The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-12-12

one-half ton trucks, made 45 mile
trips and carried about 3-4-ton
loads. The passenger vehicles aver
age lit, each make average trips
of 42.S miles and carried 81 passen-
gers per trip. Apparently the
freight haulers made an operating
profit, while the passenger opera
tors suffered loss.
State Highway Development
Let us turn now briefly to the
general highway development of the
state. In 1922 we had 20 miles Of
gravel road and 1913 miles of earth
grading in our state highway sys-
tenn, out of a total state highway
mileage now fixed by law at 1900
miles. On the first day vf Deem
Der of this year, the construction
division Of the State Highway de-
partmcnt reported 1862 miles of
earth grading completed, Of which
2122 miles were gravel surfaced, six
miles oiled and nearly ten miles
paved. At the same time, sol miles
of earth grading are under con-
struction and 429 miles under con-
tract for gravel surfacing. This
will give US 4453 miles Of earth
grading, of which $3.50 miles will
be gravel surfaced by June, 1929,
leaving approximately 300 miles of
the state highway system still to be
earth graded and 1850 to be gravel
surfaced. AS maintenance costs in
crease, both because c. obsolescence
of the road and increase Of traffic,
the ability to build new highways
must shrink accordingly. The only
relief in sight to enable the State
Highway commission to continue
construction at the rate Of 400 miles
per year, or better, will be an in
crease in revenue to be derived
either from an increase in the gaso-
line tax, or an increase in automo-
bile license ICES. or both. No doubt
this will affect the earning capacity
of the commercial carrier, but in no
greater measure than it will affect
every other automobile owner. Ger
tainly, commercial carriers should be
the last to object to the betterment
of the road system which will en-
able them to render a speedier and
more certain ervice and the saving
in this direction should offset large
ly any increase in the cost in the
operation of the vehicle itself.
Who Is to Be Carrier.
The determination Of the question
who shall be permitted to operate
as commercial carrier is placed by
law in the hands of the Board Of
Railroad Commissioners and like
wise their regulation as to common
carriers. No doubt, before many
years, a decided effort will be made
to place the control and regulation
of carriers doing interstate business
in the hands Of the Interstate Com
merce commission. This will result
no doubt in considerable conflict of
jurisdiction. The proposition now is
pending before the federal authori-
ties to allow the adjoining states to
iron out the problems arising there
from, recourse to national control, ex-
cept in case the state authorities
concerned cannot arrive at salts
factory settlement.
Certainly the states are entitled
to receive from the common carrier
some return for the construction and
upkeep of the state highway system
and it is in this field more than in
any other that difficulty will be en-
| countered because it would obyi.
ously be unfair to compel the oper-
ator to pay two auto fees, especially
! %.Av
The Department of State Highways
now has no greater control over
common carriers than it has over
the individual owner of an automo-
bile. Under the terms Of Chapter
l62, laws of 1927, we can regulate
their weight, lights. brakes and
other mechanical features. The law
also can regulate the rate of speed
There is .,othing in our statutes that
will prevent q common carrier from
operating over any.road EXCEPT az
such cperat on applies to every other
vehicle. That means that where the
road is closed the bus must follow
the general line Of traffic. Chapter
162 allows local authorities, by or.
dinance or resolution, to restrict the
weight Of vehicles for q period moi
to exceed 80 days on local roads by
reason o. deterioration, rain, snow
or other clireatic condit..c where !
heavy vehicle might seriously dam.
age such road. They may also pro.
hibit the operation Of trucks or 9th.
er commercial vehicles or fix limit,
- TO weight on certain designated
highways. The State Highwa,
commission ID net vested clearly S;
law with such mower. No doubt sucI
| power should reside in the Stat.
Highway commission to protect In,
state roads curing seasonal period,
and ! am quite sure that the mex
Legislature viii b asked for sucl
= grant Of authority. While thil
may affect the bus and commercial
truck and Inconvenience them occ1
iSionallY md temporarily. the publi