Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 66, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 March 1917 — INDIANA WILL BECOME GOOD ROADS STATE [ARTICLE]

INDIANA WILL BECOME GOOD ROADS STATE

Bill Which Was Reecnfly Paasetl ln Legislature to Bring About ’ Several Reforms. Indianapolis, March 19.—The state highway commission bill, which was passed by the legislature at the last moment of the session, is regarded as a good bill. While it does not*contain all the provisions that its early supporters wished it to contain, they say it has enough teeth to give Indiana a good start in the better roads direction. One provision that failed to stick in the bill was the one requiring contractors to give a bond for maintenance of the road for a period of years. The highway commission will be composed of four members, two from each political party, and they will draw salaries of S6OO a year. The commission will have an office in the statehouse. ——— —• •— ■ Contracts for the main market highways, which will be designated by the state highway commission, are to be let by the county commissioners of the coqpties in which the road is to be built, their action, however, to be subject to the approval of the state highway engineer appointed by the commission. In case the contract does not meet the approval of the state highway engineer and an agreement between the engineer and the county commissioners is not arrived at in five days, he may appeal to the state highway commission, which must either sustain or overrule him in ten days. If he is sustained the commission may direct the county commissioners to advertise for new bids, or it may, if desired, advertise for bids and let the contract itself. State money for the state highway work is to inculde SIOO,OOO from the general state fund this year and $500,000 in 1918, to which will be added by the inheritance tax approximately $400,000. In addition, the U. S. government will add an equal amount up to and including the year 1920. The sums that Indiana will get in case its sources of revenue supply an equal amount are: July 1, 1917, $407,242; 1918, $407,242; 1919, $542,990; 1920, $678,838, a total of $2,036,212. All of the cost of the main market highways is not to be borne by the state and federal government. Half nf the cost, under the terms of the bill, is to be paid by the * county in which the road is constructed. The latter also may, in case a certain class of construction is wished, or some special feature is desired, pay more than one-half of the cost.