Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-01-05
HIGHWAY COMMISSION IN AN
NuAL REPORT MAKES lMPoR-
TANT RECOMMENDATIONS.
fFRoWNs UPON AUTO
RACING ACROSS STATE
Patrol System Of Maintenance Held to
Be Necessary-Some Form of Bond
Issue Must Be Provided to Procure
b Permanent Road System, Commits
sion Concludes.
10 Times-Republican.

Special 10 Times Republican.
: Des Moines, Jan. Sin It's annual
report, fled with the governor yester-
day the state highway commission
recommends that Iowa adopt set OF
regulations for motor traffic similar
to the rules adopted by the state OF
Ohio. The increased use OF the high
ways by traffic of this character, says
the commission, demands that reason
able regulations be enforced on the
public highways.
at would be Of immense service,
declares the commission in its report
TO the road user TO have but one set
of regulations in force turnout the
state. The commission probably VIII
issue a set of suggested rules ana
regulations during the coming year.
The commission declares that cross
state auto races are not proper uses
for the roads and lead TO disregard
of the state laws and municipal regu-
lations by others who use the roads.
, The Iowa dirt roads are not and
probably never will be proper surfaces
on which TO attempt 10 maintain hlgn
rates Of speed over any considerable
mileage" says the commission. There
are times, of course. when high speed
is possible. but the publication OF high
rates Of speed obtained and continued
Cor some hours gives the wrong i'm
preston of safe uses that can be made
of the ordinary dirt road. Reckless
driving is Immediately responsible for
most Of the accidents which have
come under our observation and every
road race prompts an utter disregard
Of all laws of safety in the use OF the
roads"
Patrol System Recommended.
The commission recommends
patrol system of maintenance. On this
feature It says. practically all Of
the eastern states on their improved
roads have found 1t necessary to de-
yelop a patrol system Of maintenance
On Iowa roads which carry only a
natural soil. sand. clay or gravel sur
face, the patrol system OF maintenance
is absolutely necessary to insure the
proper up-keep OF the roads,
. AS to financing road and bridge inn
provement the commission IS of the
opinion that some form Of bond must
be provided II the permanent road
work is to be carried on as rapidly as
is desirable. The commission points
out that there are a large number OF
counties. which, because Of the large
proportion Of their road funds required
for repair work, will not be able to
do either permanent bridge or per-
nanent road work out OF their cur
rent funds for a considerable number
OF years. and some other method must
be developed for financing these i'm
provements. The most expensive
character Of road work Is the tempo
rary patch work. such as many coun-
ties are finding It necessary 20 do out
Of their current tax levtes," declares
the commission.
Auto License Funds
The commission believes the auto
mobile fund should be set aside and
used only FOR the permanent improve
ment Of the roads. Every state that
is making a decided advance in the
building Of permanent roads IS accom-
plishing this object thru the direct
establishment Of some form Of state
aid" says the commission. Due 70
the form Of taxation in this state. any
state tax on property that might BE-
levied would be the same as direct
county tax but the commission believes
that the automobile license tax should
permanent Improvement Of the roads
1t is believed that this would encour-
age the building OF permanent ads
and would also meet the approval Of
those who pay the license"
As to Convict Labor.
The commission discussed convict
labor and says that Convict labor Is
economical on work which requires a
considerable amount Of hand work
which can not be done by some form
Of machinery. Convict labor IS not
economical on work which can bs
economically handled by machinery
such as dirt moving in ordinary soils.
In rock excavation the use Of convict
labor would probably be economical
The best use Of convict labor in this
state is in quarries in the preparation
of road materials There is not a large
amount Of first class stone but there