The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-30
GOVERNOR PROCLAIMS
INTENTION TO TRAVEL
HOME WARD IN FEW DAYS
Will Make Highway In
spection Tour Before
Facing Sheriff.

Aurora, I'll, July 30.-GOV-
ern0r Small, who has announ-
ced his intention of returning
TO Springfield early next week,
today resumed his tour of in
spectiOn of Illinois roads pro-
jects. He went to EIgin today
and will go later to his home
at kankakee by automobile,
where he expected to spend
Sunday.
Beyond that time his plans
had not been announced.
Governor Small announced here
today that the construction of
good roads, economically, is OF
such great Importance l consider
it my duty to devote much time and
energy to these great problems and
let nothing divert me from this
foremost of all my duties" The
governor SAID he is now making
trips which will take him through
Kane, Cook and Will counties and
that next week he will make furtn-
er tours into other parts of Illinois,
going probably into, Livingstone
Champaign and Cole counties be-
fore returning to Springfield.
He said he did not care to dis
cuss whether his friends had ad-
Vised him to demand a trial in
some county other than Sanga-
mon ''to show up his enemies on the
political charge that he had en-
bezzled state interest money while
| he was state treasurer"
] The governor and party stayed
at an Aurora hotel over night. They
arrived here early last night. IN
the party were c. r. Miller, direc-
tor of public works and building
Clifford Older. chief highway eRgin-
eer; Colonel A. E. Inglesh, admin
fstratfve auditor; Leslie Small, son
of the governor, and w W. Schroe-
! der, secretary of the legislative ref
erence bureau
Big Road Program.
| The governor ate a hearty break
| fast and seemed in the best OF
| spirits, though he was not inclin-
/ ed to answer questions. He waived
| submitted to him, and handed out
submitted to him, an dhanded out
signed statements that read as fol-
lows:
We are at work on the biggest
road improvement program ever
undertaken in the United States.
1T was my promise. at the be
ginning of the administration, to
secure a dollar in value for every
dollar spent and at the same time
give to the people long-needed re-
lief by constructing roads in all
parts of the state. The record of
the last few months speaks for
itself 1t will be remembered that
in February bids for the construc-
ton of roads were received which
averaged more than $4,000 per
mile. Our determination to pro-
tect and serve the people and build
a maximum mileage at minimum
cost resulted in a reduction OF
these bids so that in April and May
bids were received and contracts
awarded at an average cost well
below $4,000 a mile. One Of the
roads under construction in Kane
county, which we are inspecting to-
day, was let at figure slightly De-
low $4,000, with the understand
ing that reductions in price OF ma
terials, freight rates and other con-
stituent costs, would inure to the
benefit of the state. 1t Is our ex-
uectation that the state will actual
| " pay only $4,000 or $27 900
mile for this road.
Saved State Million
! "Our success in effecting econom-
| les in the road building program
| has already saved the state over
| one million dollars and will save
many more millions.
81 have kept in constant touch
with the road situation, have made
personal study of conditions in
many localities and shall continue
to keep myself thoroughly informed
on these topics which are Of para
mount interest to our people.
1.-THE trips which 1 am making in
Cook, Kane and VIII counties this
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