Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-06-05
MILLION A DAY FOR ROADS
Every State in Union Aroused to
Importance of Work.
MORE THAN EVER IN HISTORY
of Public Roads Tells of Result
of the Great Cam
paiGn.
CFrom a staff CorrespondentO

WASHINGTON, June 4.-(Special Tele-
million dollars a day is the record that
will be established throughout the United
States as the expenditure for improving
and maintaining public roads Never be-
fore in the history of the country has
there been such interest in the improve
ment of highways and with the legislatures
of the states appropriating millions of dol
lars for this purpose, the good roads move
ment has received its greatest impetus
since the foundation of the republic.
The money that will be expended on the
roads Of this country during the next six
months will be more than ever before
in the same period of time In 1904 the
total expenditure for the construction and
maintenance of roads and bridges in the
United States amounted to about $50, 900 900,
but the expenditure for this purpose in
1911 will aggregate about S1400OO.OO0. Ex-
elusive Of Sundays and legal holidays, the
outlay for roads will amount to 81, 600 900
day during the present road building
season. This includes all moneys raised
by local taxation, bond Issues, state appro-
priations and private subscriptions.
Every state Aroused.
Every state in the union" said Logan
Waller Page, director OF the United States
office OF public roads, in telling of the re-
suits of the great campaign for good roads,
seems at last to be thoroughly aroused
to the benefits derived from investments
in good highways. In California the state
has issued $18,000,O00 in bonds with which
to build system OF state highways. This
work will begin during the present season.
In the state of Connecticut about 81 $50, 900
will be expended this year out of the state
treasury for trunk line and state aid
| roads. OF the 100000 bond issue recently
authorized in Maryland over $1,250,0OO will
be available this year for trunk line and
| state aid roads. Massachusetts will expend
| from state revenues over 8, 900, 900 for the
construction and maintenance of state
roads.
Five Millions In New York.
1T is expected that at least $4,000 will
be expended on state aid roads and on
| trunk line systems in the state of New
York, in addition to $4,000 600 already raised
by local taxation. More money is being
devoted to road Improvement in New York
than in any other state in the union, and
the percentage of improved roads in that
| state has increased from 10 per cent in
| 1894 to 60 per cent in 1909
over 100000 is available in North Car
olina from bond issues in the various coun-
ties for road improvement this year and
the legislature has authorized the con-
struction OF a road from the Atlantic ocean
TO the Tennessee line. a distance Of AZ
miles.
In 1910 thirty counties in Ohio voted
$4,000 in bonds to be expended this year
Ohio will also expend about $4,000 from
state revenues for road improvement In
Pennsylvania the state-aid appropriation
will probably amount to over 81. 10000 and
$5O,OOO,0O0 bond issue is being considered
Various counties in Tennessee will expend
Sl.5oOOO0 from bond issues. Over 81, 800. OOC
will be expended from bond issues in var
ious counties in Texas. In Virginia $3.50,
900 has been authorized by various counties
to be expended this year. while over $3.50, OO(
has been appropriated in the state Of Wis
consin in accordance with the state aid
| system
The prospect for a complete system OF
public roads through the United States is
better now than ever before in the his,
tory Of the country, and a uniformity OF
recent good road laws gives promise that
this country will eventually take its place
with France in having the most sensible
system OF road supervision and main.
| tenance."