Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-02-01
SUPERVISORS NOW
R0AO ADVOCATES
COUNTY OFFICIALS CONVERTED
TO IDEA or HARD SUR.
FACING.
SAN COUNTY SYSTEMS
SHOULD DC PAVED
Coms ittss u State Association Of Sup.
erviors Formulate Views For Pre-.
ssntation 70 IeslsIaturs--Advanee
Step Taken by Former Reaction.
aries.
Special to Times Republican.

DeS MOineS, Feb. 1.-AnOther impor-
tant meeting of the senate and house
highways committees was held Fri
committee rooms when four repre-
sentatives Of the Iowa Association OF
County Supervisors appeared before
the committee and expressed their
views on the road question. Out Of
their experiences Of attempting to
keep up and maintain roads in Iowa
these supervisors declared that some
thing must he done in furnishing more
permanent roade.
The men appearing for the road
supervisors association we're w. d.
StraNer. Of Black Hawk county. presi-
dent Of the state association: J. NJ.
Naylor. of Dallas county. secretary: |.
w. p. Hopkins. OF Pocahontas county.
Supervisors Statement.
Secretary. Nayior read the following
statement AZ expressing the views Of
the state association .of county super
visors:
Gentlemen: AS representatives of
the state association of county super
visors we present for YOUR Considera-
ton the conditions which the road
officials of the state arc now facing.
'F'irst-The demand for improved
roads are now far greater than our
ability to finance the construction Cf
such roads within our present reve
nues.
"Second-The traffic over our main
| roads is Increasing rapidly III volume
and weight, demanding better and
consequently more expensive high
way construction. The motor trucks
which are rapidly coming into use de-
stroy our present earth and gravel
| main roadways faster than we ar@
able to repair them.
"Third-There has been no change
in the laws governing, the building of
roads since 1913 and during the inter
vening period the motor vehicles
registered in the state have increased
from less than one hundred thousand
to approximately three hundred thou
sand and the use and service de-
s-manded from our highways has in
creased in like ratio.
Our highways are divided into
three systems. designated as the inter
! county system OF approximately six
| thousand miles, made up of the main
highways of each county. covering all
of the important cross state roads AMI
connecting all the county seat towns.
THE county road system Of ap-
proximately 10000 miles. which
reaches every town and trading point
not on the inter county system and
extends into nearly all of the town
ships in the state. and:
The township roads systems of APP
proximately $1,000 miles which include
all OF the loeal roads. A considerable
mileage Nethese roads must eventually
become county roads.
"The Improvement of these three
systems OF roads should go forward at
| service TO all the people OF the. state.
The improvement of the main high
| way system should be accompanied by
the improvement of the tributary or
feeder roads. The improvement Of
one system Of highways alone is not
sufficient to meet the needs Of the
chiss industry Of the state. agricul-
tufE.
| 1--WE submit therefore the following
general suggestions on which we be-
lieve plan. Of financing the cost OF
| the three systems can be based which
viii not levy upon real property either
| urban or farm lands unjust or burden
| some taxes or assessments out of pro-
portion to the benefits received.
"For the improvement of the inter-
county road system we are in favor OF
the general plan proposed by Cover
nor Harding in his message to the
general assembly. We believe the
motor vehicle license fee should be
materially increased and this fund to-
gether with the federal aid funds
should be used to pay at least 75 per
cent Of the cost of the roads built
| The remaining % per cent should be
paid by special assessments for direct
benefits and from the county road
funds.
1.-THE direct benefits assessed should
be distributed eauitably and made
payable in installmeTts il desired
Each county should be left to de-
termine the rate at which the roads
are built. We favor plan which will
allow each board Of supervisors to ex-
pend only the funds which become
available each year or to follow the
SO called Florida plan under which
the board may let contract for as
| many miles Of road as it deems ad
visable, subject to a favorable vote OF
the residents Of the county. upon a
bond issue for the amount Of the con-
tract before the contract becomes
void. 4 ts
III the latter plan is followed the
federal aid and motor vehicle fees
would be used to retire the bonds is
sued as they mature.
For the improvement Of the Sec
| ondary roads consisting Of the county
and township road systems we favor
plan under which the board of
supervisors may upon petition Of free
, holders create road Improvement
district for the purpose Of surfacing
roads with gravel or other suitable
material including road oiling.
Under such plan Of surfacing the
cost OF the improvement would be
paid from the county road funds and
direct benefit assessments and the
cost on the township roads would be
\OLDS a |