The Bismarck tribune., 1923-03-02
GRAFTCHARGES
UNJUSTIFIED
SAYS REPORT
Special Committee of State
Senate Makes Report on
Highway Probe
SUGGESTS CHANGES
More Comprehensive System
of Highway Administra-
tiOn Is Urged

KumOrS oil graft IN connection
with the state highway commission
appear to be groundlcss according 20
the report of the special COMMITTEES
appointed by the senate to invcsti
gate the commission.
As to charges of extravaganza
they "arc probably justified to no
greater extent than if made against
any other governmental agency con-
stituted on the plan of the high
way commission" declares the re-
port.
The report contains over $50 pag
es including the findings of the
committee, transcript of u large
amount of evidence, figures from
the books of the highway commits.
sion, etc.
While the commission is given
what is practically clean bill of
health on the charges of both ex
travagancc and graft, the committee
suggests several changes in connec-
tion with the organization. The
report says:
"The committee believes that the
present form of commission is not
conducive to an economical program
Of road building in this state and its
form should be revised by the leg
islature to conform to the best high
way systems now established IN
cnt departments can be closely CO.
ordinated and closer and better
form of organization perfected. The
committee favOrs the continuance of
the highway commission believing
that if it is properly organized 1t
has mission and will function in
manner that will justify it's continu-
ancc to the satisfaction of the tax
payers"
Suggests Change
At present the committee believes
that there is tendency to cover de-
sign" in road work especially III
North Dakota where there are no
serious drainage problems 1t points
out however that this is "A tcchni
cal problem on which it does not
wish to form any rash conclusion.
Specific charges have been made
against but one person in the de-
partment says the report.
The transcript of evidence shows
that there was party at local
hotel in December, 1922 at which
several members of the department
and a contractor engaged in road
work for the department were pres
ent and during which $50 bill
seems to have changed hands -
some extent.
There is no evidence, however,
that shows anything crooked in the
transaction.
No charges of crookedness were
made against the chief engineer of
the department at any time the com
mittec states.
Find Friction
There appears to be friction the
committee finds between the depart
ment and those outside of the de-
partmcnt. without passing any
judgment on the merits of the case
the committee expresses the belief
that changes should be made in the
personnel which would clear these
matters up.
A more compact and closer or
ganization is suggested. 1t is also
pointed out that the state engineer
is hampcrcd by the great variety Of
duties imposed on him at present.
The practice of some of the high
cr members of the department in
increasing the estimates allowed
contractors without consulting the
engineers who made the original
estimates is censored, although there
is no evidence of collusion in any
of the transactions says the report.
Need of regulations for the dis
posal of surplus equipment, etc, is
pointed out
There are number of tables Civ
en- showing the cost of various road
projects.