Report of State Highivay Engineer. 41 



REPORT OF STATE HIGHWAY ENGINEER. 



Columbia, ]\Io., December 31, 1910. 



To tlie State Board of Agriculture : 



Gentlemen — In view of the fact tliat this is my fourth annual 

 report, my term of office expiring Avithin a few months, I shall take the 

 liberty to make a general summary of the work and policies during my 

 tenure of office. 



Summary of Work — Beginning with July 6, 1907, and ending De- 

 cember 31, 1910, the State Highway Engineer's office has responded by 

 sending a representative to 420 separate calls throughout the State 

 upon road affairs ; made field surveys, plans and estimates for 109 miles 

 of road at an estimated cost of $200,000; designed 162 concrete bridges 

 having a total length of 2,080 feet at an estimated cost of .$109,820, and 

 126 steel bridges with a total length of 10,067 feet, at an estimated cost 

 of $236,950. A total estimated cost of work upon plans made by the 

 office of $546,770. Eleven bulletins and several circulars upon road 

 and bridge work have been issued. All this does not include the nu- 

 merous inquiries which have been answered and consultations given by 

 mail. Much of the work is of such a nature that its value cannot be 

 estimated in dollars and cents nor take into account the far-reaching 

 effect which the road meetings, pul)lications and other similar efforts 

 may have. Neither has it been the aim to clieapen the work, but rather 

 to get good road work at its true value. 



Assistance Where Asked — The office has given assistance in road 

 affairs to any reasonable recjuest where possible to do it, regardless of 

 whether it was a public or private road and whether aid was requested 

 by a road official or private citizen. AVe advocate uniformity in methods 

 and work; a strict accounting for money expended; bett'^r work and 

 more of it ; construction of permanent bridges and culverts ; making 

 liard surfaced roads ; attention to the earth roads and the use of the 

 drag; better maintenance; cash taxes and State aid. We especially 

 urge State aid, both cash and convict la])or, for we believe it to be the 

 key to the solution of the road work in general. 



Office Maintenance— ^hike many other concerns of both private and 

 public nature, and like the State itself, the State Engineer has been long 

 on talk and short on revenue. The appropriations made by the Legis- 



