The Green Forest tribune., 1911-07-21
WHAT GOOD ROADS DO COST
New York to Sxpend Over $5,oOo,oOo This Year in Repair
 Work.

How few automobilists and tourists realize as they glide over the good or bad roads of New York state what the upkeep of these highways and by ways Is costing their town, county and state, and indirectly them. If they would stop to think of this there would be much less profanity when one chances upon a mud puddle difficult to dodge
 In the first place, the average, or. rather, the majority of tourists have no idea of the number of miles of roads In New York state which must be annually repaired, oftentimes semi annually. Frank D. Lyon, the deputy commissioner of the state highway department, has furnished statistics and information on this subject which are not only startling and surprising, but vastly interesting to motorists.
 There are in the Empire state 80,- 900 miles of roads, i greater mileage of which is improved highway than all the other eastern states put to- gether, not including Massachusetts.
 
 roads and more under construction. There are macadam roads totaling in mileage 2,400, constructed by towns. There are more than 10000 miles of earth roads, properly shaped and crowned, stones picked and removed, depressions filled, culverts and bridges repaired. Towns have constructed 5000 miles of gravel roads, in first class condition
 To keep these roads navigable, so to speak, shape means work, systematic, untiring labor on the part of great corps of people. Tls state is divided into nine districts. with MT. Lyon in actual charge of these. Each district has superintendent, an assistant to MT Lyon Then the state is again subdivided into forty-four counties un- der the supervision of fifty-four super intendents, who in turn are ansWerable to the nine assistants of MT. Lyon. Then it is further subdivided into 934 towns, under 934 town superintend- ents. By this system Commissioner Lyon can reach within twenty-four hours after notification any road In the state in need of repair.
 Work of construction and repair is now at it's height, and Mir. Lyons re- port of recent date showed that on one particular day there were 26,000 men and teams on the roads of the state.
 Cooperation on the part of automo- bilists with the state authorities is urged by the state highway depart ment. MT Lyon asks that tourists running across anything wrong with the roads immediately report the same to him. In this way tourists-those who are actually using the roads will not only aid the state, but them selves, in keeping the highways in tho best of condition.
 "The upkeep of motor cars" says MT. Lyon, will this year be reduced 40 per cent in my mind, on account of repairs to highways being made"
 Towns are this year raising by taxes for highway improvement the sum of $2,504, ,675.23 The state is turning over to the towns to aid them III lIiiS WOl 9I,OJO,OiU l)l luSS HOl during the year 1911 Is to cost S62S,- 414.G3. The amount to be paid out fo- new machinery is $1S0,011.25. Special road improvements in towns of the state are to cost $279, 70622, making in all $5,1S5, ,S77.33 to be expended by towns this year
 The state is to bond itself for S19,- 100000 for the construction of state roads. Towns and counties are to be called upon to provide as their share S5,000,000 The state legislature has appropriated $1,S00,000 for the main. tenance of state roads already con structed.
 The sum of s21,9S5, 5,87733 is to be expended in one year for road con struction and improvement throughout the great Empire state-that is, this amount Is available for the work, and in all probability will be utilized by the state department of highways