The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-09-12
A WISE REGULATION
State Aid for Roads Available to Ex.
tent of so Per Cent of Amount
Expended by County. "
If County Expends Sc, 400 in Road Inn
provements the State Will
Pay $1,000 of Same.

Last March the state highway CON-
mission apportioned the funds at it's
disposal among the counties of the
state that had complied with the re-
quirements of the law. There was
81, 200 apportioned to Mile Laos
county. Under a strict construction
of the law the county would be re-
quired to expend 50, 400 in permanent
road improvements on highway
designated by the commission to
secure the $1,000. This requirement
could hardly be complied with in
sparsely settled counties. The CON-
missioners could not expend such a
large amount on one piece of road
when there was a crying demand from
all parts of the county for a share of
the county road and bridge fund.
Now the highway commission has
placed a liberal construction on the
law and a county can avail itself of
the state aid by expanding an amount
in permanent road improvements
equal to the amount appropriated by
the commission. In other words, if
Mile Laos county expends 400 on
the state road to Mile Laos lake the
state highway commission will pay
half the amount.
The following resolution, which was
offered by Commissioner Halverson
at a meeting of the state highway
commission in St. Paul last Friday is
self-explanatory
"Whenever it shall appear to the
satisfaction of the state engineer that
any county has expended on a state
road any certain sum of money in the
permanent Improvement of such road
during the fiscal year ending July 81,
1908, there shall be placed at the dis
posal of such county one-half of such
amount, to be expended by them under
the rules and regulations of the high
way commission, provided that the
amount SO allowed by the highway
commission does not exceed the
amount allotted to such county,
After the adoption of the resolution
Commissioner Cooley, the secretary
and engineer of the commission, drew
up the following letter which will be
sent to the county auditors of the
state:
"Under this resolution, if your
county has expended on any state
road. so designated by your county
board, since July 81, 1907, a certain
sum of money in the permanent i'm
provement of said road, you will be
entitled to expend on any portion OF
said road which your board may des-
ignate sum not exceeding one-half
of the amount previously expended.
the work to be done under the super
vision of your superintendent of high
ways, if you have one, Or the county
surveyor or such superintendent as
you may appoint, and his certificate
will be necessary to show that the
amount expended by your county has
been for permanent improvements
and not for incidental repairs. His
certificate will also be required later
that the money allowed by the high
way commission has been expended in
conformity with the rules and regula-
tions adopted by said board.''
The $1,000 apportioned to this
county by the highway commission
should not be COMPOUNDED with the
2,l00 appropriated direct by the leg
islature. The S2.100 is to be ex-
pended under the supervision of the
county commissioners, but $500 of the
same must be expended on the road
between Milaca and the lake. There
is also direct appropriation of
Zoo for the year ending July 81,
1909. There is nothing to prevent the
commissioners utilizing a part of the
direct state appropriation to apply on
the amount required to be expended to
secure the 81, 200 apportioned to the
county by the highway commission.
With state aid to the amount of
$4,000 this year, and perhaps like
amount next year (there is no ques-
ton about the s2,1oo appropriated
direct by the legislature), together
with the county road and bridge fund,
the county commissioners should be
able to make good showing in road
improvements during the next two
years. The supervisors of the sew
eral towns of the county should CO.
operate with the county commission
ers to the end that the best results
may be obtained. A system of good
highways will accomplish more to-
wards settling up and developing
Mile Laos county than all other
agencies combined.
Successful cooperative Elevator.
The following is clipped from the
associated press reDOrtS 0f the ST