The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1922-03-24
The New Highway Body
and the Bond Issue

The Cincinnati Enquirer says:--In
carrying their program through. the
trump card OF the Democrats was the
simmons road department reorganiza-
ton bill. sponsored by Senator r. c.
Simmons, Coyington. In this bill the
Democratic "aee" was General Will
liam l.. Sibert, now resident OF War
rem county. #
The Simmons bill named as mem
bers OF t1ie Highway Commission
General Sibert, as Chairman: Benja-
min Weille. Pgducah, Secretary of the
present State, Highway Commission;
Mart Conley, Camel City, KY, and
Leslie Samuels. Bardstown.
That stronger selection than Gen.
eral Sihert. as Chairman could not
have been made was conceded by, the
Republicans. He carried the prestige
of great engineering achievements and
fine record in the World war. Heels
the man who built Gatun locks and
dam, who completed the Panama Ca
nal--a Ss47, 900, 900 contract. He was
commander OF the first division of
American troops in France.
Back of the circumstances that Cen
eral Sibert happened to be a resident
of Kentucky and available for selec-
ton as Chairman OF state road com
mission. Is BIT of sentiment and good
fortune. General Sibert was aasis-
tant engineer of river work in. Ken
lucky from 1887 to 1892 and was In
charge of the Louisville and PittsbHrg
river districts from 1900 TO 1907. while
in kentucky he worked along the
Green River and fell in love" with
80 49, f,Ns4F IL
as che residence of General Simon
Bolivar Buckner, the Sage IF Glen
Lily"
General Sibert determined 20 pass
his leisure years there and many years
ago bought a farm in Warren county,
near Bowling Green. After the war he
retired to this haven.
He looked upon his farm as a home,
without a thought of potential wealth.
He had been residing there some time
when the oil boom stirred the state
and the Bowling Green field became
one of the most active In Kentucky. A
prospector persuaded General Siberi
to let him test his land. Wells were
bored, oil was struck and General
Sibert found himself to be possessed
of one of the most profitable oil prop
critics in Kentucky.
The chief onslaught against the
Simmons bill was made on the ground
that this Highway Commission was
unipartisan. The Democrats contended
that no charge OF partisanship could
be against 1t.
The status of the Simmons bill. and
the legality of the Highway Conmis-
sion 1t forms, remain a matter of con-
troversy Governor Edwin p. Morrow
refused to accept 1t as bill that had
been adopted by the Assembly, He ac-
cepted II only as IAN unauthenticated
document from the Senate"
The Democrats contend that as he
did not send It back in time for II to
| be passed over his veto, II became a
law without his signature, he having
| had 1t in time for the To-day period
allotted before It's return. II the Com
mission is sustained, 1t will proceed
with the state road program.
The Democrats succeeded In placing
the Republicans in the position of ia
voring the $50, 100000 road bond issue.
| only II administered by State High
way Commission of Governor Nor
rows appointment They refused to
approve the bond issue IL administer
ed by the commission Of which General
Sibert is Chairman. The bill author
izing the submission Of the proposed
bond issue was passed by the House,
but in the Senate was amended to
substitute for the commission of ~ to
administer the fund. the commission
of four headed by General Sibert.
named in the Simmons bill. When 1t
was placed upon passage the Repub-
leans deserted it and the vote showed
only IL Senators to be for the road
bond bill and rs against It.