The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1921-06-22


when it realized that to construct goot
roads without proper means o
maintenance was wanton waste o.
the public funds.
The following interesting story Of
road maintenance in Illinois and Wis,
consin where the unit plan of patro
maintenance is being adopted will be
read with interest here;
Bloomington, Ill.--Illinois took the
initial step this week in the formal
adoption of the Wisconsin system of
road patrol. A district of ~ counties
of Central Illinois, including Vermil-
lion and those contiguous, is the first
to adopt this innovation. f. c. Fouth,
district engineer, will have general
supervision over the territory to be
patrolled and will make his headquart-
ers in Edgar County The County
Superintendent of Highways will APP
point the patrolmen IN each county
and will allot the territory, reporting
to the district engineer
There will be 10 Of these petrol
men in Vermillion County and each
will be assigned to Is miles Each
will be expected to look after all re-
pairs, give any break or crack in
the concrete highways immediate at
tention, look after the drainage,
grading, leveling, oiling
and shoulder work of the dirt roads,
and be ready to give immediate at
tenticn to any report of bad places
filed by motorist. Each section
must be given daily inspection. As
Vermillion County has the greatest
mileage Of improved roads, the larg
,st force of patrollmen was assigned
% that portion of the district 1t is
now assured that at least $50 miles
If the roads in Vermillion County,
will be given daily attention.
1t has been computed that the pa
.rol system will cost all the way from
$50 to $3.50 a mile annually. This !
Includes construction work and re-
pairs. In the case of the dirt roads,
he drainage will be given first con
Grading and levelMg will /
follow and oil will be the final stage,
lnIess the road has been selected .
or concreting. Along with the road
goes improved bridges
md culverts, It is proposed to make
he bridges and culyerts solid por
ion of the road.
Northern Illinois coulties> will /
likely be the next to introduce the
,atrol system. They are anxious to
njoy the same benefits that Wis
onsin has derived from the system.
With the slowing up 'of the State
rogram for hard road construct I
On, it will be up to the individual j
ounties to work out their own high 1
,ay salvation, either by the adop- !
icl of the patrol system, use of oil,
r concrete construction, paid for by I
bond issue. The interim between .
ne present and period when the q
tate bond issue program is COM a
leted, will have to be tided over by d
ome form of county financing pol a
y. $
Rock Island County is one of the p
.aders in road progressiveness. c
yithout a dissenting vote the Board a
Supervisors adopted a resolution, "
Ithorizing a special election in Il
me to pass upon proposed bond
sue for constructing hard roads. t,
is plarled to make a tax levy Of il
rec and one-third mills upon each Il
,sessed valuation Of $1,000, which h
i'll produce the sum of 1882, 900 an "
lally. This money, it is planned, il
i'll be utilized solely for the con- q
ruction of permanent roads, indie t
.ndcut Of the State bond issue. o.
Mercer County, another enterpris- p
& center, has organized an oiling V
ISOLATION, made up Of leading citi- cl
ms. This body has invested in al
ucks and other machinery for dis b
ibutfng the oil on the leading high in
avs at the minimum expense. BY
e adoption Of this plan, the profits
the middlemen are eliminated. al
Bureau County has adopted the IS
troll system and commencing with :;
,ril 1. will have $50 miles Of high 4
~ under constant supervision. The 81
ate has no part in the Bureau ..
unity plan. In the latter system,
e man will be placed in charge Of
section Of five TO ten miles in length.
lere are no concrete or crushed
,ne or gravel roads in that coun-
The patrolmen viii seek to i'm
owe the dirt roads. Each will Be ,
pplied With a two-horse grader. A.,
ad planer and other tools. The :
trolman will be required 70 keep
ches open. fill mudholes, repair I