Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-12-08

the "pennywise pound foolish" policy,
which for years has characterized the
handling of the States highway sys-
tenn by successive legislatures.
The entire road situation is in the
air. Chaos and confusion reign. IN
certainty and doubt exist in place of
confidence and knowledge. Surely,
the condition is grave enough to re-
quire prompt and sweeping legislation,
vet there is no evidence that out of the
tangle of conflicting opinions any ra-
tional plan will be formulated by
which the States road system may be
redeemed.
How The Trouble Began
The problem, which New jersey is
called upon to solve, involves the con-
s~ervation of the entire highway system
of the State. This problem began to
manifest itself ten years ago or earlier,
when the increase in the use of auto
mobiles emphasized the lack of good
roads. This question has become more
and more complex ever since. For,
with the steady growth of the automo-
bile in popular favor and the recon-
struction of the old sand trails or mud
sire axis into graveled or stone roads Of
passable quality, came the matter of
first cost and maintenance charges
the latter an ever-growing tax upon
the revenues of the State and the coun-
ties.
Last year Cape May county expen-
ded over $4,000 on road maintenance
and the indications are that as much
or more will be needed every year to
keep up the $50 miles of roads which
gridiron the county.
What is true of Cape May county is
true to a gre alter or less extent in the
other counties of the State-everywhere
you go this question of highway main
tenance is being discussed, and always
the opinion is expressed that the
amount required will be larger with
each succeeding year. In Atlantic
county, for instance, $4,000 is expen-
ded yearly on maintaining the White
Horse pike on its thirty mile course
through the county. Hence, the de-
mand for permanent" highway sur
facing.
1t is universally conceded that the
resurfacing of the main-traveled roads
of the State is becoming a public neces-
sity. Something must be done to stop
the constantly mounting bills for road
repair work, which the counties and
the State are called upon to meet.
Hence, the Egan law, which provides
for the rebuilding of some $50 miles of
State roads by the expenditure Of the
proceeds of 81, 1000, 900 of State bonds,
approved of by the voters at the recent
election.
Egan Laws Ie6alfty Questioned
The Egan law does not provide for
road maintenance. Nor is there any
certainty that the Egan law will stand
the test of the court proceedings to
which it is to be subjected. Its oppo-
pents assert it has many weak points,
notably that it will not be possible to
do the work the law requires out OF
the amount it provides from the sale of
State bonds.
Colonel Stevens has sent word to
county engineers and boards of free
holders that they must not expect any
aid from the motor vehicle license fund
for road work until the validity of the
Egan law is settled by the courts.
This, the Colonel cheerfully remarks,
may take two years. An encouraging
outlook, surely!
In Cape May county this means that
the $50, 600 of State money, which the
county received THIS year, will not
be forthcoming NEXT year.
Furthermore, in view of the hue and
cry which the Egan law has aroused
from one end of the State to the other,
no bond house and no private buyers
dIc llhClJ " Oto Oh GBau law OOhdo
until the law itself has been reviewed
by the courts.
Cape May county's attempts to OBJ
tain legislation this winter to secure
for itself some of the advantages of the
Egan law, are not likely to meet with
much success, if directed toward a
State election for Cape May county's
benefit.
And, in the meanwhile, word comes
from Atlantic City that Justice Black
has issued a writ of c~ertiorari in pro-
ceedings brought before him to set
aside the contract for $500, coo for the
repaving of the White Horse pike
route No. 8 of the Egan law. Honor
able Carlton Godfrey says this settles
the much discussed Warrenite con-