The Mankato free press., 1919-01-17
ROADS OFFICIAL SPOKE TO
THE CLUB LAST NIGHT
ANNUAL MEET IS HELD
Officers Were Reelected For the
EnsuingYear; Other Busi-
ness Transacted
ACTION TAKEN AT MEETING OF
MANkATo AUTOMOBILE CLUB


MANkATo AUTOMOBILE CLUB
All old officers of the organization
unanimously reelected.
Three old members of the board of
governors unanimously reelected.
Hohmann, e. r. Soaring chosen to
attend the state automobile conven-
ton.
Annual report of the secretary and
treasurer received and approved. II.
T. Davis, secretary of the State High
way Transportation commission gave
a speech explaining the state bonding
plan for hard surface roads.
Association went on record as
heartily favoring the Babcock plan
for building hard surface roads.
Legislative committee given power
to act in the direction of stopping car
thefts and providing more severe pun
ishment for thieves.
Vote of thanks given n. 7. Davis
for address of the evening.
All the old officers of the Mankato
Automobile association and the three
members who with the officers COM
elected by unanimous vote at the
meeting of the association held in the
city council chambers. The officers
re- elected We're: Charles T. Taylor,
president; A. H. Silber, vicepresi"
dent: f. F. Soaring, secretary; F.
x. Meagher. treasurer. The three
men who with the officers compose
the board of governors, reelected
were: John II. Hohmann, w. j.
Morehart and Roy Allison. Charles
T. Taylor, John Nyquist, John H.
Hohmann and E. F. Soaring were
unanimously chosen as the delegates
of the club to attend the state auto
mobile convention.
At the opening of the meeting
President Charles Taylor spoke brief
ly of the work for the year, stating
that the club had done all possible for
the good roads movement. Although
money had been voted and plans made
for improvements he stated that the
labor problem had been such that it
was hard to get anyone to do the
work.
Secretary E. F. Soaring read the
secretary's report for the year which
was accepted and approved. The re-
port of the treasurer was also accept
ed and approved by the association.
Several communications were read bv
the secretary and placed on tle fol-
lowing which the election OF officers
took place.
H. T.. Davis, secretary of the State
Highway Transportation commission,
delivered an address on the plan OF
State Highway Engineer Charles M.
Babcock for a state system of hard
surface roads. Mr.. Babcock had plan
ned to speak at the meeting but was
unable to attend.
Need of Good Roads.
Mr.. Davis stated hat there was no
longer any argument as to the need
for good roads, the main question
at the present time being how they
could be built and where the funds
were to come from. He said that
years ago the prophecy had been
made that paved streets would in
time be of greater benefit in the rural
districts than in the city and that he
believed this day had come true.
ton in the economic world for the
United States today" Mr.. Davis de-
clared.
Three systems of transportation are
open for use, railways, water and
highways. Mr.. Davis declared that
the railways were a costly means of
transportation and that even were the
cost reduced the problem Of getting
produce to teh railways must be
solved. Had Minnesota had proper
highways in the past year in trans
porting wheat alone they would have
meant q saving of $1,650,000 the
speaker claimed.
Even now the traffic on gravel
roads is increasing greatly with cars.
A census taken on thirty four roads
in the state during the past year
showed As per cent of the heavy
hauling was done by auto trucks and
55 per cent by horse and wagon and
that "a per cent of the light hauling
was done by cars and but per cent
by horses.
Hauling to Increase in Years.
1--WE cannot estimate how the
amount of heavy hauling is to in
crease in years 10 come. Suitable
roads must be provided for this work.
We are face to face with a system of
highway construction and we must
build on a larger basis" said Mr..
Davis.
Duding the war, he said, a new need
for motor transportation was opened,
motor trucks often replaced the trains
and more will continue to do so in
the future. Mr. Davis stated that the
Babcock plan for financing and
building a proper system of hard
surface roads in the state would "jar
Minnesota loose"
The plan of the state highway COM
mission to bond the state for $780,
100000 for the construction of a
system of hard surface roads was
then explained in detail. A map show
ing the system of roads Mr.. Babcock
plans to have built was displayed. In
order to pass this measure it would
be necessary to amend Article 16 of
the constitution which provides that
only counties shall have jurisdiction
over road building. Mr.. Davis stated
that practically all of the legislators
in both the house and the senate this
year had agreed to support the meas