River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1921-03-24

miles of road were built (about half
the product of 1910, at cost of So
100000. Nineteen eighteen saw the
beginning of the policy of patrol
maintenance and there was expended
S1,500,000 IN maintenance. In 1920
the war conditions were to some ex-
tent overpasscd, but the general scale
of prices was still high and the pro-
gram was restricted on account of all
these matters. We built last year less
concrete road than we built the year
before by about fifty miles, but the
product in new roads in 1920 was
about 1850 miles. built at a cost of
$8,500,000. The maintenance cxpend-
itrres. state and county, were $4,000
COO, Therefore, about $11 zoo, 900 was
expended for federal, state and coun-
ty construction and maintenance in
1920, exclusive of supervision and mis-
ce.laneous expenditures. During the
nine years from 1912 to 1920, inclus-
i've, there was built GALL miles of
road and 1,724 bridges at a total cost
of $50, 100000. There was expended
in maintenance S7,605,00O. The total
highway expenditures in Wisconsin
from 1912 to 1920, inclusive, for fed
eral, state and county aid construct
ion, maintenance, supervision, mach
merry and miscellaneous were probab-
~ $50 100000.
To Keep Down Expenditures & Taxes
The governor is closely studying the
situation, the joint committee Of f.
nance of the legislature is sitting up
nights, and every department of the
state is sweating blood in the effort
to keep down expenditures and taxes.
But in spite of all this, it is reason
ably plain to everyone that the ex-
penditures for the coming biennium
will be at least three million dollars
in excess of those of the biennium
which will close June 80, 1921, which
means they will be six millions in ex-
cess of the direct appropriations for
that time. If this six millions were
added to the total property tax of the
state of $96,000,O00 for 1920, as shown
by Governor Blaine in his special mes
sage, and none of it raised by in
creasing the income tax rate, each
property owners tax would be about
&c higher than the tax he paid this
year.
strawberry Trees"
The state department of agriculture
through its entomoligist, DR.. Track
er, and one of its inspectors, C. d.
Adams, has brought about the arrest
of some agents for nursery stock who
have been selling plants and shrubs
that Guido the Burbank stories.
Among other things these imaginat-
! i've agents have been taking orders
| for were strawberry trees" on whose
branches, in the colored prints shown,
luscious strawberries hung, blue and
ever-blooming peonies, fall-f1owering
| purple lilacs, and hardy tea-roses. On
the east side of Milwaukee thousands
of dollars in orders were taken, and
many were delivered and paid for, be-
fore the agent was apprehended.
Senator Skogmo Opposes Veto
The sensational episode in legisla-
tive work last week was the action of
the senate in refusing to support
| Governor Blain's veto of the rent bu-
reau bill. The legislature, after once
| killing the rent bill, revived it and
| passed it appropriating $4,000 to
carry on the work of the bureau,
| which is trying to prevent extortion-
ate rents in Milwaukee. The work
was in charge of the railroad commits
sion. and the Governor made his veto
message the vehicle for what was
considered by the senate to be very
! unjust attack upon the railroad COM
mission. Thursday morning when the
veto came up for consideration, Sen
ator Skogmo started action by assert
ing he could not approve the attack
1 Cii Liz ilSiiNC iiob
vote to uphold the veto. After live
ly debate the senate, by vote of %
to 5 re-referred the bill to the joint
committee on finance.
Hearings On Spud Marketing Plan
At the marketing conference held
in Madison last month, the committee
4
organization for cooperative market
ing of potatoes. To determine the
feasibility of such an organization, a
hearing will be held at Rice Lake at
1000 a. m on March oath, and at
Stevens Point at 1000 a. m. on Mar.
25th. Everyone interested in the pro-
duction Of potatoes for commercial
purposes is invited to attend one of