The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1935-04-23
new HIGHWAY HEAD
ASKS FOR BIDS ON
VARIOUS MACHINES
Asserts 0Ison's Action Was in
Violation Of Order Issued
BY Wexford
MORE WORKERS DISMISSED
Van Horn Returned to Reris.
trar's Department; Minor
Changes Announced

(By the Associated Press
Contracts let by former highway
commissioner Ole H. Olson for ap-
proximately $4,000 in motor patrol
equipment were ordered cancelled
Tuesday by w. J. Flanagan, new
highway commissioner, on the grounds
that they constituted . violation" Of
an order by Acting Governor Walter
Wexford.
Flanagan set May 10 Is the time
for new letting Of contracts for the
equipment. All bids on the machines
were ordered rejected by Flanagan.
Involved were II pieces Of motor pa
troll equipment at an approximate
value Of 5000 each.
Flanagan also made further
changes in personnel in the DEPART
ment. affecting employees under form.
er commissioner Olson.
G. e. Van Horn, former deputy regis.
trar Of the state motor vehicle divis-
ion during the incumbency Of Com
missioner Frank vogel resumed his
old position, Flanagan announced.
Succeeds Herman Schultx
Van Horn succeeds Herman Z
Schultz, deputy registrar during the
administrations Of Governors Thomas
Noodle and Ole H. Olson. He origin
ally was appointed motor vehicle regis
trar in place Of L. H. Mccoy who re-
sisted dismissal, the supreme court
later issuing . restraining order.
Since then Mccoy has completed re-
NesispoA Ae hAA
basis for F1annigan's original attempt
at his removal.
Also dismissed by Flanniean was
l.. A. Peterson, motor vehicle division
mailing clerk, who Was replaced by
G. A. Skow. who had been mailing
clerk in the highway department.
proper.
Two others In the motor vehic1o
division resigned and their posittoua
will be filled soon. They arc Harold
Olson, assistant mailing clerk. and q
A. Nelson, filing clerk.
Changes also are expected soon n
the drivers license department.
Cancelled Contgacts Ligted
Contracts ordered cancelled b.
Flanagan were made by the Lewis
Tractor Company, North Dakota
Metal Culvert Co., Keller Supply
Company and the Minn.-Dak. Tfactor
Company, all Of Fargo: Grand Forks
Tractor and Equipment Company Of
Grand Forks, Northwestern Sheet
Metal Works Of Wahpeton. J. D.
Adams Company Of Indiana, the Du-
pick Motor Grader Company, Omaha,
Neb.
Flanagan cited three reasons on
which he said he based his action in
cancelling the contracts and calling
for new bids. They were: first, the
letter Of Acting Governor Wexford to
various state department heads de-
claring Olson to be without authority
to contract obligations in the name
Of the state; second, possible lack
Of available funds" and third, "lack
Of various items Of equipment" on the
individual pieces Of machinery.
flanagan also charged that T. q.
Plemasen, maintenance engineer UNI
der Olson. had violated" the COVER
nors order by purchasing thres
trucks and . passenger automobile.
Says System CHANGED
The report Of the audit shows at
this time that the regular manner Of
handling maintenance funds has not
been followed under Olson and Pom
asen," Flanagan said. The usual
manner Is to allocate funds to the
division engineers to be spent under
their supervision.
II find that division engineers have
not been advised Is to itemised ex-
penditures Of their various budgets.
As . result the division budgets are
in deplorable condition.
The law creating the highway de-
partment stipulates that not more
than 100000 shall be spent annually
for operating expense. The report
shows that from July l, 1898. to July
l, 1884. under Commissioner Vogel,
highway operating costs were ~, 900
and that from July l, 1894, to April /,
Continued on Page Severn