Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-31
Philadelphia Official Prob
ably Will Succeed Foster.
R. j. Cunningham, of
Allegheny, Expected to
Receive Bigelow's Place.
Gibson Introduces Bill in House
Providing for weeks Plan"
of Expending All Highways
Funds - Governor Said to
Support Measure.
trnoM A STAFF conREsPoNpENr.l !

HARRISBURG, March 3l.-The resigna-
,on of Samuel w. Foster, of Allegheny
county, chief engineer of the State High
wav department, was requested by Gov
amor Brumbaugh today. No announce
ment in regard to the selection of his sue
cessor was made, but William d. Uhler,
assistant engineer of the Bureau of High
rnvs and Street Cleaning, Philadelphia,
1, most prominently mentioned for the
place.
roster has been the right-hand man of
Edward NJ. Bigelow, who retIres tomor-
row as State Highway Commissioner, and
was in charge of most of the engineering
work done by the State Highway Depart
ment under the Bigelow administration
Robert j. Cunningham, deputy con-
troller of Allegheny County and former
state Senator. as the new State High
way Commissioner, will be at the head
Of the reorganized State Highway De-
nartment, according to authoritative in
formation today
Governor Brumbaugh's plans for the
reorganization of the department are ex-
pected to be made public within a short
fine. The reorganization will be COM
plete In preparing his plans the Cover
nor has familiarzed himself with every
mile Of the State highway system, and
has made n thorough study of road build
ing, so that he has approached the task
Of reorganizing the department with a
thorough knowledge of the conditions in
the State and the problems which the
apartment must solve.
The retiring Highway Commissioner, in
formal statement, asserted that the
failure of the 900 roads loan amend
ment at the polls two years ago is to
III for IN fniInrn Of hiu oI ioic tro
ton.
BIGELOw'S STATEMENT.
Mr. Blgelow, in his statement, said:
II accepted the position of State High
way Commissioner with the distinct
understanding that 1 was to organize the
department. survey and plan $500 miles of
roads made State highways by the Legis-
lature. 1 was to have $50,000000 to begin
the work and, acting under the authority
Of the Legislature, 1 completed the sur
yeys and plans and had them ready on
January /, 1913. Two sessions of the
legislature approved the S50,000,OO0 bond
issue, but the people defeated the meas
ure and placed the State Highway De-
partment in the position OF being ready to
go ahead with the work without money.
II believe the present Legislature, with
the help of owners of automobiles, will
have sufficient money to maintain the
State highways in good condition during
the next two years, but no money for
extensive construction work. AS I did
not take charge of the department for
maintenance work. but to make raod
system for the State. suitable for the
present and the future, and as there Is
no money in sight to carry out our plans,
/ respectfully retire"
WEEKS PLAN PUT FORWARD.
Following the resignation of Blgelow.
Representative Ralph Gibson, of Lyco-
ming, introduced n bill in the House last
night providing for the Weeks plan OF
expending all State highway funds. The
measure has the support of Governor
Brumbaugh, according to it's sponsor.
The plan is that after 10 per cent. of
the funds have been set aside for spe-
cal work by the department one-t third
of the remainder shall be expended in
the various counties according to their
total mileage of unimproved State roads;
one-third according to the total mileage
OF county and township roads, and one
third according to population, counties
In which cities of the first and second
class are located being exempted. This
last feature would eliminate Phlladel-
phia from benefiting from 80 per cent.
OF the State highway funds.
The measure was drafted by the State
Federation of Automobile Clubs, of which
Albert II. Weeks, of Chester, is secre-
tary.