River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1925-12-24
OSCAR GILBERTS0N LAUDS
TOWNSHIP HIGHWAY SYSTEM
AS CHEAPER AND BETTER

Oscar Gilbertson of the Town of
Martell recently gave an address be-
fore the Beldenville Community Club
on the topic of township highway
maintenance.
His remarks on the subject made a
deep impression upon his audience,
and it has been suggested chat his
ideas be given wider publicity
through the press.
Mr.. Gilbertson has been highway
commissioner in his town for several
years, and was the first to serve in
that capacity under the new law
which authorizes one road oyerseer
for each town.
In this capicity he has worked out
a system that covers the field
thoroughly and does not call for any
added tax levy to support it.
One of Mr.. Gilbertson's first road
problems was to change the east end
of River Falls rural mail route No.
! from a sand hazard to navigat-
ible highway, and he accomplished
this in his first year.
He has established a complete
patrol throughout his town, and,
under direction Of one overseer, the
work is done where it is most need
ed, instead of hit and miss road work
and expenditures made wherever It
happens to be most convenient.
The single town overseer system is
the quickest way of getting results;
there is no need of conferences and
chickering's which bring into play the
pressure of individual interests and
ether obstacles which spell delay.
One man has the whole problem be-
fore him and he alone is responsible
for its completion in the best and
most economical manner. He can't
pass the buck" to the district over
seers, and they can't pass it onto him.
Nor can an especially eloquent or in
fluential district overseer wheedle
more than his share of the appropri-
alton.
The township system puts it all up
to one man to plan the work and to
distribute it to the best advantage in
accordance with the funds which he
has at his disposal. His alone the
praise or blame.
Mr.. Gilbertson's idea has been to
have three miles of permanent con-
struction including grading and sur
facing completed in his town each
year, and as much preparatory grad
ing and surfacing as the funds allow
with general patrol system that
will include some work on every
stretch of road in the town.
Under the present gas tax law
provision is made for a state allow
ance of $25 per mile to each town for
maintenance. This gives the town
opportunity to spend its own approp-
ration for construction, and a COM
petent overseer will apportion his
construction program with view to
broadening the scope of his patrol
system so that it will serve to cover
his town thoroughly.
This system calls for no higher
taxes. The highest Mr.. Gilbertson's
town has paid is three mills, and it is
now 21a mills. His town has 2E
miles Of graded highway, and miles
is of hard graveled surface, and the
work, according to present wage
standards has accomplished more al
less expense than former systems.
In this connection Mr.. Gilbertsor
gives as his experience that machine
grading is far more satisfactory thar
the horse work; it leaves harder
and smoother surface and does q
more more efficient job in every way
Mr.. Gilbertson has promised The
Journal an article on the subject Of
"Culverts and Bridges which will
appear in an early issue. Some o.
the best highways are marred anC
in many cases made dangerous BY
poorly constructed bridges or in.
adequate culverts, and Mr.. Gilbert.
son has some good suggestions t.
remedy these defects.