390 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



seeing the value of improved roads, but that a change in the new 

 law should be made requiring the county to pay at least twice as 

 much as the township; and that when application for State aid is 

 made, it would be best to have the State Highway Commissioner 

 decide which section of road should be built, instead of the county 

 commissioners, as at present, claiming that undue influence is often 

 brought to persuade them to improve first such roads that are not 

 in urgent need of same, or which are not of the principal ones as 

 far as heavy travel is concerned, and thereby disappointing the 

 general public. 



The following reply is characteristic of the writer: 



"Dear Sir: Probably the best we could do would be to repeal all 

 road laws to date, forjuulate new ones, providing, among other 

 things, for the cash payment of road taxes, secure good workmen, 

 under competent supervisors, pay labor weekly, levy a tax on pleQ.s- 

 ure carriages $1.00, automobiles |50.00, bicycles 50 cents and trac- 

 tion engines |5.00 annually, as a separate road tax, and collect a 

 fine of 15.00 from any resident of borough, town or city who com- 

 plains of poor country roads. 



"Respectfullv yours, 



"W. H. STOUT." 



It is very evident from these divers views, that a campaign of 

 education in road-building as well as of devising measures to pay 

 for them, is of more importance than new road laws. We have 

 laws to burn. There is much in our old and new road laws that is 

 good. To repeal all would be a mistake. Take for instance the 

 acts for the opening of new roads, of vacating and altering roads, 

 for obstruction by railroad companies, taking charge of turnpikes, 

 bridges, proceedings in road cases, provisions, penalties, etc. These 

 have stood the test of time, and can hardly be improved. To repeal 

 them and not substitute something equally as good, would be to 

 create chaos. Changes will undoubtedly be necessary and can be 

 made by amendment from time to time. 



One very glaring defect in Section 10 of the act of 1903 was ob- 

 served in an experience we had in endeavoring to persuade a board 

 of supervisors to apply for State aid. Two of the supervisors were 

 favorably inclined, but could not agree as to which particular road 

 to begin operations on. Each favored the road passing nearest to 

 his premises. The third member of the board could have been per- 

 suaded to favor either one of the roads selected, but as all the su- 

 pervisors would not agree to sign the petition as the act requires, 

 the project came to nought. 



We would suggest, therefore, that the parts of the act of 1903, m 

 Sections 10, 11, 12, 13 and 16 be amended where it reads: "The su- 

 pervisors or commissioners of a township," be added the words "or a 

 majority of them." In the act of 1901, to encourage the use of 

 wide tires, in Section 1, there is a provision that every person using 

 four-inch wide tires in hauling loads of two thousand pounds or over 

 shall be credited by the supervisors of the district with one-fourth 

 of the road tax assessed and levied on property of such person. 

 Such credit shall, however, not exceed five day's labor, or its equiva- 

 lent in cash. Limiting the amount of the one-fourth credit to five 

 days labor or its equivalent, is not enough of an inducement to a per- 

 son having a large amount of road taxes to pay, and naturally using 



