Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-01
SENATE CERTAIN TO APPROVE
STRENGTHENING OF
LAW.
PROBABLE HOUSE WILL
: FINALLY ACCEPT MEASURE
Made Up From Best Featured Of Num-
srous Bills, Both Senate and House
Chairman Baikema Prepares Synop'
sis Covering Important Fsatures-
Relations Of Officials Defined.

Des Moines. April 1.-The highway
bill is ready for action by the senate.
1t may be passed today or the action
may be deferred. There is said to be
very little doubt it will pass the SEN
ate, and If it gets a good majority there
will pass the house and become a law.
Friends of good roads declare that the
passage of the bill would go far to-
ward perfection of the administrative
system for the handling Of the road
question in Iowa. The bill is made up
of best features from many bills, botn
senate and house bills. Senator Bal
kema, who quite as much as any other
was responsible for the good roads leg
isation Of the past two or three SEES
sions, as chairman of the highways
committee, has charge OF the bill. he
has prepared a synopsis of the bill ana
explanation for the benefit OF the sena-
tors, the principal points of which are:
Section / requires members of the
highway commission to give personal
bonds. Present members have given
bonds voluntarily.
The second section provides for
plans and surveys for elimination OF
dangerous railway crossings, taken
from the Farr bill; also the assistance
to the counties by highway commission
in defense OF patent suits, and plans
and surveys for road work on ROADS
thru and adjacent to state property
under Jurisdiction Of the board OF
control.
Relations Defined.
The third section states definitely
the relation of the county board ana
county engineer, gives the board pow
er to discharge engineer for cause ana
the highway commission power to dls-
charge engineer for incompetency. IT
provides for extension Of county ROADS
along corporation lines, and Tor I'M
movement OF same from county road
funds.
Culverts and bridges are classified
and provision is made for minimum
roadway Of twenty feet over cuiverts
Township trustees shall place all
temporary culverts and farm entrance
crossings ON county road systems, ana
make repairs to existing culverts.
Appropriations may be made from
the county and township road funda
for the elimination Of dangerous rail-
way crossings on both county, and
| township road systems. There Is now
no definite authority by which either
the county or township boards may
participate in such improvements.
Crossing Protection.
plans for Improvement Of dangerous
railway crossings are to be furnished
the counties by the highway commits
sion.
Contracts for grading roads to be
let, where large sums are involved. the
same as for bridges. This provision
,, recommended by the Joint committee.
Repeal Of provision requiring publ
cation Of resolution Of necessity notice
| relative to bridges and culverts. Rec
commended by the state convention OF
| supervisors.
All mail routes and roads in consol-
idated school districts to be included
| in the dragable roads selected by the
| township trustees.
Townships may contract with board
of supervisors to do road work on the
| township system using county equip
| ment without cost for rent or repair to
said equipment.
| Board of supervisors shall furnish
material for temporary culverts to be
placed by the trustees on the town
| ship road system: also trustees shall
! grade the roadway over culverts and
| at approaches to bridges on the town
ship system up to the maximum cost
OF $3.50. Above this amount the filling
shall be done by the county.
Trustees shall make report on town
ship road work. They shall also re-
port and recommend to the supervisors
the number and kind Of culverts and
bridges need in each township each
wear. There shall be report Of the
county engineer at the end OF eacn
calendar year.
Provision is made for removal OF OBJ
stacles in the public highway.
County Road System.
| Provision Is made for additions and
changes in the county road system
when mistakes or errors have been
made in the original designation, or to
eliminate dangerous turns at railway
crossings or expensive bridges, or to
shorten distance between market
points, or to decrease the cost OF i'm
proving and maintaining roads.
County and township boards shall
place danger signals on the highways
| where accidents are likely to happen
to motor vehicles or other tra1ic.
| Responsibility Is definitely fixed for
the first time for the Improvement of
state, county, township and corpora
ton line roads.
| Unexpended balances in the township
road drag fund to be transferred to the
| township road fund. This passed the
house last session, failed to pass the
senate but was signed by the governor
by mistake and appears In the supple
ment. There is now balance In many
| townships not needed for dragging and
| which should be available for other
purposes.
Reduction is made In the percentage
of the state motor vehicle tax which Is
| for the purpose Of maintaining the
state highway commission from Stto
per cent.
Reduction is made in the percentage
OF this tax retained by the state from
ITO s per cent
Ninety per cent OF the entire motor
vehicle tax Is to be distributed to the
various counties in proportion TO the
number Of square miles OF area.
All bills Of the highway commission
| to be audited by the executive council
| and paid directly by the state treas
L