No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 389 



MR. FENSTERMAKER: Mr. Chairman and Members of the 

 Board: I have an apology to offer to the members of this Board. I 

 would like to have this report just one-half as large as it is, but it 

 is such an important question, one of the widest questions I think 

 in our State, that I have not been able to keep niy paper within the 

 limits I would like, and whenever you get tired, let me know and I 

 will quit right there. 



The following is Mr. Fenstermaker's report: 



REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ROADS AND ROAD LAWS. 



Br P. S. Fenstehmakek, Chairman. 



Your Committee would report that there are now among the 

 statutes of Pennsylvania road laws which embody many of the 

 features recommended by this body. We believe that if those upon 

 whom rests the responsibility of carrying out its provisions will faith- 

 fully do their duty, a new era of road improvement will have dawned 

 upon our Commonwealth. We find, however, that the people are 

 hesitating and uncertain as to how 7 to proceed. No one seems 

 anxious for the position of township supervisor, and for once this 

 office will have to seek the man. 



We have heard of townships where meetings have been held re- 

 solving that they would continue upon the same plan as hereto- 

 fore, and pay no attention to the new law. The acts of 1905, repeal- 

 ing former laws, all proceedings under such circumstances will be 

 illegal, and such as will follow this plan will soon find themselves 

 in a dilemma. The success or failure of road improvement under 

 these new laws, depends principally upon the ptrsonel of the men 

 selected for position of township supervisor. Unless the best men 

 in every township interest themselves sufficiently to put in opera- 

 tion the provisions of these acts of the Legislature, the taxpayers 

 as well as those having occasion to use the highways will be in worse 

 shape than ever before. 



As to the State aid reconstruction acts, the State Highway Com- 

 missioner, Joseph W. Hunter, reports that this department has re- 

 ceived five hundred applications, aggregating nearly one thousand 

 miles of road, about two hundred miles completed, and surveys made 

 on many miles more. The State Highway Department claims to 

 have found less objection to the State aid system. The opposition 

 decreasing in proportion as the public becomes familiar with the pro- 

 visions of the law and with the character of the roads built by au- 

 thority of the law. That townships which first applied for State aid 

 have been so well pleased with the results that they have sent in 

 numerous additional applications. 



Through information received from different sections of the State 

 we find that many differ with the State Highway Department in 

 several particulars, as to the results of the State aid reconstrm • 

 tion laws. 



