Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-27
MEASURE PASSES
LOWER BRANCH BY
COUNT OF "A TO I
Amended to Give Citizens
Appeal From Commits
sioner's Decisions.
MAIN FIGHT OF YESTERDAY
HINGED ON THIS FEATURE
Maximum Salary to Head of De-
partment Is Fixed at $4,000
a Year.
FINISH MUCH OF THEIR WORK
Delegates Complete Two Larger En-.
actments Proposed for Special
Sessions Consideration.
MAIN FIGHT OF YESTERDAY
HINGED ON THIS FEATURE
FINISH MUCH OF THEIR WORK

Passage by the House OF the meas
ure creating the State Highway Com
| mission. and defining its duties and
powers, marked yesterday distinc,
stride forward toward the completion
on the part of this body, of legislation
necessary TO put in motion machinery
for an ambitious road building pro-
gram in Virginia.
The bill received the approval of the
House by vote of 74 TO {. the mem
bers who voted against it being Dele
c., stuart. Ozlin and holland. Though
II was the subject Of a lively debate
lasting practically all day it was
changed in few essential details from
the form in which it came from the
hands Of special subcommittee.
Citizens May Bc Heard.
ment adopted to the bill was the one
offered by Delegate Charming w. Hall,
making It imperative that the COM
any. apportionment Of funds by the
highway commissioner. serve notice
that citizens who SO desire may be
heard upon the question.
This practically dsposes OF the in
sistent demand OF many members of
the Legislature that there be vested
taxpayers and freeholders on appeal
from the action OF the commiss Toner.
Under the original provision. the COM
$, D.
1ect only TO the approval of the COM
mission. A hearing for those affected
for. -
Maximum sainry $1,000.
Another amendment. offered by Dele
gate Gordon and adopted by the
House, cuts down the maximum salary
whiGh the commission may provide for
TO $4,000, with a minimum of $4,000
Ihe minimum, under the old clause
was $4,000.
AS the measure passed the House.
II provides, in short, this:
/: Ihat the Governor appoint for a
comn ceTm oi ;ss ,ons SIX years al, State hghway
profession. This appointment is sub,
ject TO approval by the Senate. and not
by the General Assembly, as the pres
ent law provides.
name a commission of five men, drawn
as nearly S possible from the five
geographical subdivisions of the
be approved by the Senate
AS to Selecting Routes.
3. In the matter of selecting routes
Tor state highways between any given
points in tho State system. the com
missioner is given original authority
is contest. the matter shall be laid
before the commission as an appeal
a.. me commissioner also will ap-
portion funds to be expended on the
highways, subject to the approval of
the commission, which, under the bill
must give public hearings before final
ly setting the seal of its approval upon
any apportionmcnt.
>. The commissioner is given final
power TO select the type of construc-
ton to be used on any highway in the
state. the position taken by the House
and could not be subject To the de-
cision of any body OF citizens not
technically trained.
Fight Centers on Gordon Amendment.
The hght in House waged yesterday
principally around an amendment Of
Tered by Delegate Gordon, who favor
ed granting an appeal to the commits
sion from all actions of the commits
sioncr. lie declared that a public ser
want given the authority which the
measure grants the commission more
nearly approached Il Car than any
thing Virginia has ever seen He
would give the commissioner the FIRST
decision in all matters, but wanted an
appeal provided from his decisions
y thunder of noes greeted an amend
men; offered by Delegate SprouI of
Augusta. providing for the election of
the five members OF the commission hy
the General Assembly. instead Of leav-
ing their appointment in the hands OF
the Governor
An amendment by Delegate Gilmcr.
designed to reimburse the counties for
roads they have built and which have
been embraced in the state highway
system. was defeated
Completes Two Of Three big Mills.
The passage Of the highway com
mission bill marks the completion, in
this body Of two of the three measures
which were introduced to accomplish
the purpose for which the Legislature
called itself in session The first was
the bill increasing the automobile
license tax 80 per cent, the increase TO
be used for construction OF highways.
while the revenue derived from the
old rate still will be devoted to main
tenance only
The House now has before it. on its
SECOND reading, the bill which pro
vides for the major portion OF the
money needed for highways. 1t is
probable that Delegate OZlin. when
this measure is reached. will move to
substitute his bill. which provides a
levy OF cents on general property
Tor state highways. reserving 8 cents
more to be npportioned under an an
preparation bill for county roads.
Physicfnn's BODY Found
TAMPA, FLA. August 26.-Thc re-
mains OF DR.. *. T. Gaywood. former
city clerk Of Orlando. Fla. were found
In a vacant lot In that city today. IIG
y, u Hal