MICHIGAN ROADS AND FORESTS. 



MICHIGAN PIONEER GOOD ROADS TOWNSHIP. 



Elkland township, in Tuscola county, was 

 the first township in Michigan to receive state 

 reward for roads built according to specifica- 

 tions of the state highway department. This 

 township was blown almost off the map in 

 the spring of 1905, by a tornado that swept 

 away fifty houses, barns, fruit trees and 

 fences as if they were feathers dancing along 

 in an ordinary gale. Elkland township, how- 

 ever had citizens some of them township olti- 

 cers that could not be kept from having good 

 roads if they themselves were left on this 

 globe. They applied for an allotment of state 

 money and so quickly did they get to work 

 and so fast did they work, that they were able 

 to win the honor of being lirst to apply and 

 llu-ir road done, and first to get their state. 



money. Elkland thereby won a distinction 

 that will' make them noted for all time.' 



The total cost of the first mile was $985; 

 and the township received $500 as state re- 

 ward from the highway department, which 

 brought the net cost to the township down to 

 $485. This road was built of gravel that was 

 found at one end of the road. 



This township built two and one-half miles 

 of gravel road in 1900, the total cost of which 

 was $:>.!I54, and received in state reward $1,:>50, 

 leaving a net total of $1,704. 



The township will build more roads in 1907, 

 and will in a very few years be one of the 

 finest townships in all Michigan in which to 

 live, so far as delightful road travel is con- 

 cerned. 



First State Road in Michigan, Elkland 'township, Tuscola county; gravel. One 

 mile long. Built in 1905. 



Elkland township State Reward Road built in 1906. Both of these roads run out 

 of Cass City, one of the most up-to-date and one of the best of the younger cities in 

 Michigan. 



QOV. WARNER HAS SIGNED 



THE ELY CASH ROAD TAX BILL. 



The salient features of -this bill are: 



1. No more working out .taxes, and no more 

 cider conventions under shade trees. 



2. Cash tax, divided into two funds, one 

 raised on all property outside of incorporated 

 villages for road repairs and must be expended 

 on roads benefitting property taxed, the other 

 fund, a highway improvement fund raised on 

 all property in the township, including the vil- 

 lages, which can be used as the township 

 board may direct in improving bridges ,and 

 highways in any part of the township. 



3. A cut in taxes of 33% per cent. While 

 it has been possible to levy a tax of 1 per 

 cent statute labor and one-half of 1 per cent in 

 cash, this bill cuts off one-third, making it 

 possible only to h:vy one-half of 1 per cent for 

 road repair and one-half of 1 per cent for per- 

 manent improvement, but it is conceded by 

 everybody that with cash the township high- 

 way commissioner will be able to do three 

 times as much good as with the work tax 

 plan. 



4. The .township highway commissioner's 

 wages are raised to $3 a day, and may be more 

 if the township board decides. 



5. The township highway commissioner 

 and one overseer of highways constitute the 

 road department of the township, and there is 

 but one district. 



Good Roads or Binder Twine. 



Commissioner Earle's bill to appropriate 

 $:JOO,000 for the purpose -of establishing a 

 pri'so-n plant in the upper peninsula to utilize 

 convict labor in mining and crushing trap rock 

 for the construction of -good roads,: and Gov- 

 ernor Warner's .bill to appropriate $175,000 to 

 establish a binder twine plant ,in connection 

 with the -prison at Jackson,, appear .to be run- 

 ing about neck-and-neck in the legislature on 

 their race to become laws, and it is rather 

 uncertain which, if either,, will, reach the goal. 



We do not hesitate to express our. opinion 

 that of the two the good roads measure is of 

 much the greatest importance. The binder 

 twine plant would be of' benefit to the wheat 

 growers of the state only, while the good 

 roads bill would benefit everybody who has 

 occasion to make use of wagon roads for any 

 purpose. In disposing of this matter the legis- 

 lature should adopt the motto of "The great- 

 est good to the greatest number. Eagle, 

 Traverse City. 



Keweenaw Roads. 



The excellent work done by the people who 

 look after the roads in Keweenaw county has 

 often been commented on. Everyone who has 

 had occasion to use the roads in Keweenaw 

 during the past three months knows that in 

 the way of a weather proposition the people 

 have been up against the hardest proposition 

 ever, and one that made the oldest inhabitant 

 admit the downfall of the pet story of the 

 tough winter of 18 . Notwithstanding this, 

 the roads in the township of Houghton were 

 seldom better than this winter. This result 

 has been accomplished with a very small out- 

 lay of money, when the number of miles of 

 roads are taken into consideration, there being 

 about nineteen miles of roads in the northern 

 end of the township alone, and the total cost 

 of keeping the winter roads in good shape has 

 been less than $300. 



County Road Commissioner George H. Hag- 

 gerson of Menominee county is mapping out 

 an extensive plan of road improvement in 

 Menominee county this year. 



Eaton Rapids will vote upon a proposition 

 to bond for paving. 



The township of Decatur, Van Buren county, 

 will expend $2,500 on highways this year. 



