South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-16
NILES ROAD To
Be OVERHAUL.ED
State Highway Commissioner
Promises Federal Aid
in Speech Here.

Residents or S0utn bend ana ~
Joseph county who attended the
good roads conference program %
the Production, Conservation and
Thrift show yesterday afternoon in
the auditorium Of the Elks' temple
not only heard interesting talks on
good road building. but were toll
some real news concerning the pro
/ posed Niles road improvement. CON
Meeting South Bend with the y.
Michigan road.
During the conference OF L. II
Wright. state highway commission
er of Indiana. said that the plans
for the Improvement Of the Niles
road are now in the hands OF the
| federal nigh commission at Wash
/ ington and that as soon as the
/ plans are returned 10 South Bend
/ the construction OF the road can
/ begin, and that half OF the cost
/ of the work is 10 be paid by the
/ state highway commission out OF
! federal funds.
New Highway Law.
The construction OF the Niles
| road will come under the provisions
/
| last general assembly. explained
/ Mr.. Wright. The law provides that
the state highway commission shall
| pay half the expense OF a road and
I the county the other half and that
the road shall be maintained by the
! commission. This is TO be done
| only when such a request is made
by a board of county commission
ers.
Mr. Wright went on TO explain
that the federal government had
/ apportioned money to be used in
/ Indiana, as well as in other states,
and that the federal money in In
! diana is to be partly used in the
construction Of the Niles road.
The highway commissioner ex-
| planned the Indiana road law in de-
tail. and he gave a history Of road
! building IL this state. He told OF
the three-mile-g ravel-road law, say
/ ing that e is the best and the worst
road law ever enacted. He said
that it made possible countless
| roads in Indiana, but that under
the plan the lack Of inspection re-
| suited in many bad roads. He said.
however, that the gravel road law
gave Indiana a start in road build
/ ing.
Spends Much for Roads.
Mr.. Wright said that Indiana has
spent more for roads than any
other state in the union. He said
that a states progressiveness can
| always be determined by the num-
/ s+-
The speaker, in reviewing the his
tory of road building in this state.
pointed out the unfairness Of tho
! system that made the farmer stand
! The greater portion of the expense
I OF such work. He said that at one
| time the farmers were the heaviest
| users Of the highways, but that now
/ only a small percentage Of those
who use the roads are farmers
| Tourists and those who convey
| freight are the heaviest users. and
for this reason the farmer should
not be compelled 10 assume the IL
nancial burden Of road building
entirely. He said that the roads
are used by all the people and they
should share the expense.
Automobiles Carrying Freight.
Commissioner Wright predicted
that there would be little future ex-
tension of railroads He declared
that it is found cheaper TO transport
much of the local freight by auto
mobile trucks.
W. J. Cleary. highway commits
sioner for Michigan. explained the
road laws Of that state. Both Mr.
| Cleary and Mr.. Wright answered
many questions from those present
relative to the road laws Of the two
states.
Saturdays Program.
An excellent program of speakers
has been provided for the confer
ence this afternoon. Those who will
address the conference are William
S. Moore, engineer Indiana highway
commission and former city engi-
neer of South Bend; c. s Peipmier.
maintenance engineer Of the UI-
nois highway commission; Prof. Il.
C.. Yoeman of Purdue university.
The conference. which will be held
in the Elks' temple, Will he preceded
in the morning by a meeting of the
township trustees.
While many were attending the
conference. others were viewing the
booths at the Chamber Of Com
merCe. Those having booths there
are the France Stone Co, Toledo.
O.; the France Stag Co.. South
Bend; the Portland Cement Co,
Chicago; J. d. Adams & Co, In
dianapolis: Standard Oil Co. South
BEND. Standard oil Co Chicago
oliver Chilled Pillow works. South
Bend: Studebaker corporation.
south Bend: international Harvester
CO.. Chicago; st. Joseph county; w.
.. Neal Co. Charlottesville; Pur-
due university; Indiana Paving
Block Co., indianapolis.
TlMIII LIN AIIcTpIhM