River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-05-10
centraIize Road Building Authority.

building and maintenance, and to rel
duce the number of town highway SUI
perintendents, road bosses or pathmas7
tiers from 10000 to 1,200-one only for
each township-are the principal OBJ
jects of Senator Hansen's bill, No,
HAS, which recently passed the upper
house unanimously and is TO come up
before the assembly at an early date.
These town superintendent have
control Of town highways only. Under
their direction about $5,000,000 is being
spent annually.
"Everybody's business is nobody s
business" said Senator Hansen. lit is
hard to find the person responsible for
bad pieces of road with SO many high
way officials. Eastern, western and
southern states have wiped out small
road district policy. Extreme local
highway administration Of road build
ing must yield to town, county ana
state control, if we want to get 81
worth Of good road for every collar or
tax"
The bill repeats provisions OF the
statute giving town boards the power
to select one or more superintendent
of highways.
To Elect Superintendent.
Provides for election of Superlntend-
ents of highways at spring election.
Requires the state highway conmls-
soin on request to furnish engineering
counsel and advice to town superln'
tendents of highways.
Provides: First, for the election In
April, 1918, of a town superintendent
of highways, term of Office two years
second, on petition of 25 taxpayers. the
town clerk requires submission al
April election of the question as TO
whether or not town boards may ap-
point superintendent Of highways.
Prescribes somewhat in detail duties
of town superintendent Of highways.
Outlines method of accounting and
reporting by superintendent of high
ways.
Gives town boards authority to pay
expense for use Of an auto truck by
town superintendent of highways not
in excess of SOU year.
Salary of superintendent of high
ways to remain as now fixed at SOU
per day, unless raised by town board.
Superintendent of highways to be
under the supervision and direction OF
town board.
Farmers Win Big Victory.
The farmers Of the state won a
very decided victory when the lower
house of the Wisconsin legislature sent
to engrossment and then passed under
a suspension of the rules the j. =.
Hanson bill giving the railroad com
mission power to pass on the question
of railroad sites for warehouses. AT
the present time the granting of rail-
road sites is entirely within the discre-
ton of the railroad company. The
Farmers Equity society, with 4O4 shin
ping places in the state. petitioned the
legislature to pass bill giving this
power to the Wisconsin railroad COM
mission. The bill was reported for In
definite postpOnement by the assembly
committee on transportation. After a
full explanation of the matter the
house. by q vote of 73 to 3, overturned
the committee report, engrossed the
bill and passed it.
Recess to Plant Corn.
Plans are being made by members
Of the assembly for nominal sessions
in that body for the week of May z
to II in order to give the farmers an
opportunity to plant corn. This Ques-
ton Of an ostensible recess OF the as
sembly was discussed by the body.
Some of the members favor the recess
for the week of April 80 to May z.
II do not think we should take a
recess next week." declared Assembly-
man Weston Woodland y Of Chippewa
county, one of the leading farmer mem7
berS. "We do. not need help in Seed
ing as much as we do in planting corn
For this reason / do not believe the
assembly should take a nominal ad!
j0urnment until the week commencing
May z"
Many of the farmer members, how
ever, have asked for leaves of abs
sence during the present week and
the probability is that for the next
two weeks the attendance in the as
sembly will be much smaller than
usual. Over one-thrid of the assembly
is composed of farmers.
According to the records the assem1
bly, is about two weeks in advance of
the senate in legislative work accom-
plished. The assembly worked Easter
week while the senate remained at
home.
Should absence be granted to the
farmer members for the week Of May
z the assembly will still be in session
but will consider only bills Of smaller
Importance.
The first step toward carrying out
the plank of the Republican party plat
form favoring a legislative investiga-
ton of the subject Of social insurance
will probably be advanced. The as
sembly committee on education and
public welfare has recommended for