The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1915-01-15

1909 103,448.75
1910 163,351.S8
1911 123,312.25
1912 204 ,427.1
1913 217,O47.08
1S14 ZoS,0oo.0V
The State Board of Public Affairs
has recently investigated this matter
and strongly critics the lack of sys-
tenn.
The entire subject of printing de-
serves consideration and I recommend
that some better supervision be estab-
lished by law over the matter of pub
lie printing in order that useless publ
cation may be eliminated and that
some regard be had for the probable
demand, thereby substantially reduc-
ing the expense.
State Insurance.
1t has been the policy of the state
since 1903 to assume the fire risk on
it's own buildings. The insurance car
ried on state property by the state is
reported by the commissioner as ST.
$4,000. In addition to this there is
on the statute books of the state a
provision that all property of cities,
counties, villages and school districts,
after favorable vote on the part of
boards or councils having charge OF
such public property, may contract
for their insurance protection with
the commissioner of insurance. The
amount Of insurance carried under
this provision is reported to be 81, $685.
$50, making total of insurance car
ried by the state of $19,265, 359.
The Board of Regents of the normal
schools have recently brought an &C
ton in court to compel the insurance
commissioner to turn over to the nor
NAL school fund an additional sum of
$106,800 in settlement of a loss caused
by the destruction by fire of the state
normal school at Superior. 1t is evil
dent from this that if the courts order
the payment of this amount the insur-
ance fund will show a deficit, which
means that the premiums accredited
to the insurance account in the past
ten years have not accumulated fund
that protects the state against loss
either by fire or tornado; in fact the
state has lost substantial sum OF
money by not insuring it's property.
The present condition of this fund
after an experience of ten years
demonstrates conclusively that state
insurance on the basis on which it has
been carried on is failure. l recon-
mend that the present system of state
fire insurance be discontinued, and
more reliable insurance be substituted
therefor.
Highways.
The state now is engaged in what
is generally conceded to be an extrava-
CANT system of highway building.
There is annually appropriated out of
the general fund $1,200,000 for state
aid, and 100000 to the highway COM
mission with which to carry out the
purposes of the act 1t must be borne
in mind that in addition to this the
towns and counties which ask for state
aid must each furnish an equal sum
to that provided by the state If the
appropriation for 1914 is used the total
amount expended on state aid roads
for that year would be $3,600,O00, ex-
elusive of tho expense of the commits
sion and whatever the towns and coun-
ties might have expended for super
vision. This amount is generally re-
garded by the people as excessive and
burdensome to the taxpayers.
1t would seem that the first step
necessary in proceeding with this pro-
ject is to organize, under the super
vision of competent highway eng1-
neer, staff of practical roadbuilders,
and this, it is generally conceded, is
difficult to secure. Furthermore, there
-s4sI ,,4l1 IN, IN YoiY, 6c n
practical men as to the best material
to be used in the construction of high
ways. These facts, together with the
opposition to high taxes, make it i'm
perative to proceed on more con-
sentative basis.
The condition of many state roads
that have been but recently built
proves conclusively that it is neces-
sary to make better provision for their
maintenance. 1t will be a waste of
money to go on with these great ex-
penditures for highways unless suit
able arrangements are made to keep
them in repair.
State Forestry.
In 1903 the legislature created the
department of forestry, and began the
project OF T0IOESSLluS CutOVOI tllilO0A
lands in the northern part of the state.
There is annually appropriated S35,-
900 to pay the salaries and carry out
the provisions of the act. The legisla-
ture of 1911 made an appropriation OF
S35O,OO0, distributed over a period OF
five years, for the purchase of addl-
tional lands, and the law further pro-
vides for an annual appropriation OF
$4,000 which can be expended by the
state land commissioners for the pur-
chase of lands that have reverted to
counties for taxes and for other lands.
This appropriation has been used each
year since it was authorized. The
total appropriation available to the
forestry department is $4,000 per an
mum.
The state set aside all swamp lands
that were left north of town 80 and the
department has the use of the income
from these lands derived from the sale
of dead and down timber, from tres
pass and from sales of scattering and
agricultural lands that are not suit
able for forest reserve. The state for
octor renorts that the income from this