The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-01
County Engineer Eliminates
Red Tape From Road Work.
He Expects and Is Getting
Much Criticism.
OFFICE FORCE is INCREASED
Commissioners Give Engineer
Free Hand in Construction.
Building Permanent Highways
New to Shawnee Co.

A half million dollars will be spent
by Shawnee county on good roads this
year. The expenditure of this sum of
| money is unprecedented in the county
and has called for the introduction of
, revolutionary methods in the work of
{ the county engineer.
AS the work of spending the money
has progressed, the county commits
sioners have introdh ced a new system
of handling the work. They have
thrown down the bars to the man at
the head and have instructed proper
officials to permit John E. Williams,
| county engineer. to employ all the help
necessary in road work.
That is just what any big business
concern would do" said Williams to-
day.
Criticism of methods pursued by the
county commissioners is expected and
has begun There are those who tell
the stories that Williams has put a
800 assistant engineer on the job,
who does nothing. and that Williams
/ has been trotting around the country
at large.
Criticism Expected.
THAT story doesn't surprise me a
bit" said Williams. TITS the first
time the county has ever undertaken
such a big task and there's bound to
be a hundred stories afIoat. I went
TO Fort Scott at my expense to attend
good roads convention 1t was a
terrible thing to do to see how the
Bourbon county hard surfaced roads
were constructed and to do it at my
own expense, too.
II took a weeks vacation. During
that vacation l visited at Marshall
town, Mo, and examined roads How
many others took vacations during
the summer?
Yes. 1 have put on extra men. I'm
going to put on some more Monday.
Shawnee county was never in the
hard surfaced road business before
and l suppose some are rubbing their
! eyes TO see business run on such a
scale. Doubling and TRIPPING the ex-
peuditures and work of this office will
I increase the working force. wouldn't
that be true with a business concern ?
In short, the county commission
ers have picked me for the man to
/ build the roads. They have unwound
as much red tape as possible and have
given me full sway. If there's a mis-
take made it IS my mistake. Ism that
/ the way to do? I might be the wrong
man for the job. But they have
| picked me to do it and they're giving
me free rein"
Make Big Expenditures.
The regular road budget alone this
year calls for an expenditure of $142,-
I In addition there are two big bridgt 3,
( the Menoken and Soldier creek
! bridges ordered by the drainage board
These structures will cost $4,000. All
this money will come out of the regu-
| lar taxes.
That, However, is a drop in the
| bucket compared to the big job of
| building the Big Springs hard sur
/ faced road from Topeka to the Doug
! las county line. Williams estimates
that this road will cost s250,0OO. Sur
veyors are working on the highway
now preparing data for plans and
! specifications to be submitted to the
| state highway commission. The gov
eminent is expected to FURNISHES per
cent of the cost of the road
The money for this improvement is
raised thru tax on the benefit district
and other sources in the county and
| township.
Plans and specifications for the
West Tenth street road will be sub
mitted to the state highway commits
sion for approval within a week On
account of heavy work in the engi-
neers office, the preparing of plans
and specifications for this highway
has been placed in the hands of the
| county GrlrvovOr