The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-20
That's What Kansas Spends on
Roads and Bridges.
H. A. Rice Urges . State High
way Commission.
He MAKES REPORT TO K. E. S,
And Society Endorses His New
Legislative Plan.
Kansas Engineers Pick New Of
ficers for Ensuing Year.

Greater efficiency in the expenditure
Of money for roads and bridges in the
state of Kan: was urged by HI. A.
Rice, chairman of the committee on
legislation for the Kansas Engineering
society, in making q report of his
committee to the society today. The
society adopted his report and placed
itself officially on record as favoring
the enactment of a state highway law
as outlined in the Topeka State Jour-
nal Tuesday.
1t is understood that this is the
same law. with possibly slight mOdi-
ficatiOns. which the State Association
of County Commissioners favOrs. In
making his report, which included a
complete draft Of the proposed law,
Mr.. Rice said: sIss
1--WE know that in Kansas some
thing like 100000 is spent annual
~ for bridges and highways. That is
almost all we know about it. Where
the money goes there is no way OF
telling. The state has no system of
any kind that will enable us. to learn
whether the money is spent economi-
cally or not, or even what it is spent
for.
Kansas is not alone in experiencing
confusion in it's highway and bridge
work. Other states have passed
through similar periods of confusion
and have emerged from them by APP
plying scientific principles to the prob
lem. The path that Kansas must fol-
low tC get on a better basis is not an
unknown trial She may profit by the
experience of Iowa, Wisconsin. Illinois
and practically all of the eastern states.
1T is important to note that in most
of these state the solution has been
found by the establishment of a state
highway commission.
Made up of experienced engineers in
this way, these state highway COM
missions have been able to save money
by adopting a systematic method OF
construction throughout the counties
of the state.
These advantages have been Sc
cured without increasing the amount
of money expended on highways. and
this fact is one of the strongest recon-
mendations of the highway commission
idea.
ITO the end that Kansas may have
a share in the improvements that have
been realized in other states, the Kan.
sas Engineering Society has had 1t!
legislative committee at work on &
highway commission law. This com
mittee has drawn an act which EN-
bodies the main features of the An19S
successful highway commission laws IL
other states. 1t points the WY to bet
ter roads in Kansas without increasing
the burden upon the Taxpayers"
Nominate Officers.
The committee on nominations O
the Kansas Engineering society thi,
afternoon agreed upon the following
for officers of the society for the com
ing year: T. J. Stricken president
Alva ]. Smith, vice president, and C
A. Forter, secretary-treasurer. 1t il
customary for the report of the nomi
mating committee to be accepted
There is no dissension among the en-
gineers as to the distribution of hon
ors.
The election of officers will TAX,
place at the close of the meeting thi
afternoon, and the evening session II
Gemmell hall will close the conven
ton. The new president is enginee
for the Kansas public utilities com
mission. Smith is consulting munich
pal engineer for the city of Emporia
and c. A. Forter is office engineer 70
the city of Topeka.
: One of the most interesting feature
of the program this afternoon was al
address by E. Lee Heidenreich, con
su1tfng ngineer of Kansas City, Mo
who spoke on reinforced concret
construction. He is a recognized au
thOrity. on concrete work and ha
written several text books on the sub