The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-17
UFFIGEkS In MEL
Total of 700 in Attendance at
Kansas Official Council.
Today Is Biggest Day of the
Annual Conference.
MORE DELEGATES ON WAY
Buffet Luncheon To Be Served
at C. of C. Tonight.
DR.. E. J. kulp to Speak on Dis
armament Conference.

It was estimated today that there
are not less than 700 county officials
from all parts of the state already
registered for the annual Kansas Off
cial Council.
This is the biggest day of the annual
meeting of the Kansas Official Coun-
Gil From speakers and round table
discussions, advice, information and
instruction are being hurled at the
county officers.
Sessions OpeIfed Wednesday.
The opening sessions of the indi-
vidual associations were held at $3.50
o'clock Wednesday afternoon and were
devoted chiefly to getting the business
of the conXention under way. Com
mittees were appointed and the first
speakers were heard.
This morning at o'clock the in
dividual sessions were resumed, with
each program. Similar sessions are
scheduled for this afternoon.
Plan Buffet Luncheon.
Tonight at the Chamber of Com
merce a buffet luncheon is to be
served at 6 o'clock, and will be fol-
lowed by another entertainment ar
ranged by the host committee of the
Chamber of Commerce. DIR. E. ].
Kulp is to address the county officials
tonight on the disarmament confer
ence in session at Washington, and
following the entertainment at the
Chamber of Commerce, the officials
will be the guests of the Chamber at
q line party at the Novelty theater.
One of the features of the program
Wednesday night was the entertain
nent presented by the boys from the
State Boys Industrial school. under
the direction of Capt. w. P. MacLean,
their superintendent. The boys sang
and staged some athletic events which
| hugely delighted the county officers.
/ A musical program under the di
rection of Henry DotterWeich, was also
| arrangedS The members of the county
/ officials convention voted that they
would rather remain for the enter
| tainment by local artists, than indulge
/ in any other scheme of enjoyment
which had been prepared for them
! by the committee
Interested in Technicalities.
/ Much of the program To-Day of the
county officers convention was taken
up with the intimate details and tech
nicaI side of the work Discussion
| of various blanks for the reports in
| VoIved in making out tax assessm tents
and the like occupied much of the at
| tention of the county clerks during
their morning session.
Roads interested the county COM
missioners to the extent that the dis
/ cussions which arose made it neces-
i sary to curtail a certain part of the
! program which had been scheduled.
| The argument was again advanced,
! by the county commissioners, espe-
| cially from the western half of the
| state that their counties are not fl
! nancially in position to enter upon a
program of hard-surfaced-road build
| ing, particularly with reference to a
state highway system.
| NJ. w. Watson, state highway engi-
| neeri Fred Perkins, Oswego, and A. G.
! Blair. Lyons, members of the state
highway commission, appeared before
| the county commissioners this morn
! ing. Perkins spoke on the results of
| Investigations which have been made
by the commission, and Blair urged
! cooperation between the county and
I state officials in the matter of build
| ing roads.
Watson urged the commissioners to
| see the necessity of constructing n
road system which would be. coherent
and really a system.
VIII Approve Gravel Roads.
The statement was made by a COM
| missioner from Osborne county that
| the state highway commission would
not permit the county authorities to
/ draw state aid from the automobile
license fund and use it in the con-
/ struction of roads within their couH-
ties, from the material at hand
! gravel and natural binder"
Watson assured the county cOIlIHts-
sioners that the state highway de-
partment is not opposed to the con-
struction of gravel roads. where the
material is available and of good
quality.
There is a belief prevalent over the
state that the highway department
will not sanction the use OF state
funds to build gravel roads. That is
a mistak and I wish you gentlemen
would help correct it. In the south
eastern portion of the state we are
now building nearly fifty miles of
gravel roads," Watson said.
/. What we require is that the county
commissioners use the best material
they have available. and use it in the
correct manner" Watson sad.
Watson went thoroly into the details
of the road law passed at the last ses-
sion of the state legislature. and ans
wered the questions which were show
I cred upon him from the commission
ers.
County Engineers Talk Shop.
Technical aspects of the county
engineers job were discussed by the
I n.onffuue3 on mage Sfx