The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1920-01-08
Starting =" Points of County
Roads Will Be At At Discretion N 4 !.
of Local Engineers T.
COUNTY AUTO OWNERS n
- =, a
PAY LARGE PORTION.
Approximately $i63,,44o; Enor.
nous Amount Of Good Z.
Roads in Return II

of the Sixth regiment of the Mime
sofa national guard, at the noon-day
luncheon of, the sBemidji Civic and
Commerce association, held Wednes-
day, Arthurs,J. Donovan, representa-
tive Of the Minnesota Highway Inn
provement association, explained
thoroughly the benefits to be derived
by all residents of this state with the
passage of,Amendment, No. l, cover
ing the Babcpck>plan fora trunk sys-
tenn Of yhfghways#in the state. .
He pointed out first of all the
necessity of every person knowing
and understanding Just what the
No. i really,is, to decide
how to vote on it when it appears on
the ballot this fall: Failure to vote
on it at all is counted as a vote
against. - ,
Seek More Publicity.
The object Of the campaign, which
is being carried on a present, Is ia
raise sufficient funds TO finance
larger campaign. of! publicity for the
good roads, plan A. = Under tho more
extensive campaign prominent speak.
ers will be engage to travsl extens-
lively throughouta;thet entire state
reaching all the residents by city
gatherings, farmers meetings and the
like, .,,,. :" .'' -. ''- 49, III ~
From figures compiled in the: Of.
fees, ofthe. Improvement association,
it is estimated that by. mid summer oi
1921 there will be approximately
100000 motor vehicles in operation
IN 'this@state. 9' The proceeds realized
from an increased rate of taxation On
these motor vehicles, at an average
of SIS per car, will be, used for th@
construction and main ntenance Of til
paved main and 'arterial roads which
will. amount to-. about 1000 miles
the trunk system: - = q
Feeder Lattefsls. i
For the construction and mainten:
ance of the graveled cross or feeder
roads, which will compromise approx
imately 21,SO0 miles of the system,
the local county and township levies
will be used, where formerly only 20
per cent of the local levy went
toward the improvement of county
and township roads, the remaining
80 per cent of the levy being used for
the state highways. Under the sab
cock plan, which is in other words
the Amendment No. /, all the local
levies for state roads will be returned
to the county or townships to be used
on the local roads,
Needed Roads First.
Although the points where the new
roads are to be started will be left to
the discretion of the county board Of
engineers, it is assured that the roads
most needing the improvement will
be taken care of first.
The three cities of Minneapolis, st..
Paul and Duluth, will pay over %.
per cent of the total tax on motor
vehicles. = OF the cars valued above
$500, 73 per cent are owned in
these citiess- Z
Including both. the paved and
yraveled roads, 1,745 miles OF this
system Of highways, will be within
Beltrami county. During the first
year of the increased motor tax, it is
figured that this county will pay in,
toward the building fund, approx
nately $163,440 and will realize in,
return $2,S25,00Qpf paving.
INSPECTION of System. +
The inspection OF the trunk system
will be under state and federal
In order to finance a more ex-
:ensive campaign that all may learn
% realize the need for the passage of
No. !, campaign is now
IN throughout the entire state to,
.aise 100000 for this purpose. The
quota for Beltrami county is $3,50O,.
II which the city of Bemidji is to
'aise 300.
With the cooperation of the local
and business men, Mr..
Donovan hopes to put Bemidji's
luota "over the top"