The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-01-14
Latimer of South Carolina
Introduces important Bill.
GOVERNMENT AID ASKED
Sum of Twenty-Four Million is Car.
ried by Measure-Eight Millions
to be Available for
', Three Years.

- w oSu1ASlOA SRSSAeA1 oe1yS. @-"Se
ty.four million dollars for good roads,
to be expended at the rate OF eight
millions year during the next three
years! That is the amount Of apDro-
priation carried in the good roads bill
which Senator Latimer, of South Car
olina, has just introduced. His bill
sets forth an elaborate scheme for
federal aid of the good roads move
ment, for ~hicn purposes he proposes
to establish in the department of agTi-
culture a bureau of public highways.
The object of this bureau, accord
ing to the terms Of the bill, shall be
to cooperate with the various states
in the improvement and construction
Of permanent public roads in accord
auce with the scheme set forth In de-
tail in the bill This bureau is to con-
sist Of three commissioners to be
known as commissioners of highways,
two of whom shall be appointed by.
the president, one from each OF the
two leading parties, these to be mem
who have practical knowledge of road
engineering and construction. The
third member is to be an officer Of the
engineering corps of the army of rank
not below captain. Each is to receive
compensation at the rate OF 5000
per year for their services. These
commissioners shall be under the gem
eral supervision of the secretary OF:
agriculture.
After the expiration OF six monsas
from the time of the passage Of this,
act, any state, through the proper Of
ficers having jurisdiction of. public
roads, may apply for aid in the Inn
provement or construction Of public
roads, under general rules to be
made by the commissioners. No state
shall be entitled to receive the bene-s
fits Of this act until it shall have YES
tablished, to the satisfaction Of the
commissioners of highways:
/. That the highway or section
thereof sought to be improved or cons;
structed is of sufficient public use to
come within the purview OF this act.
taking into account the use, location
and value of such highway for the pur-
pose of common traffic and travel ana
for the delivery Of the mails.
2. That the requisite right Of way
shall have been secured.
5. That the highway will be impIov.
ed or constructed in accordance with
the regulations Of the bureau, and
when so improved win be maintained
and kept in repair without recourse
upon the United States.
4. That the state has provided for
it's portion of the total cost.
One-haR the expense is to be borne.
by the federal government, the other
half being borne by the state, but It
is provided that the states may dis
tribute their portion of the expenses
among the counties directly benefited.
1t is further provided that no money
shall be advanced by the United
States in payment of it's proportion Of
the expenses except as the work oi
actual construction progresses, and Ia
no case shall the payment or pay.
ments made prior to the completion
OF the work be in excess Of 80 per
cent of the value of the work actually
performed. \
To carry out the provisions Of the
bill an appropriation of s24,000,000 Is
provided, ss,o00,Oo0 for 1904, ss,o0e,-
900 for 1905 and sS,O0O,OO0 for 1906. II,
any part Of this is not expended n
the year named it shall be available
for the succeeding year. And it IS
further provided that no state shall
receive in any one year larger pro-
portion of the sum appropriated than
it's population bears to the total pop.
ulation of the states Of the United
States.