Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-05-31
orArG HIGHWAY COMMISSION
MAKES RULING AFFECTING
COUNTIES OF STATE.
GRAVEL HELD NOT TO BE
PERMANENT IMPROVEMENT
Clause Inserted In Road Measure BY
Rsae4lonaries Provss Boomerang to
Mud Highway Advoeates-Prosres-
sive Counties Of State Will Now
Proceed to Hard Surface.
Special 10 Times-Repuslican.

Special TO Tlfnes-IsepupiNeAi'
Des Moines, May si-The qualify
ing clause injected into the road law
by its opponents in the recent legisla-
ture permitting graveling instead OF
hard surfacing OF roads II the board
OF supervisors elects so to do has run
up against a snag. And that snag is
that the federal aid is not available
for gravel roads, according 10 inter-
pretations by the state highway COM
mission. These interpretations appear
to coincide with the rulings OF the de-
partment at Washington.
With federal aid lacking road I'M
proyements of any permanent char
acter would cost the counties far more
IL the roads to be built measure up 10
what the government calls perman-
nent road The government says a
graveled road is not permanent road
Therefore If counties expect 10 take
advantage OF the new highway law
which contemplates the use Of fedraI
aid money they must hard surface.
Friends of progressive road legisla-
ton in the Thirty eighth general as
sembly fought hard TO keep the
graveled road clause as wSH &c
county option clause out OF the new
road law, but as a sort OF compro-
mise they finally acquiesced TO those
changes. Now IL seems that many
boards Of supervisors who can not
evade the demands of their commun-
tiles of the building OF permanent
roads would take advantage OF the
gravel clause. With the government
refusing to spend its money on
grayeIed roads the next step in road
improvement will evidently be nara
surfacing. And the indications are
that the people in progressive counties
will take the next step.
! pelueed With Queries
The state highway commission rs
deluged with requests for explanations
and advice on the new road law from
communities which would proceed
under ii. The speakers on the COM
mission are busy travelling from town
to town where they have been asked 10
explain the law. The Office force is
rushed answering the letters OF inter
ested persons with regard TO the law.
Some counties have already set the
dates OF the election when the people
are to vote on the question Of hard
surfacing their primary roads. Hence
there is much evidence that the era OF
permanent road building in Iowa Is
about to open.
Senator Walter Anderson, of Greene
county, declared during the recent
road fight that graveled roads were
unsatisfactory. Senator Anderson
word went long ways with the lesis-
lators on the question of graYelec
roads inasmuch as his home county
was the first in the state to establish
gravel roads. This was some sixteen
years ago. The senator from Greene
declared his county had found
graveled roads unsatisfactory and that
the progressive people were anxious
10 proceed to hard surfacing.
Iowa's share OF federal aid money
for permanent roads in the five year
period ending 1921 $4,000. 900. The
automobile money under the new auto
license law which takes effect Deem
Der first next year will probably
amount OF another s5.00O,000 annually
The remainder of the money for hare
surfacing, or about one-fourth OF the
cost, would be raised thru assessments
on an assessment district.