Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 272, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 November 1919 — INDIANA’S STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION MAKING RECORDS. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA’S STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION MAKING RECORDS.

After years of agitation and effort, Indiana was given by its legislators at the 1919 session of the general assembly, a highway law based on the principle that good roads are in the interest of all of the people and not in any sense a local proposition. By virtue of the new law, which became operative on March 10, 1919, immediately after the govenror signed the bill creating the state highway department, plans were put into effect to complete the organization proposed under the act. As a result, Indiana has a highway commission which is doing things. There is a state director appointed .by, and responsible to, the commission, and ample revenue has been provided for the conduct of the commission’s work. After this year, all automobile license fees will go to the state commission instead of to the several counties. The new highway law measures up fully to federal requirements. As a result, Indiana is getting her share of federal aid.

Jj. H. Wright, formerly of Columbus, , was the unanimous choice of the commission for the important position of director. Mr. Wright has been very active in the interest of good roads and in the efforts that led to the formation of the state highway department and the organization to handle the state’s road building program since its inception. He is well known by the farmer taxpayers of the state, having been affiliated with various farm organizations for a number of years. The second important appointment of the commission was that of chief engineer, otherwise known as chief of the division of construction. The.'law provides that this appointee shall be a competent civil engineer, experienced and skilled in highway and bridge construction and improvement, and under the director, shall have supervision of all matters pertaining thereto. Immediately following Mr. Wright’s appointment as director, he chose H. K. Bishop, graduate of Cornell university, as chief engineer. Mr. Bishop has spent 26 years in highway and general engineering work of a public nature. Twelve years of this time, in periods of 3 years each, were devoted to municipal work, enlargement of deepening of the Erie canal, and as superintendent of engineering and executive head of public works at Hudson, N. Y. About a year was spent on municipal work in Cuba? FdY • 6 Yeats* Mr: was connected with the New York state highway department and during the last two of this period, was first deputy commissioner. Follow-

ing three years of engineering in Hawaii, Mr. Bishop engaged in private practice for three yeafs in New York, from where he went to the U. S. bureau of public roads, as district engineer and served in this capacity for a period of two years in charge of federal aid in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina. He resigned this connection to accept the appointment of chief engineer, Indiana state highway commission. Through the combined efforts oi Director Wright and Chief Engineer Bishop, rapid and very satisfactory progress has been made in highway work this year in Indiana, as evidenced by the 134 miles of pavet highways already placed under contract.