The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1922-07-27

Llon ana let the work that has been
done go to pieces and drop back into
the old rut, or shall we continue on
a conservative and economical basis
and take care of ana MAINTAIN the
roads now constructed and make the
necessary connections that will bene-
fit the largest per cent of our popula-
ton.
Minnesota has now amended her
constitution and bonded her state for
$12O, 100000 to hard surface
$500 miles of roads, and they expect
to pay off this debt from the automo-
bile license fees. When they have
completed this work they will be
ahead of any state in the union in the
road game.
1t is to be hoped that the people of
Kansas will follow the example set by
the state of Minnesota and see fit to
amend our constitution and build
these roads from bond issues instead
of by direct taxation, and be able to
keep, as near as possible, in progress
with her sister states. Headway is
being made and the people of the
state are beginning to realize that
good roads are one Of the biggest
assets that the state Of Kansas can
have
Hays and Ellis county are excep-
tionany fortunate in that one of the
best transcontinentaI highways IN the
state passes through them These
are the Golden Belt and the Union
Pacific highways, also the Victory
Highway from Ocean to Ocean, all
of which operate over the
same roadway through the coun-
ty. The condition of this road is ex-
ceptiOnauy good and IN many places
along its route much pavement has
been constructed and the entire road
has been exceptionally we'll graded
and in some sections graveled and
hard surfaced. 100000 has been
expended by Ellis county in assisting
in the building Of this road. The
county has done much maintenance
work which consisted of dragging,
building fills, approaches to culverts
and bridges and general construction
and maintenance work which is SO
essential to the building of good road
ways. The same class of work will
be done this year.
In addition to the maintenance and
construction work on this National
Highway the county has also con-
structed and maintains in good con-
dition 124 miles of county roads.
100000 has been expended on the
grading and placing in condition of
these roads. This has been done by
direct taxation with a 1 mill tax be-
ing provided for regular road work.
This makes an appropriation of $780,
100000 annually for road construction
work, and $15, 100000 will be expend-
ed this year in making additional i'm
provements.
The county has much machinery
for road construction work, such as
one large tractor, three large grad
ers, two road planers, plows, fresnoes,
and wheel scrapers. From eighty to
100 men are employed during the
building season. The entire county
is strong for good roads and much co.
operation is received in this wrok.
When one takes into consideration
that in 1912 less than $8OOO.0O was
expended in road construction work
which is compared to 100000 in
1921 and practically the same amount
in 1922, the reader will readily appre-
ciate the attitude of Ellis county in
fostering good roads. There are
1900 automobiles in Ellis county
which bring in a pro rata automobile
fund to the county consisting of $4,-
10000. A movement is now on foot
to request federal aid on some of the
county roads for dirt work and cul-
vert construction. Benefit petitions
are not out yet but will be circulated
soon.
Every mile of county road system
will be graded this spring under the
of the county engineer
who has been an exceptional infuen-
tial factor in bringing the city up to
its present high standing in road con-
struction in Western Kansas. The
natural materials of the soils makes
fairly good dirt road construction
easy although they are bad in rainy
weather, which is the case in any
state where hard surface materials
are not used in road construction.
The building of good roads is just
one of the many projects for advance
ment that Ellis county is putting
through augmented by the live pro-
gressive citizens living in the cities