The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-03-12


!, fees and it is required that the secre
tary of state shall return to the coun
ties, for the purpose Of road main
tenance fund, one-third of all net fees
received from any county. Two-thirds
of the net fees are deposited with the
state treasurer to the credit OF the
state highway fund. Out OF the fund
thus created the state highway com
mission must first deduct its expenses
and of. the balance 80 per cent shall
be expended in the county from which
it came, provided that the county ap
3propriates an equal amount of money
The ten per cent of this balance may
be expended by the state highway
commission at it's own discretion with
out regard to its sources.
Now Collecting Data.
"The state engineer, as secretary of
the state highway commission, is at
the present time collecting all the
preliminary data that is available,
most of which is required by the fed.
eral department. and all of which is
necessary for the use of the state
highway commission. Fl
GAS the state engineer has indicat.
ed on a number of occasions. the en-.
tire success of the work contemplate
ed under the highway bill depends
upon the cooperation Of the coun-
ties and the state in their dealings
with the federal government. 1t has
been urged that the counties would
be seriously crippled by reason of the
loss of the net automobile fees, which
have heretofore been almost wholly
expended in the maintenance of roads.
1t is pointed out, however. that Sec
ton 1916 Of the compiled laws Of 1913
is amended in House Bill No. 1GS so
as to specially provide that such
funds may be expended for the drag
ging Of roads, SO the counties are not
left in a position where they are 'un'
able to maintain roads that they have
previously built. .a ....
..., Difficulties Appreciated. g.. =.
"The difficulties of it's task are full
ly appreciated by the state highway
commission and it will make every
possible effort to impress upon each
county the Importance Of its doing
it's full part. BY working together
they can secure excellent results and
enjoy the benefits of federal aid.
Working at cross purposes will defeat
the entire purpose of the highway
bill and lose TO the state the advan-
tages of federal aid.
House Bill No. 176 increases the
amount of the license fee for motor
vehicles and provides that such fee
shall be in lieu of all other taxes.
The increased fee does not go into
effect until January I, 1918.
THE purpose of this bill is to
place increased funds at the disposal
of the state highway commission in
order to meet with the annually in
creasing amount of federal aid. It is
expected that this increase will en-
able the state highway commission to
successfully meet federal aid for the
two year period, and possibly long
err, without any considerable direct
appropriation from the state.
"At least three other states have
license laws similar to the one adopt
ed by this state. ...
it," Provides for Maintenance.
blouse Bill No. 2O3 provides for
the maintenance of built roads by the
various townships. 1t provides that
in townships where there are graded
roads tax shall be levied which shall
net the township $500 per mile for
each mile of improved road, for the
express purpose of dragging the roads.
This law is an excellent one and the
beneficial results, should be immed-
late, the proper dragging Of earth
roads being fully as important as
building them in the first place.
Irrigation.
House Bill No. IT'S provides for the
formation of irrigation districts and
is of particular interest to the people
living under the. government irriga.
ton projects in Mckenzie and Will.
liams counties, although the bill is
general and would apply to any irri-
CATION projects that might be started.
All of the western states have similar
irrigation district laws, North Dakota
being at last state in which irriga-
ton work is done to adopt such legis-
laton. ..:ae
This bill provides the machinery
associations wishing to form
irrigation districts can do so and Sc
cure federal aid in the undertaking.
Little interest has been taken in
the last few years, owing
to better farming methods and the in
creased rainfall in the western por-
ton of the state. With the recur-
renee of dry years interest will pick
up again, and this new law is sure to
be much appreciated. This bill adds
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