Leland J. Kennedy Memoir - University of Illinois Springfield

Q: Nineteen fifty-one.
A: What?
Q: In 1951 that passed.
A: Well that - alright then, that's good, we've got something to talk about.
Q: Well now, what was your position in regard to the truckers' license fees?
A: Well I supported the administration on the raising of the gasoline tax, and of the truck
fees, but I didn't support him on the Constitutional Convention. And I still think the Constitution
of 1970 was unnecessary. But it passed, and you had the convention. But 1 think
the 1870 Constitution would have served just as well. I'm a little conservative on changing
everything. You can amend them, and do things like that but, oh, 1 think everybody probahly
supported the 1970 call because the outcry was from the puhlic. But sometimes they don't
know what's good for them either you know, when you get right down to it. I don't say
that disrespectfully of them.
But in the 1949 session, that would be the Sixty-sixth General Assembly, I supported the
administration and the raising of the gasoline tax. I think it may have becn introduced
for much more than it passed. It passed at three cents. And the truck fees were cut back
some, and I think they raised the license fees at that time too. Well you had highways
to keep you know, and to take care of. And if I recall in that session - and of course it's
never been followed through - in order I guess to take the heat off of them, passed a resolution
that the responsibility of the building and the location of highways was up to the highway
department and not the General Assembly.
I think at that time that the Kiver Road was under construction. It wasn't any further
than where we are now. Where you come up Clifton Terrace hill.
Q: From Granite City, this direction.
A: Yes. No, it didn't go that far. Route 3 wasn't there. Oh my God, no, Route 3 wasn't
there. I'm sure Route 3 wasn't - maybe just from Alton to - it wasn't this far I don't
think. But I was living on Washington Avenue and I don't believe it was this far. It went
up that far though, right away they got that far because Stevenson dedicated one of those
monuments on that - plaque, or something. Rut it was completed shortly thereafter.
The Telegraph was strongly for it. I think at that time - that's thirty years ago - that
John McAdams - he and Paul Cousley, Sr., the father of the present Paul Couslcy, wcrc
great advocates of the River Road. John McAdams was a great advocate of it because he
was somewhat of an outdoorsman. He told stories you know at Chautauqua meetings and
Roy Scout meetings, and camp. There's a Lewis and Clark Camp for Boy Scouts, I guess
it's still in service, off of the Route 100, back in towards town.
And it was at one time known as the McAdams Highway. It's called the Great River Road
now, but I believe it's got a sub-name, the McAdams Highway, in the part up to maybe
Kampsville and that area there. Rut they . . .
Q: What kind of legislative action were you involved with in regard to that Great River
Road? nid you put any hills in to support it?
A: Well we - the Telegraph area legislators - that would be Curly Harris, and I guess
Mick Mueller and Orville Hodge, of course, supported things. Wc would introduce measures
to - and appropriations, but the highway department would come up with thc final say. At
that time 1 don't believe there was any federal money available at all. Whether there was