The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-07-06

ARE0RDERED
OFF HIGHWAYS
SOrlic Orders Commission to
Have BillbOardS Removed
From Along Reads

Gov. a. &. Sorlic has directed the
state highway department to exercise
the authority granted it by the last
legislature and to start n campaign
to remove all billboards and adver-
tising signs located on the state high
ways. Orders will be given by Chief
Engineer and Secretary w. G. Black
to all district engineers and road
maintenance inspectors to notify all
billboard owners and to give them ten
days within which to take down such
signs as violate the law. Failure to
remove such signs within the time
limit will result in their removal
and destruction by the highway de-
partment. But as only about Gnc-
third Of the state highways system
is patrolled and maintained by the
highway department., it asks the c,-
operation Of the travelling public in
the task of ridding the state of this
dangerous road nuisance through
calling the attention Of the depart
ment to their existence and location.
Sorlic Tells Reasons
I'm starting our campaign to re-
move all Objectionable billboards
from the state highway system, am
actuated by several motives" Gov.
Sorlie stated today. "Therefore, we
must invite the cooperation of all
good citizens. and especially car
drivers, in our efforts to rid the state
highways Of this nuisance. A letter
or a postcard to the highway depart
ment giving the location Of the sign
and the name of the advertiser will
supply the necessary information for
our action. We can then notify the
advertiser to remove the objection
able sign, and also that he is
violating the law. At the same
time, we can notify the sheriff Of
the county to check up on the mat
ter. If the sign is not removed
within a given time, he can arrest the
law breaker, and also, remove the
sign for the highway department.
"While the state highway depart
ment can look after the state high
way system, county and township Of
ficers must give their attention to
county and township roads. There
about 100000 miles of county and
township roads. Chap. las confers
the same powers on the local officers
as it grants to the highway depart
ment.
Cooperation Asked
"A little cooperation on the part
of the advertisers, the public officers
and the general public will make our
state stand out in the entire country
for it's work of Kidding the highways
of these unsightly and even danger
our signboards.
First, chap. 145 of the laws of
1926 now makes it misdemeanor to
erect or maintain billboards or signs
on any of the highways of the state.
1t imposes on the state highway de-
partment the duty to cause their des-
truction or removal from our state
highway system. As these carry by
far the larger portion of our travel.
they offer an excellent place to make
a good beginning. Secondly, bill
boards and other advertising matter
along the highway not only mar its
beauty and that of the landscape, but
also. in large degree, tend to make
auto driving unsafe. Where they do
not obstruct the view or vision of the
driver, they frequently distract his
attention. and it is just such distrac-
tions that give rise to an accident.
One OF the worst forms OF highway
advertising is to place the word,
Stop or Danger on signboard
advertising prunes or some similar
harmless thing. This type of sign
makes the driving public callous or
careless of the real and proper danger
road markings: people see them so
often they grow needless of real
danger. Such misleading displays
must come down. and we shall clear
out every one of them on the state
highway system.
"Now there are over 5000 miles in
the state highway system but the
highway patrols and maintains only
about 1000 miles. Obviously, it will
be impossible for them to give inten-
sive attention this year to the entire
s 900 miles, unless we send out spe-
cial crews for that purpose, which
would mean too much added expense.
we should like to cause
the removal of these Objectionable
and now illegal billboards from the
entire highway system.