The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-02-04
HOLD down AUTO FEES
c. M. BABcOCK WRITES TO
MANKATO AUTO CLUB
Communication Is In Response
To the Resolution Adopted
On Subject

At the recent annual meeting of the
Mankato Auto mobile Club resolutions
were adopted favoring the adoption of
Wisconsin for the marking by the
state highway department of the
trunk highways, and urging that in
taxing automobiles under Amendment
No. ] the average rate be not placed
higher than $1S per car, which was
the average rate mentioned Dy speak
ers during the campaign last summer
and fall. Copies of these resolutions
were sent to the Minnesota highway
club has received the following reply
from c. M. Babcock, commissioner
of highways:
<St. Paul, Mimi, January 19.-I
have your letter of the 18th inst. with
resolutions of the ,Mankato Automo-
bile club, and / wish to assure you
that this office is heartily in accord
with the ideas Of your club.
We have been working on the pro-
position OF formulating plan for
marking the trunk highways, which
now used in Wisconsin.
$50 far as the license fee is con-
cerned, will say that inasmuch as
those members of this department
who made talks during the campaign
told the people that the average of
TAXATION would be about SIS per pas
senger car, we will insist so far as we
can. that such rates apply IN the new
legislation. / am pleased to advise
you that the committee In charge Of
that part Of the work is Of the same
idea.
yours very trnly, Minnesota high
way department c. M. Babcock, COM
missioner Of highways"
The resolutions have been placed in
the hands of the Legislative commit
tee OF the Minnesota State Automo
bile association. which is likely to
take action along the same line at
the annual meeting at Minneapolis,
February s.
At the annual meeting of the Sioux
Historic Trail association. held at
Ortonville recently. e. F. Soaring was
re- elected director for Blue Earth
county. There was a very fair at
tandance at the meeting and much in
terest shown. The trail has been
marked from Browns Valley as far
east as Fairfax, and signs are on hand
to complete the marking down the
Smelling. The marking will be com
pleted early In the spring. 1t is in
tended to advertise the trail the
coming season.
The Franklin. Floyd, johnson and
Cerro Gordo. Iowa, county boards
have decreed that thes advertising
signs on the public highways of those
counties must go. The attorney gen
eral of the state Of Iowa is with
them. So. 1t is believed, is about
nuoyvhnAxy olca n, tho cfofo Thfc &c
. movement that Is pretty general
over the country now, and automobile
clubs as a rule are lined up solidly
against the offending sign boards.
The primary roads Of Iowa have
been practically all under some sort
Of patrol system since July l last.
Not all. of the roads were put in the
best condition, however for not all
tanners. not many mad had previous
experience, ana many miles Of the
roads were not In such shape that
one man, even the most skilled, with
q single OUTFIT could keep from seven
to fifteen miles In good condition.
Nevertheless, there was great big
Improvement in the roads under this
system. Men having a natural apti-
tude for this kind Of work naturally
had the best roads,
ss..--. - - -
A dozen states have already adopt
ed the road numbering system, and
Il will not be long until the system,
which originated in Wisconsin, will
be in use all over the United States.
North Platte, Neb., not only estab-
lished a free camping site for tour
lists the past season, but furnished
arc nnn1ytno and hofhin0 ~
Titles. On one day, thirty four camp,
ing parties were counted there and
during one month 764 tourists camped
there. Mankato should get on the
free camp site map this year.
RULES OF the road" will be one OF
the subjects taught In the public
schools IL the campaign started by
the National Highway and Transport
rules as regular part Of the school
work, II is expected to cut out lot
OF accidents that are due to ignorance
or neglect Of the common rules of the
road. Drawings and illustrations are
to be used In the work. Some schools
in Ohio have a traffic game for the
pupils, wherein the rules are brought
out
surface roads were constructed last
year, or about one ninth the mileage
that Il was expected 20 build. High
costs of material and labor and diff
Guilty in getting material transported
by the railroads accounted for the re-
di,ction IN the work. Contracts were
let for l67 miles. and the balance will
be completed this year. During the
past year eighty three miles Of road
were Rraveled and 514 miles perman-
entity graded. There were ninety two
projects under construction, located
In sixty four counties. A great deal
Of grading and graveling was uncom-
pleted but the record of work com
pleted is considered fairly satisfac-
tory.