Arizona state miner., 1927-02-26

clal session OF the Elghth Leg1Sla- |
ture a resolution was passed au-
thorizing the appointment Of an
investigating committee to delve
into the affairs of and report upon
the conditions of the Highway De-
partment.
There had been rumors and rumors
of rumors of many things that had
happened and were happening in
that department of the State gov
ernment which needed the attention
of the representatives of the people.
A few days ago local paper
published extracts from the report
that was to be made, and while
nothing that the public has not been
familiar with for several years was
brought forth-still the opponents
of the State administration were
positive that some awful things
would be brought to light.
Finally the committee made it's
report and we give our readers ex-
tracts from the most important
charges made by the committee, as
we'll as Chief Engineer Lefebvre's
reply to the charges. The charges
made by the committee and Mr..
Lefebvre's replies are important at
this time, as the report is given as
the reason for the entire reorgani-
zation of the Highway Department
and the intention of the Legislature
to place the department under
commission form of government rs
provided for in House bill No. 1877,
now before the Legislature.
The Committee Charges:
The auditing firm of Smart Gore
Company of Chicago, employed by
a committee of the Sixth Legisla-
ture, set up and placed in operation
at the Highway Department an ade-
quate set of books and accounting
records at cost of approximately
$4,000 to the State. The committee
is informed that the Highway ad- |
ministration has failed to follow the
bookkeeping system provided by the
Smart-Gore Company and has not
supplanted it with another or better
one.
Mr.. Lefebvre Says:
With some very minor changes,
the accounting system in use in
the Highway Department is that
recommended by the Smart-Gore
Company, to which the legislative
committee refers and which they
say they are informed has not
been established in this office.
Federal Aid:
The statement furnished the
committee by the Highway Depart
ment shows that on January 1, 1927,
there was available and unmatched
by the State of Arizona Federal
aid money in the sum of S2,222,-
221.00. The State Engineer has
Informed the committee that in
order to secure the benefit of this
Federal aid money it will require
an expenditure on. the part Of the
State of approximately $800,000.00
per year, for several years, for con
struction of highways under the so
called seven per cent system of the
Federal Government.
Mr.. Lefebvre Says:
have no comment to offer
with reference to the subject of
Federal aid in the committee
report. The figures used by the
legislative committee are correct.
The cost of maintaining State
highways, as shown for the last six
months of the year 1926, was the
sum of S566.96 per mile.
MIR. Lefebvre Says:
The increase in the cost of
maintenance on State roads, men
tioncd by the committee. is easily
accounted for by the fact that
traffic has Increased over IS per
cent in the past year and con
tinues to increase. We hope il |
will keep on increasing. Main
tenance costs go up in proportion !
20 the increase in traffic, par
ticularly on shose sections which
are gravel-surfaced but should be
paved.
Federal Aid Project No. 77-solo-
uonville to Duncan Highway, IN
Graham County:
The committee. not being satis-