts to favored contractors
| at excessive prices.
! The infamous "Warenite" contract
that bound the state to pay an additional
| 8 per cent of the cost of the Construc-
| tion of all new State highways and pro-
| hbited the use of any other surfaclng
| material was made during his term.
! Governor Brimhaughs opinion OF Bige-
! low, as frequently expressed by him dur
| ing the campaign, was that the retiring
| Highway Commissioner lis an excellent
| engineer. a builder OF good roads.
In appointing Bigelows successor, Gov
ernor Brumbaugh is expected to select
man for his executive ability, rather
than his engineering training. Engineers
can be hired while executives are hard
to find," he has said.
The name of Robert Cunningham,
Deputy Controller of Allegheny County
Is most frequently mentioned today as
Bigelow's probable successor. The APP
pointment Is expected to go to Allegheny
County, whether the man selected is Cum
ninCham or not.
The Governors plan for reorganizing
the State Highway Department Is not
completed as yet, and the retirement of
Bigelow as the head of that department
has, to certain extent, been forced
upon him by the county leaders who have
been besieging him for weeks to reor-
ganze the department. so that work on
the state roads can start in time this
spring.
Governor Brumbaugh, however, con-
slders the present state highway sys-
TEN, which involves almost 10000 miles
OF roads, as cumbersome, and too un-
wieldy to handle in the present financial
condition of the State.
GOVERNORS PLANS.
His final plans for reorganizlng the
system will not be completed probably
for many months yet. In the meantime,
the program is to materially cut down
the size of the system.
There are $50 miles of roads that the
State took over a number of years ago.
These will be retained by the State, ac-
cordng to the present program The
remaining mileage, amounting to nearly
5000 miles, the State is not required un-
der the Sproul act TO take over until
June 1 next. The present intention OF
the Governor, according to Administra-
ton leaders, is to introduce in the Legis
latlIre bill eliminating all but the orig
inal SS5 miles of the State highway sys-
TEN for the present
The highways work this year would be
done on this original part of the present
system, and upon the dirt roads of the
state, which. according to Governor
Brumbaugh in his campaign speeches and
in his inaugural address, need repair
first of all.
The Governor will continue to confer
with engineers and to study the State
highway situation for several months, the
leaders understand, and then outline a
definite plan for placing the highways of
Pennsylvania on par with those of any
other State in the country
COUNTIES MUST HELP.
The plan which has appealed most
strongly to the Governor so far would
have the State own only the principal
trunk lines between the larger cities of
the Commonwealth. The principal feed
ers'' would be State-ad roads, with the
counties paying half of the cost of con-
struction and maintenance. The smaller
feeders would be township roads, and it
would be up TO the townships themselves
to maintain them.