The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-12-28
PRESENT LAWS IN GREAT NEED
OF REVISION, is OPINION
EXPRESSED.
STATE IS URGED TO
SECURE FEDERAL AID
SUGGESTION Made That the Legislature
Appropriate Funds From Auto axes
Several Measures PROPOSED.

Good roads Legislation which the
next session Of the legislature VIII. De
urged TO enact was outlined at Il con-
! ference held here yesterday by several
! LEGISLATORS of the northern section OF
III State and State Highway Engineer
\. d. Williams. of Morgantown.
! Among those in attendance We're
Senalors-clccl Elmer Huugh, Of Wells
burg. and Walter A. Burgess. OF Read
i or, WetZel county, and Senator H. l..
Gregory, of Parkersburg, all of whom
are greatly Interested in the good
roads movement
The object of the meeting. which
was held in the Wheeling Commercial
| Association room. was to discuss pro-
posed laws and 10 prepare a compre,,
hensive codifcation Of present road
laws which are the patched up product
OF six or seven legislatures. The pres
ent laws are greatly in need Of revl-
sion, it was said, and all present al
Yesterdays conference expressed the
! opinion that they need rewriting and
should be made palmer.
Should Accept Federal Aid
The necessity Of West Virginia
taking advantage Of the aid ofierca
by the federal government IN the up
keep of highways was also empha-
sized at the conference. 1T is lmper-
ative that the next legislature take
steps to insure the states receiving
| the benefits Of federal road aid MIR.
Williams told an lntelligencer report
or following the meeting. Under m
act passed by Congress, West Virgin
la was this year entitled TO receive
from the federal government $52,2!0,
provided the state furnishes nke
sum-" Mr.. Williams explained. Next
year, 1917. West Yirginia's share VIII
be twice this years sum, or $lO4 ,54o:
in 19IS, it will be three times the
amount, or S15G,Sl0: in 1919 it Will De
four times, or $2O9.0S0, while in 1870
it will be five times this years sum,
or SCI $50. this money 10 be recelV-
ed on the condition the state provides
a like amount"
The opinion was expressed that the
legislature should appropriate 1unds
to insure the states RECEIVING lhIs
} federal aid. and the suggestion was
made that the legislature should pro-
vide these funds out Of the state an'
. itomobile license taxes. which are
growing in amount each year and. Ii
is estimated, will average between
S230,000 and 100000 during the next
five years. -
. al the discretion OF the legislature
THE suggestion was offered Fesler-
day that the legislature should appro-
pirate the money to the various coun-
lies according TO their taX-paylnS
ability, The federal government has
three plans for distribution, based IN
The population, the area and the roaG
mileage. A similar plan might De
adopted by the state with reference
Ito distribution among the counties, II
was suggested.
Wants Auto Laws Revised
| Senator-elect Hough Of WellSDurS'
Ipresidcnt of the West Virginia STATE
Automobile Association. who looX
part in the discussion at YESTERDAY
conference. has prepared several
measures which he hopes 10 have en-
acted into law. One bill would resu-
la1e traffic on all state highways.
Mr. Nou%h contends tho present slhii
tutr in this respect is lnddequai" anu
is not enforced Will" his proposed
measure provides proper penaitles
for violations and would prove eliec-
tive is enforced. ,,
Another measure proposed by Mr..
HOugh would place automobile license
taxes on Il graduated scale. Al pres,
en1. the license is $40 for any and all
kinds of automobiles. while under the
proposed measure, smaller MACHINES
would be taxed at lower rate. the lax
ito be increased according TO me size
and power OF the machine. The pro,
iDosed minimum rate would be IS ana
the maximum SO. 49,,
Another suggestion offered at me
: conference was the drafting OF a Dill
: proposing special road tax on heavy
motor trucks. II WAS pointed out lhal
MARYLAND has such tax. Inc rale
!, being fixed according 10 the capacity
, of the truck. The rate on a truck oil
from three 10 six tons capacity Is one
twelfth Of Il cent per ton per H''e,
!whilc on trucks of more than SIX IONS
;capacity, the rate is one-tenlh OF
cent per ton per mile: j.,
This plan Is especially cHccliNc III
m,ririnaIjtics, it is claimed. II was en-
= rlaiurd that heavy trucks arc very d.
, struCtivc on roads even the DrS' con
sirurlrd highways and roads "hirh
easily withstand ordinary lraftic' are
often ruined BY truck traffic. The equity
, Of u Sp"cial traffic ChaiS" on heavy
trucks is therefore arparcnt.
| Millions In Good Roads.
Durin,r Tho four yeats Mr.. Williams
has occupied the position ~ SlHar ~ !,',n
wr,. engineer more than $l"."n".VOO
hnyr hrrn voted i'm various committees oi
IN state for road improvement. III l'l'
alone there rXp"ndilnr" Of NOR" IMAM
e. 900 900 has hcen authorized by c"nh-
ties and districts ,r;,;,,,., I'm,
II the beginning nj Mr.. Williams m
! .un,Irmrv There were lrsS than 80" miles
of innrGvch highways In The state ~
nrosput there arc more than !,"nh MUGS
~ in,nrnvcd rnatS. either completed or
), provided for.
nlnNrcUIIIC n