Evening journal., 1921-03-22
STATE
ROAD PROGRAM
Highway Board Issues
Statement That Depart
ment is Solvent
PROBE REPORT OF
OFFICIAL FRICTION
star anCorrespondent.

STATE HOUSE, Dover, March 22.
Prospects for the State of Della
ware to complete its comprehensive
highway building program within a
reasonable time were greatly retard-
ed today by the action of the Senate
in defeating an amendment to the
highway bill to appropriate S25O,OOOl
annually for the taking care of
bonds. and then also defeating the
original bill The original bill would
have appropriated $25O,O00 a year
for 40 years from the general funds
to take care OF bonds amounting to-
S3,5OO,0OO to complete the highway
project.
President PROTEIN Handy, calling
Senator Short to the chair. intro
duced an amendment reducing the
appropriation to S15O.00O a year, to
care for about $4,000 of bonds,
that appropriation to be decreased as
the revenue from automobile licenses
increases.
Senator Handy contended that the
$250,O00 appropriation would place
too great a burden on posterity, and
while he and other members Of the
Senate had no objection to the State.
Highway program they thought the
project could be attended to under
the amendment.
Charles NJ. Upham, chief engineer
OF the highay department. was call
ed to the Senate after the reading
of the bill was started and knew
nothing whatever about the amend
ment, it was stated, until a copy OF
it was shown to him by Senator
Handy while it was being read.
He was asked by Senator Handy
to look at the amendment. and then
asked what he thought OF it. Sen
ator Handy said Mr.. Upham told
him It was satisfactory to him Mr..
Upham said he looked at the amend
ment hurriedly and that what he
means to convey was that It was sat
isfactory- to him If it was the best
that the department could get. The
State is now paying. it was brought
out 100000 annually to maintain
roads built and care for the bonds
outstanding.
Mr.. Upham, in answer TO ques-
tions asked by Senator Palmer, said
that the amended bill in his judg-
ment would not allow for the com
ipletion OF the highway project and
take care OF the State aid projects
in the different counties.
Senators Handy, Alice and Robert
son argued for the amendment, the
first two on the ground that the orig
tnal bill imposed too great a debt on
future generations. Senators BEN
nett, Palmer and Price opposed the
amendment and thought the State
revenues would take care OF the
S25O,OOO annual appropriation. The
amendment was killed by a vote Of
10 nays to yeas. as follows:
Years-Allee. Hopkins. McIntire.
Robertson, Short, Walker and Pres
ident Prot Tenn Handy; 7.
Nays-Bennett, Highfeld. Insley,
Latta, Lutz, Murphy, Palmer. Pretty
man, Price and Richards, 10.
The original bill was then killed
by a vote of nays and 8 yeas, .
follows;
Years-Bennett, Highneld, Insley,
Latta, Murphy, Palmer, Pretcyman
and Price. s.
Nays-Allee. Hopkins. Lutz. Nc
I AnlEtf AitnduSf ROBERTSON, snort,
Walker. President Pro Tenn Handy.
3.
An important meeting OF the State
Highway Commission is being held
this afternoon. The commission ia
netting in executive session.
There is a report that the High
way Commissioners may inquire into
reports Of friction in the executive
force Of the department.
One report is to the effect that
State Highway Engineer c. NJ. Up
ham may resign unless there is a
change in conditions.
Il Prior to going into session the
1 Highway Commissioners issued the
following statement:
I'm view OF certain statements In
the newspapers that the Delaware
State Highway Department is in
volved we, the undersigned do here
by certify that at the request of the
7 department we made a careful and
exhaustive examination Of the books
papers and accounts OF the depart.
ment and find that the State High.
way Department is absolutely sol
vent and able to pay all its obliga.
tions.
(Signed. Clifford J. Iszard, George
W. Francis. auditor of the State
Highway Department; Charles NJ
T-nhan State Highway Engineer ''