The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1919-04-18
STATE HIGHWAY BILL
READY FOR SOLONS
Chairman Patterson, of Highway Com
mission. Endorses Andrews Mea-
sure After Thorough Analysis.
Explains Its Provisions.

Atlanta, Ga, April 1S.-Highway
legislation for Georgia will be one OF
the big question before the state legis-
lature in June. According to Judge
T. e Patterson, chairman OF the
State Highway Department, a bill
which has been prepared by Colonel
Walter P. Andrews, former state SEN
ator from Atlanta, or bill with SIM
liar provisions. will be endorsed, for
as he says, sit accomplishes what
most of the people desire in the short
est time possible"
In the first place, according to
Judge Patterson. the Andrews bill sta
l'bilizes the Highway Department by
making it part of the State Consti-
tuition and establishes state high
way system that reaches every county
seat town in the state thus giving to
each county its just share and pro
lection CT htees highways. BY anticl-
pating the automobile taxes under an
amortization or bond plan he says the
state secures sufficient funds, when
taken in connection with what is
reasonably to be expected from the
federal government, to provide for
this system, and no injustice is done
to the automobile owners in each OF
the counties for they will be securing
the benefits by having the use OF the
hard surfaced roads while they are
paying the necessary taxes to accom-
plish this result.
In the second place, as pointed out
by Judge Patterson, the bill provides
for a Highway Commission represen,
tative of the whole state, having a
member from each congressional dis
trict. who will see to it that the funds
are economically used and that each
| section of the state will secure its
| lust share at the same time. 1t also
provides for a chairman Of the com
mission of unquestioned engineering
and executive. ability; who will have
charge of the engineering forces, who
will supervise tie Work OF construGc
| ton and maintenance.
| Judge Patterson shows that there
need be no loss of time in the con
struction of this system for the rea'
son that the counties of the state may
gor forward by their bond issues and
build the parts of this system in their
respective counties, and provision is
made in the bill to reimburse those
kcounties for the cost to them, and the
state NAV then build the intervening
links connecting up the system all
over the state. In hits way the whole
system will be completed within five
years.
The state will be asked to issue
bonds to the amount of thirty million
dollars to be known as Georgia Road
Bonds. The bonds will bear interest
not to exceed five percent per annum
and will be free from any tax or other
charges leviable in Georgia, or in any
other state, and are to be retired in
twenty years.
The bill provides that the speclal
taxes to be levied by the state upon
motor vehicles shall not be less than
so percent per horse power for pas
senger vehicles; 81 each for motor
cycles and $25 per ton capacity for
trucks and tractors using pneumatic
tires, and double this amount upon
trucks and tractors when solid tires
are used, annually. The special taxes
are to be first applied to payment Of
interest on the road bonds, or the
principal, as it may fall due. The
salary of the chairman of the commits
sion, who shall be civil engineer
is fixed in the bill at $4,000 per an-
mum with reasonable travelling eX-
penses. The salary of the commits
sioners is fixed at SO per day and
travelling expenses while in the dis
charge Ct their duties. The bill
amends the state constitution and
after being passed by the legislation,
must be submitted to vote OF the
people.