The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-09-24
HALF A MILLION FOR ROADS
National Government Will Expenc
One Dollar for Two.

In the last Post Office Appropria-
ton Bill an appropriation is made for
the building of good roads-the first
since the thirties Under the head
of The Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General" the following provision,
introduced by Senator Simmons, Of
North Carolina, appears:
THAT a joint committee shall be
appointed composed of five members
of the Senate to be designated by the
chairman of the Senate Committee on
Post Offices and Post Roads and tve
members of the House to be designat-
ed by the chairman of the House Com
mittee on the Post Office and Post
Roads, to make inquiry into the sub
iect of federal aid in the construction
of postroads and report at the earli-
est practicable date, and for this pur-
pose they are authorized by subcom-
mittee or otherwise to sit during the
sessions or recess of Congress, at
such times and places as they may
deem advisable, to send for persons
and papers, to administer oaths, to
summon and compel the attendance
of witnesses, and to employ such
clerical, expert and stenographic as
sistance as shall be necessary, and
to pay the necessary expenses of such
inquiry there is hereby appropriated
out of any money in the Treasury not
otherwise appropriated the sum of
twenty-five thousand dollars to be
paid out upon the audit and order of
the chairman or acting chairman of
ns.ai1 1AA hnF
there is hereby appropriated the sum
of five hundred thousand dollars, out
of any money in the Treasury not
otherwise appropriated, to be expend-
ed by the Secretary of Agriculture
in cooperation with the Postmaster
General in improving the conditions
of roads TO be selected by them over
which rural delivery is or may here
after be established, such improve
ment to be for the purpose of ascer-
tanning the increase in the territory
which could be served by each car
rier as result of such improvement,
the possible increase of the number
of delivery days in each year. the
amount required in excess OF local
expenditures for the proper mainten-
ance of such roads, and the relative
saving to the government in the oper-
alton OF the rural delivery service.
and to the local inhabitants in the
transportation of their products by
reason of such improvement and re
port the results in detail to Congress:
Provided, That the State or the local
subdivision thereof in which such: inn
provement is made under this pro-
vision shall furnish double the
amount of money for the improve
ment of the road or roads so selected.
Such improvement shall be made I'M
der the supervision OF the Secretary
of Agriculture
That the Secretary of Agriculture
and the Postmaster General are hereby
directed to report to congress within
one year after the ratification OF this
Act the result of their operations I'M
der this Act the number of miles OF
road improved, the cost or same, and
such other information as they may
have acquired in connection with the
operation of this Act, together with
such recommendations as shall seem
wise for providing a general plan OF
national aid for the improvement of
postal roads in cooperation with the
states and counties, and to bring
about as near as possible such coop
GRAFTON among the various states as
will insure uniform and equitable in
terstate highway regulations, and for
providing necessary funds for carry
ing out such plans of national aid, If
it shall be deemed feasible TO provide
the same or any part thereof other
wise than by appropriation from the
Treasury for that purpose"