Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-01-14
KANSAS SHOULD COMMENCE
A PERMANENT ROAD PLAN

Editor Reflector: This seems to
be the proper time to suggest new
laws for the coming Kansas legis-
lature. l endorse heartily what Sec
rotary Sessions suggested in regard
to two sets of judges and clerks for
the elections and hope his recon-
mendation will be put into law.
The subject of good roads legisla-
ton will be a very live one at the
beginning of the session and the
chances are that there will be a
dozen or more bills introduced. /
believe that one bill should incor-
porate all the needed legislation but
to do this successfully and to the
credit of Kansas will require great
deal of work. I want to see one pro-
vision in the new law that will make
II easy and popular for the counties
to begin building system OF per-
manent roads connecting all county
seat towns in Kansas. This can he
done by each county levying a half
mill tax each year and investing the
funds in building four roads radiat-
ling from the county seat toward the
county seat towns in the four ad-
Joining counties. Within less than
ten years every county seat in Kan
sas, especially the eastern two THIRDS
of the state, could be connected by
a permanent road. The tax would
be very light and no bonds.
Scott township, Bourbon county
has demonstrated the success OF this
plan by building seven rock roads
} from FIT. Scott to the township line
during the last few years and at nc
time was the levy over a half mill
Everybody in that township is de-
, lighted with the permanent roads
and other parts of the county are
planning to start some system thai
, will bring the same results.
Many of the counties have desig
a mated certain roads as count!
, roads" under the present law. Thes'
, county roads carry over eighty PEI
cent of the travel and when thes'
6 roads are made permanent and ex
9 tended to connect all county sea
towns the people will really have
6 system of hard roads that will b.
: quite complete both for county, in
ter-county and state travel.
o To carry out this plan a stat
highway commission or commission
err would be quite necessary but I
4 would find plenty of important Worl
/ to do in the interest of good roaos
Kansas can probably have no FED
+ eral aid in building roads nor eve
do any road work herself until tn
constitution is changed and II thi
: plan were adopted by the presen
q legislature any county that wante
]. to begin could do the preliminar
: work at once and the tax levy coul
!, be made next fall and the work O
the roads be started before tWelV
months from the passage of tn
" law.
: Kansas is at the bottom OF tn
= list in the matter of improved roao'
- Our total of permanent roads is onl
275 miles. Ohio has 24,1O6 miles {
: hard roads and the state has a la
:, providing for system of improve
= inter-county highways and undc
= this law the people petitioned tn
. state highway commissioner tn
) wear for over 5000 miles Of perm'
, net roads. If Kansas would once g.
;. started on the right system our roac
!, would soon be improved as rapid
- as Ohio or Indiana or any oth'
v. state.
=. I. would like to hear from tt
70 good roads advocates Of Kansas Q
- this proposed law and If anyboo
~ can offer a better suggestion let
" have it. / am prepared to discu
A the matter more fully with any o.
n, interested.
g. ]. FRANK SMITH.
r. Pleasanton, Kan.
]. --