Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1915-05-05
Good Roads Boom Strikes state.

tu0 TOduS OI Tie StdtS, SdlO MdASOinh
MacKinnon of Milwaukee, secretary
of the Lakes to River Road associa-
ton, calling attention to the fact that
the townships of the state at their re-
cent meetings voted for the building
of nearly so per cent more road on
the state system than they did at the
similar meetings last year.
The farmers, as well as other
classes of business men, are studying
costs and have decided that it is a
good investment for the community
to construct permanent roads. This
is development that is not peculiar
to Wisconsin. 1t exists in the same
degree in other states of the middle
West On recent visit to commune
ties in northern Illinois / found this
same settled determination on the part
of the people to get the roads inn
proved as soon as possible. A meet
ing of farmers of Winnebago county.
Ill.,, held at Rockford, the county seat,
decided to work for a bond issue to
construct the state aid roads in that
county at once, at cost of $1,000, 600.
In that part of Illinois one seldom
hears the war mentioned in conyersa-
ton. They are all talking roads.
THE problem in Wisconsin is not
whether to build roads. That has been
finally determined in the public mind,
as is shown by the action OF the re-
cent town meetings. The question
really is, how to build them so as to
get the best results for the money
invested
THE Madison board of commerce
has taken up this question with a
view of working out plan of action,
and it's representatives have been in
conference the last few days with
Governor Philip, who is known to be
a good roads advocate and at the
same time an advocate of the state
getting a dollars worth of value for
every dollar expended.
al. That the construction of high
ways under the state aid plan should
continue, and that there should be no
severe curtailment in construction,
and especially no curtailment in state
supervision.
"'2. The retention of the present
nonsalaried state highways commits
sion, with supervisory powers over all
plans and construction, and with in
creased power to supervise the main
tenance of the main travelled roads
of the state.
"'3. That legislation emphasizing
and encouraging adoption by each
county of county plan of initiating
construction be enacted as opposed to
the present town initiative plan in ef-
feet in most counties; that is, we
would recommend that at least a GER
tain fixed percentage of the local ap-
preparations be made each year by
the county board, and with the state
aid, be expended in each county in
the construction of the main lines of
travel, the less important roads to be
built later.
- That provision be made for the
oiling and continuous maintenance OF
all macadam roads constructed, and
that some system of repair patrol such
as is practiced in many states, be de-
vised.
"'5. That the county, instead OF the
town, be required to repair and con-
tinuously maintain all main lines of
travel in the county; these roads to
be kept in good travelable condition
by grading, draining and dragging and
maintained at the sole expense Of
the county with the assistance of the
automobile license money.
SO. That for the purpose of repair
and maintenance, covered in recon-
mendations four and five, all state au-
tomobile license fees be returned to
the counties, and that such fees be
increased until they are commensur-
ate with the fees in other states; and
that there be imposed a direct general
tax by the counties If the sum thus
provided is not sufficient to properly
maintain the county system.
81 That in addition to the con-
struction of the main county lines,
the state especially encourage, by
paying larger percentage of the cost,
the construction of certain important
highways reaching the main cities in
the state, and all the principal points
of scenic and historic interest.
Increase in Fire Loss.
Causes directly traceable to the two
extremes in temperature are respon.
sible for the greatest number of fires
in Wisconsin. They are chimney
fires" prevalent in winter and fires
caused by lightning. This is indicated
by the report of Fire Marshal Host
covering the last nine months. The
report shows 2S4 Chimney fires from
July 1, 1914, to April 1, 1915, with
loss of $420,9S0. In the same period
there we're 2SS fires caused by light
ming, with loss of S419,195. OF these
latter, only two occurred where the
buildings were rodded. The largest
single item was that classified as
origin unknown of which there were