The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-10-20
KNAPP BILL WOULD
GIVE LICENSE FUND
FOR COUNTY ROADS

HAGERSTOWN, Ind, Oct 20.-A
Dill which provides that the state shall
pay to the various counties at least
half OF the funds collected under the
state automobile license tax to be used
Tor the maintenance of county roads
not under the Jurisdiction of the state
highway commission probably will be
introduced at the forthcoming session
OF the legislature by Rep, James NJ
Knapp, of Hagerstown. At the last
session of the legislature Mr.. Knapp
introduced a bill authorizing the en-
tire automobile license tax collections
be paid to the counties for the main
tenance of their roads but it was de-
feated
w. .. Jones, commissioner of high
ways Tor Wayne county, also a resi-
dent OF Hagerstown, is an advocate of
an equal distribution of the automobile
tax between the state and the counties.
he believes 1t is unfair to the counties
that they be required to maintain their
highway systems by special tax levies.
He mentions the fact that il the coun-
ties received share of the automobile
tax 1t would be possible for all of them
to reduce their road levies.
May Provoke Discussion.
The Knapp bill probably will result
In thorough discussion of the states
experiment in highway MANAGEMENT.
1t is understood that many members
OF the legislature believe a mistake
was made by enacting a law authoriz
ing the state highway commission to
take over the control of unimproyed
roads as well as hard surface roads.
Reports show, 1t is said, that roads
which are not permanently improved
and are under the control of the state
have not been kept in satisfactory
state of repair, and. at the same time,
the maintenance cost has been ey-
cessive.
The average cost of maintenance of
state roads has been $1,250 per mile.
compared with an average cost Of 1910
per mile for the maintenance of coun-
ty roads.
Expects Reduction.
Last year it cost Wayne county 1913
per mile to maintain the 240 miles of
road under the control OF the county
This year, Mr.. Jones estimates, the
cost will be reduced to $3.50, which
is said to be the lowest maintenance
cost in the state. And the roads over
which Mr.. Jones has supervision are
constantly being repaired, and COM
manently improved highways in In.
diana.
There are 48 miles of roads in
Wayne county which are under the
Jurisdiction of the state highway COM
mission, % miles being hard surface
highways. The greater part of the
states 20 miles of gravel roads in
Wayne county are not kept in a sat
isfactory state Of repair, judging from
complaints made by property owners
along such roads
Carry Heavy Traffic
Two of Wayne county's gravel roads
which are maintained by the state
carry almost as heavy traffic as the
hard-surfaced National road, yet the
state commission has not yet consid-
cred their permanent Improvement
The roads in question are the Liberty
pike and the part of the Fountain
City pike between Chester and Foun-
tain City. The two years the Liberty
pike has been under the control of the
state only a little gravel has been put
upon 1t, near Richmond, and what
graveling has been done has been along
the side of the roadway, resulting in it
being quickly thrown off the road by
vehicles and leaving no center crown
TO preserve the road in winter when
good drainage is essential.
The Fountain City pike, residents of
northern Wayne county complain, can
never be kept in proper state of re-
pair until a hard surface has been
placed upon it. In the winter, they
say. the road is frequently impossible,
resulting in vehicles detouring to
county roads, wearing them down al
most as fast as the county repairs
them
1t is Mr.. Knapp's opinion that the
vast difference between the mainten-
ance costs of state roads and county