Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1915-01-27
December 4th, 1914,

GEO, E, O'CoNNoR
Dated December 2lSt 1914


Wisconsin Highway Commission
Mr.. A R. Hirst, State Engineer
Madison, Wisconsin.
Dear Sirs:- Re Villas County's proper
ton of State Highway and Bridge Aid for
1914.
At the adjourned annual meeting of the
county board yesterday 1t was discovered that
the appropriation for two bridges in this
county to be built with state sid and under
state supervision, which appropriation was
for 100000 and was appropriated by Resolu-
ton No 2. adopted by the board on the 30th
day of July, 1914, through some oversight was
not certified to the state highway commission
The only amount certified to the commission
was the $4,000 90 appropriated in September,
about the 23rd or oath, 1914,
Now under the apportionment of state aid
as it appears in your circular and as certified
to this county is S75O0.00, 1t strikes the writer
that Villas County is entitled to an additional
sum of $500 90 as one-half of the S,0O0OO
bridge Appropriation. This 81 10000 rs we'll as
the SIS, 10000 has been assessed and levied and
goes into the tax rolls this year.
The plans for these two bridges were pre-
pared by the Highway Commission, the adj
vertisment for bids was prepared and made by
the Highway Commission and the letting of
the contracts was done with the assistance,
advice and under the supervision of the State
Highway Commission and am unable to see
any reason why this county is not entitled to
the S tate aid on these bridges.
l suppose it is too late to get this money
this year but if am right about this matter
then hope you will make record of this
matter so that Villas County will next
year receive this $35OOOO state bridge aid
am enclosing herewith certified copies of
the July Both, 1914 bridge appropriation reso-
luton and ais, a certified copy of the 1914
county levy. These will show the two appro-
priations and levies,
Thanking you for your interest and friend
lv feeling often shown to Villas County and
asking that you write me after considering
this matter I am. with kind personal regards.
Yours very truly,
GEO E. O'CoNNoR.
Madison, Wis, December s, 1914.
Mr. Geo. E. OConnor.
district Attorney
Eagle River, Wis.
Dear Sir:
Your let ter of December addressed to
Mr. Hirst has been referred to me, l am en-
tirely ia miliar with the circumstances con
nected with both of these bridges but will say
that the plans and specifications for the Lost
Creek Bridge were turned over to your board
| without definite information as to whether OF
not state aid was expected and we have Lad
no advice regarding the same since that time
We have no knowledge that the bridge is built
nor have we ever approved contract for this
particular bridge.
You are of course aware of the procedure
preli minary to allotting state aid to bridges
and we will say that this is just necessary
in case bridge is built in advance as if the
bridge were built in the regular time. In
fact, there is no legal warrant for this advance
work, and if the matter were finally tested
do not know but that it would be held that
the state highway commission had no right to
allot state aid under such circumstances, but
in cases where we consider the substance of
the law had been fulfilled, we have proceeded
to allot state aid in precisely the same way as
where the letter had been complied with also
We are therefore proceeding to allot to Villas
County the sum of $3.50 which is the total
amount allowable under the law, bridge aid
being only twenty per cent, and will proceed
to make transfers to your county treasurer
when the stage of construction and the condi-
ton of the state treasury will permit,
Yours very truly.
WISCONSIN HIGHWAY COMMISSION.
ByM w. ToRKELsoN, Bridge Engineer.
Motion made and seconded that the
communication of Geo. E.O'Connor be
accepted and made part of the rec
ord of this meeting. Motion carried,
all members voting AYE.
| Report of the committee on Illegal
! Taxes was then presented and read.
To the honorable the county board Of
| supervisors of Villas county,
Gentlemen your committee
on illegal taxes, to whom was referred