Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-02-01
aid from the county and township
road funds and from direct bcnedt

sps@s eoss@F essNs $1,000 Nss~~~
assessments.
The assessments In all cases would
be made by local commission APP
pointed for the particular purpose as
u now the case In the assessment oil
drainage benefits, and the property
owner would have the right OF appeal
from the findings of the commission II
he felt any injustice was done.
III the above suggestions are em-
bodied In a practical working plan
we believe that road Improvement can
go forward rapidly; that tho costs
will be cau.tably distributed and that
where the plan Is understood u Will
receive the cordial support OF the ma
jority of the property owners within
the state, We believe that the several
boards OF supervisors and the state
highway commission working in har-
mony In the administration OF SUCH
legislation would insure to the tax
payers OF the state honest construc-
ton at tho lowest cost consistent with
good quality.
we submit further that II the pres
cnt township road taxes were expend-
cd thru the county organizations that
much more permanent work would ne
secured The township Is too small a
unit to organize and equip efficient
| road working crews such as the coun-
ties are now operating. In order TO
, secure the best men and equipment IL
is essential that employment be con-
tinuous thruout the season, 1t Is I'M
possible for any township TO provide
such employment with the result that
the township road work generally ia
expensive and inferior in quality.
Many townships are now relying
almost entirely upon the county or
| carnations to do their road work,
| This condition has resulted partly
from their inability to secure efficient
| la Dor and partly to avoid the purchase
of expensive equipment which would
| only be used for short time each
year. In other townships expensive
equipment has which cost considera bic
portion of the township road funds
| for several years stands idle most of
| the working season because Of lack OF
| operating funds. The township road
funds now total about three and halt
million annually and far more roa q
| work should be secured each year
| from the expenditure OF these fumes.
In concluding Secretary Naylor
called attention TO the laws which
| Illinois. Wisconsin. Minnesota. Ne
| bras ska and the Dakotas as we'll as
other states have enacted for road i'm
provement.
Cerro Gordo's Experience.
Supervisor Grimm of Cerro Gordo
| county told something of the condi-
| tons in his county and of the cost OF
the paved road build between Mason
! City and Clear Lake. He said that
the first mile Of this road. built a few
years ago. was macadam and cost
about $4,000 for the mile. The second
stretch with a surface Of cement cost
about $4,000 per mile and the" last
| four miles built of the best paved road
| materials cost about $4,000 per nile.
The expense Of upkeep Of the
| macadam part of it he said was from
81 to IS per mile. He said they had
| a stretch of dirt road in their coun-
ty which they had endeavored to keep
| up and that it had cost them $500
year to maintain mile and that tbs,
stretch is constantly becoming worse.
| The supervisors present were asked
| why it was the road patrol law vas
not enforced in many counties. They
| replied it was enforced in their ZONE
counties. that there was nothing the
matter with the law. that Il was a
good and workable one but where it
had not been enforced it was due in
their judgment largely to the lack OF
| men to do the work.
| The members of the Joint house and
senate committee to frame roads
measure were named by the chair
man Of both house and senate, as fol-
lows: Representative Santee. OF Black
| Hawk chairman of the house COM
mittee. with Representatives Wester-
welt. of Green county; Weaver of Polk.