Mexico weekly ledger., 1915-07-22
COUNTIES WANTING STATE
AID MUST FILE NOW
Frank W. Buifum Tells how to get
Money From State Road Fund
For four Highways.

Jefferson City, Mo-, July 20
Three important bulletins dealing
with various phrases Of road building
in Missouri, have been issued by Col.
Frank W. Buf'um, State Highway
Commissioner.
One of these bulletins, copy Of
which was sent to each County High
way Engineer and the presiding Judge
of each county court, deals with the
subject Of fling acquisitions and pre-
pairing plans to obtain State aid
Attention is called to the fact that
acquisitions for State aid should be
sent in at once. August / is the last
day for filing them, and if they are
not on file by that date the county
viii lose its part of the State road
fund for this year.
In order that there may be no
hitch, Commissioner Buffum suggests
that all plans, specifications, profles
and the acquisitions be sent direct to
the Aunditor's Office.
There is $4,000 to be divided
among the counties filing plans and
acquisitions.
The second bulletin relates to the
time for dragging roads and clearing
roadway of weeds and underbrush.
eve believe after investigation that
the use Of the drag fund money for
the dragging of the county seat high
ways will bring better results if they
were all dragged the same day or as
nearly on the same day as possible,
especially when the rains are gener-
i al, the bulletin says.
This plan, Commissioner Buffum
says, would result in uniform con-
dition of the intercounty seat roads.
He suggests further that the County
Commissions consult each other as to
the time for putting the draggers to
work.
| The third bulletin is addressed to
all of the commercial clubs in Mis-
souri, and calls attention to various
plans for road betterment.
Several suggestions will meet the
unqualified endorsement of automobil-
lists who have made tours Of Missouri
during the last three months Of rainy
weather, as it deals largely with the
elimination of "mud holes"
Commissioner Buffum says:
"Our attention was especially called
to what is known as the Mud Hole
Club at Nevada. This organization
has eliminated all of the mud holes
in 80 miles of road within a radius of
10 miles of the city of Nevada. With
cash subscriptions and local help in
the way of labor volunteered, more
than $1,000 worth of work has been
expended in few weeks"
The Commercial Club Of Nevada
also has formed "Shovel Club"
among its members. This requires
that each member who has an auto
mobile must carry as part of the
equipment of his car shovel, and II
| is his duty to stop and repair every
small bad place in the road over
(which he is travelling.
The Shovel Club idea is commend
ed by the Highway Commissioner,
who observes that there is no ex-
cuse for allowing mud hole to re-
main. Most of them, he says, are
caused by defective drainage, and in
the beginning could be repaired cas-
| lily and quickly.
Commissioner Buffum also recomS
mends the adoption of the macon
Idea," which contemplates that each
road leading out of town should be IN
charge of a committee of business
men whose duty it is to see that it is
kept in good repair and condition to
the trading limits of the community.