Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-06-11

il, Is too small unit to economically
build and maintain roads. Its size
and the limited funds prohibit the
handling of contracts large enough tC
interest contractors or to secure low
bids. The function of a township in
the building of roads should be limit
ed only to the building and maintain
ing of lateral roads leading into the
main highways. Furthermore, the
township system leaves wide choice
in the amount of road taxes levied,
and one township may levy the maxi
mum. What does it avail an outlying
township if they improve their roads
to the full extent Of their resources
if there is an unpr0gressive township
lying between it and market? The
| failureof the township as road build
| ing unit is not due to the lack of in
| terest or capability on the part of
township officials in most instances,
but is due to the fault of the system
itself.
System Needed
Still another cause, equal in import
ance with the two mentioned, has
been the lack of definite plan on
the part of either township or coun-
ty officials, in the prosecution of their
road work. Without definite plan
of a road system so laid out as to
serve the most people with the least
mileage, and followed from year to
year, no county can expect to secure
a competent system of roads. SPEND
ing little money here and a little
money there througout the entire
county will never secure roads be-
ginning somewhere and ending some
where. 1t is absolutely essential that
every county within the state adopt
a system of county roads upon which
wotk may be done from year to year,
un3a it is completed. The proper
function then of a township is to
build and maintain laterals into such
county roads; that of the county to
build and maintain all main roads.
And still another cause has been
the fact that until recently the coun-
ties and townships have not had avail
able the services of practical engin-
GERS. A competent engineer is worth
many times his salary to any county
doing any road and bridge work. An
engineer is expensive at any price,
and counties in this state have paid
a heavy price in attempting to save
the salary of good engineer.
These, then, may be considered as
the principal causes which have made
road work in the past more or less of
a failure The fault then lies in the
system that we have been following
| in North Dakota since statehood and
it is not reasonable to expect that
conditions will greatly improve until
the causes nave been removed.
The experience of North Dakota will
not be different from the experience
of other and older states in the I'm
ion. all Of whom are gradually dis
carding the township as a road build
ing unit and are delegating more au-
thority in road building and the ex-
penditures of road moneys to the
county and the state.
THE FIRST STEPS
The first steps in the development
of North Dakota roads lies with the
Legislature. Primarily, sane road
legislation is need to correct the sys.
TEN and make it adequate and up
to date. However, the problem be-
fore the road builders of the state
at the present time is not to lament
the fact that our road laws are in
adequate but to work hard for the
changes needed, and in the mean
time to build the best roads that can
be made.
The first thing necessary is the
outlining of a definite system of coun-