The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-06-12
Ohio FARMERS ASK
TRUCK OWNERS AID
IN HIGHWAY EXPENSE

HAMILTON, Ohio. June 12.-Strong
opposition to levying taxation wholly |
upon adjoining farms to build heavy
freighting roads and disapproval of
wasteful road construction and main
tenance policies was voiced at the
farm bureau district meeting in Ham
ilton Saturday,.
It was pointed out that heavy truck
freighting lines using the hard roads
and causing severe wear upon them, !
introduce unfair competition with rail-
roads and traction lines in that they
have a roadway maintained at no cost
to themselves, while their competitors
must maintain their roadways, and IN
addition, pay taxes upon them as
property.
1t was the opinion of many of the
farmers present that heavy trucks re-
quire much heavier road construction
than otherwise would be necessary,
and that they cause excessive wear
and expensive maintenance charges.
Several delegates proposed system
of taxation or licensing which would
throw more of the maintenance upon
truck owners, suggestion which met
with approval of the whole assembly.
Motor buses and trucks were consid-
cred to be in the same class Of public
utilities as other important transporta-
ton systems, and should be subject
to the same regulations. Suggestions
were made that they be required to
assume responsibility for property and
lives transported, be liable for dam
ages to other vehicles and to the road
way.
Protest Assessments
Farmers present registered vtgor-
Gus protest against the method OF
assessing cost of hard roads against
the adjoiing property. In many cases,
they said assessments for hard roads
had absorbed larger sum than the
farm would pay in rents. One farmer,
Clark McGrew, southeast of Hamilton,
offered his county commissioners 10
years possession of his farm if they
would agree to pay his road assess
ments and taxes for that period.
Other cases were mentioned, of
$4,000 investment which paid $1,425
road assessment, and of farm on
hard road, renting for $400 year,
which had an assessment of $500 lev
led against 1t.
1t was stated also that many good
roads have been destroyed to make
room for new ones which are no bet
ter. A laugh was raised when one
farmer told of a contractor who had
moved a street across the city of Ok
ford Tearing up an 10 inch founda-
ton to make room for a brick paw
ing, he had hauled the material to the
other side of the city and used it IN
laying down another excellent paving.
Several examples of similar destruc-
ton of hard roads already existing in
order to allow new construction were
cited by farmers present.
Admits Waste
That road maintenance is costing
Ohio four times as much as it should
was acknowledged by Director F. NJ.
Herrick of the state department of
highways and public works, when he
stated that his department was re-
ceiving only % cents worth of work
for each dollar expended. He ap-
pealed for the cooperation of local
organizations, and reports by them on
wasteful practices followed by road
gangs on state work. He stated that
$4,000 600 of the s12,0Oo,0O0 of state
road funds had been expended on
maintenance last year, with only So,
000,0GG on new construction.
A few of the causes of this waste
were enumerated by Mr.. Herrick. The
state owned 800 trucks which ran vile
under no regulation last year. En-
gines would often be left running al
day. These trucks are now tabulateC
and operate on schedule, with driver:
responsible for expenses.
Road gangs also wasted time undel
the old system. Five men in one ganE
started work at 10 o'clock and qui
at 8 every day, accomplishing no more
than two men should have done.
gang of II men and foreman, with
truck and barrel Of paint, was founC
at another place, painting 125 feet o
guard rail. In many cases, county OF
ficials would have gangs put on tn
state payroll when there was no worl
to be done, in order to keep them with
out expense to the county.
These abuses, the director said, ar
being remedied under the new system
He also asked for authority to US
state engineers instead of county er
gineers for road surveys as many SUI
vsys are made at excessive expense
as well as useless surveys being mad
on state funds to provide employment
for county workers.
Secondary Roads
The state system of primary road
will be finished next year, said Nj
Herrick, after which state farm br
reau, Grange and other civic organize
ton officials will be called into cor
sultation to plan a system of second
airy roads.
Through Ohio's old system Of RI
quiring the state department to bull
roads in cooperation with local off
= Gals, the sections of the state wit
the most influence have secured tn
roads, said Director Herrick n
definite system connecting the diffe
ent parts Of the state was possibl,
and no three stretches of hard road
the state formed any part of syste1
of quick communication. The me-
policy does allow systematic col
struction.
Construction is extraordin ri l
cheap at present, the speaker int
mated, stating that irresponsible col
Germs are bidding on roads now {
lower prices than are safe. The ave
age price of hard road constructio
on contracts let this wear is SOS. 900