The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-02-18
HIGHWAY BODY
IS ABOLISHED
BY new BILL
Measure. introduced by Sena-
tor Nejdl Does Away With
State Commission-Foliows
Accountants Report.
CHANGE RECOMMENDED
(By Associated Press)

INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 1S.-Abolish-
ment of the state highway commits
sion was proposed in the state legis-
lature today hv bill introduced by
Senator Nejdl.
The proposal followed the presenta-
ton Of the state board Of accounts re-
port following examination into the
affairs of the commission. 1t included
criticism of certain practices, includ-
ing the disbursement of commission
funds on the personal check of l.. H.
Wright. director of the commission.
Big overhead charges also were dis
closed by the report.
Senator Nejdrs bill would repeal
the laws creating the commission and
would become effective July l. All
the highway funds under the commits
sion's control, said to amount to ap-
priximately $5,000,000, would be turned
over to the common school fund un-
der the bill. No discussion marred
the Introduction of the bill and it
went to a committee for considera-
tion.
Recommend Changes.
Radical changes in the laws govern
ing the administration and operation
of the state highway commission are
recommended in a report of the state
board of accounts, made after an ex-
haustive investigation of the affairs of
the commission from June 4, 1917, to
Sept. 80, 1920. The report was pre-
pared by w. H. Glidewell and A. l..
Donaldson. field examiners, and filed
today with Jesse E. Eschbach, chief
| examiner.
Enormous expenditures for over
head expenses in comparison with
/ amounts actually expended for con
struction work: the keeping of funds
| for the commission in an Indianapolis
bank and to be disbursed by personal
checks of L. H. Wright, director, and
reported failure of the commission tc
award contracts for supplies and ma
terials to the lowest bidders through
competitive bids are among the al
legged practices of the commission
scored in the report.
Total Overhead Larger.
Some idea of the magnitude of tht
operations of the Indiana commission
i! is shown by the main report in show
ing expenditures and disbursements
of the highway department for two
years and three months, from Oct.
1918, to Jan. l. 1921. This period fall:
almost entirely under the administra
ton of the present commission. Dur
ing this time, the report shows, the
total expenditures of the commission
J were $4,82S,001.22. This amount in
cluded s2.103, ,740.47 for construction
and $2,724,260.75 for overhead expen
ses and maintenance.
The special report Of Mr. Donaldson
shows that during 1920 the Indiana
commission expended for new con
struction and maintenance, $1,S46,69
and for overhead expenses such as ad
ministration, salaries, new equipment
repairs of equipment, transportation
and other items, the sum of 1856, Al
These figures indicate, the repor
shows, that the overhead expense!
amounted to 31.7 per cent of the tota
expenditures. During the same period
tile Ohio state highway commission
had an overhead expense for simila
items of 81 per cent. The Ohio ex
penditures are given as S3,041 1851
for new construction and maintenance
during the year, and s236,127.97 TO
the same overhead expenses.
Consider Education.
Sessions OF both senate and hous'
were devoted largely in the forenoon
TO consideration of educational bills.
Four measures designed to give
state aid to private schools, including
Angola Tri-State college, Central Nor
NAL college at Danville, and Valpar
also university were held by thu
house. The senate passed the Mile
bill, requiring all school teachers t.
be native born or fully naturalized.