The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-01-27
Would Create New Depart
ment Consisting Of Three
Members Instead of One
REDUCES POWERS
OF TOWN OFFICIALS
Appropriates $4,000 for Investigation
and Report--Legislat,ire Is Behind
in its Work-House WIN Act on
Sheppard Amendment Tonight.
Special to The Reformer.)
NONTPEIIER. Ian. !

MONTPELIER, Jan. %.
Legislators are slowly drifting into
Montpelier from all parts of the state
today in readiness for the opening up
this evening of the fourth week of the
general assembly and, according to pre-
dietions, il is to be some hummer of
week
This evening the house will take up
the second reading of the proposed
Sheppard amendment, and will proba-
bly, order it to third reading FOR to-
morrow morning. 1t is rumored that,
if this amendment is ratified this week,
bill will Immediately he introduced
TO put Vermont on the water wagon by
May !, or possibly before that date.
This rumor is stiil floating about with
no apparent parentage
The proposed highway law, drawn BY
/ the patrol committee of Vermont, and
which has already been discussed, ap-
peared about the state house this morn
ing in full in pamphlet form The bill
is entitled: An act to establish n
state highway department and to de-
| line It's powers and duties; and vesting
therein powers and duties now devolved
by law upon the state highway COM
mission.
| Among the provisions of this new
| bill are: the creation of 4 state high
way department TO he governed by
/ three members, of whom one shall be
the governor of the state, ex-oiiieio, an.
| other the state engineer, ex-offieio, and
! the third member TO be appointed by
! the governor; the, maintaining at state
capital of an Office for this highway
department; the employment of an ex.
| pert highway engineer to make an in.
| vestigation of highway conditions in
the state and TO make a report not la
ter than Dee. l, 1921, recommending for
the adoption of the general assembly
of that year definite plan or system
of state highways; the abolishing OF
the Office OF state highway commits
sioner and the taking over of the pow
ers of that Office OF the new state high
way department and the striking out
of section 1856 of the general laws tn,
words "the selectmen and town roaf
commissioners, subject 10 the approv
al of the state highway commission
and inserting in place thereof the word
state highway board also the strik
ing ont Of the words .but the select
men and road commissioner shall b,
consulted in regard to such plans. ant
the location Of such work. - The ac
also appropriates the sum of $4,000 t,
, be used for the expenses of the investi
, cation and report mentioned above.
Comparative statistics show that tn
Legislature is still behind on its pro
/ gram, although more hallway has beel
made during the past week. The frs
- bill was signed during the session o
nj 1917 on the I'D day of January or tn
!, Goth day of the session. The present ses
/ sion has reached the Goth day with n
i bills ready for signature and it
9 doubtful if any bin will be ready fo
a the signer's pen this week.
n On the 10Th day of the session 0
1917 there were 147 bills before tn
Legislature. On the 10Th day of til
!. session of. 1915, 1s3 bills were up fo
consideration. Today, the Goth day @
n the present session, there are but Q
bills in evidence.
From this survey, it would look s
: though something must happen durin
; the present week if the present sessio
e is to maintain record for efficier
$ management and speedy action. A
IS though there have been predictions ths
o there would not be SO many bills :
is usual this session this prediction eal
not he relied upon entirely and it seen
safer to bank on human nature and {
n peet that there will be deluge at II
last moment.