The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-04-21

| states OF Maryland, fennSylVanla,
Ohio and Indiana, westward to the
Wabash and the Mississippi. For
thirty-two years they struggled with
the great work, until finally the appro-
priations ceased altogether In 1888,
and the work was laid down after an
expenditure Of s8,SS4,919.33, sppro-
priated by congress.
Revenues derived from the sale of
public lands continued to be set aside
by congress for aid in road construc-
tion. Between 1871 and 1S45 Louisi-
ana, Indiana, Mississippi. Illinois, Mis-
souri, and Iowa were aided in this way
to the extent Of about 81. 5.000,0 900. Be
tween 1854 and the beginning of the
civil war congress appropriated in all
something like s1,600,000, which was
expended chiefly on roads within the
territories Thus up to 1861 the ma
tional government had assisted In
road building throughout the nation
to the extent of s14,0O0,O00.
Aid Educational Only.
Since 1861 the national government
has rendered aid to road building only
in an educational sense. The ex-
penses OF the war exhausted the treas
ury, appropriations for road building
we're out of the question and fool
notion" became prevalent that the
railroads had done away with the
need of improved wagon roads
While the whole people we're labor
ing to recover from the effects of the
var, railroad, canal, river and harbor,
= aud Mississippi river advocates we're
lost active and induced the govern.
: vent to give to railroads 44,464.719
acres of public lands, and In this way
lided In building 1890 miles of rail
'oads, and guaranteed both principal
} and interest of bonds of railroads
amounting to s64,62S.512; donated
t 4.jO0,724 acres for building of canals
: and l,9S0,593 acres, for river and har-
Dor improvements, and appropriated
! 'l6.500,000 to aid in the construction
; of levees to prevent overhows and de
e struction of life and property along
a the Mississippi river.
/ The first effort to again return to
= : some plan to render aid to people In
e the matter of wagon roads was In 1893
e When congress, realizing that work
Of an educatlve and investigative char
acter could best be done by the ma
i tional government, and was necessary
e before any progress could be made
(. toward the Improvement Of public
T roads, established the office OF roat
inquiry for the purpose of investiget
e ing systems of road management ant
disseminating information on the sub
d ect OF road building and appropriated
$4,000 to carry out the provision o.
h The act. The title of the Office has
e been changed to "Oflice of Public
2 Roads" and changes have been made
g rom time to time In the appropria
q lion bills until the last appropriation
was $4,000.
The office conducts two distinc
n fields Of work, one bearing upon tn,
J. economic questions involved and thu
n other upon the practical and technica
Il features of road construction ant
d maintenance.
X Shows you how to build an expen
II sive road, but not one cent from tn,
IS government to aid in expense of max
& ing the road.
In recent years many states hav'
3 'aken up the work OF creating and es
T. tablishing the office of highway com
D missioner or bureau OF highways ant
n carrying on campaigns of education
1. by conducting testing laboratories
d building object-lesson sections o
l. roads, some appropriating money wit
r. which to aid counties In building
4 roads and some designating and build
,f ing main market roads.
IS State Highway Department.
y Ohio in 1904 authorized the cres
e tion Of state highway department
~ the appointment of a state highwa
commissioner and appropriated $40
n 900 for the purposes OF organization.
In 1906 and 1907 appropriated 5000
e 100 and in 1908 and 1909 $440, 900 10
"a state aid I'm road building, and In 100
le and. 1909 distributed $4,000 to eac
o county, which, In some counties, wa
"a divided among the townships and use
'e in repair, and I'm others for buildin
a object-lesson roads all Of which is 81
s pervised as we'll as can be by a con
missioner compelled to labor on
IL small salary and with an underpai
% and limited office force and offic
"a rooms and equipment scattered fror
Is the capitol building to the Ohio Stat
u university.
" The road statistics for all the state
and territories shows that In 1904, nc
a. including Indian Territory, Alaska an
D. island possessions, there were 2,151
% $40 miles of public road in the Unite
'r States. or this mileage, 10S,232.
70 miles we're surfaced with gravel, 38
" 6217 miles with stone, and $500.
's miles with special materials, such a
shells, sand-clay, oil and brick, maxim
In all 53,6643 miles of improved roaC
le From this It follows that TIA per cen
n ~ oil tho roads In thIa nnuntrv hav