The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-05-31
BENNETT HAS SIX MILLIONS FOR HIGHWAYS Almost $3,OO0,OO0 Remain From Earlier Appro-
 priations Facts Upon Which $5,0OO,- 900 Bonding Bill Was
 Killed

Hartford, May 31-A credit balance of nearly s, 900. 900 left by former High way Commissioner James H. MacDon- a1d as departmental legacy to the new commissioner, MT. Bennett, is said by members of the House of Represen- tatives to have been one of the strong factors which brought about the in definite postponement in that branch, Thursday, Of the trunk high way bond bill known as the $5,O0O,0oO good roads bill. Another nail in its coffin was driven by Representative Lewis. of AVestbrook, House chairman of the finance committee when he reported the substance of an interview with Governor Baldwin who had expressed his disapprova1 of the bond bill and suggested that $2. 900. GOO would be suf- fieient for highway construction dur ing the next two years. It was be- cause of the governors suggestion that Mfr. Lewis offered an Amendment cut ting down the appropriation to 2,000,- 600. the amount for trunk highways in the bill of the appropriations commit tee which totalled 3,420. 900 which amendment failed as very few mem bers knew of the balance on hand.
 After the House session was over there was much surprise expressed by members who were in favor of giving the highway department ample funds for highway construction under the impression that there were no funds available for work at present and if provision was not made now construc- ton work would have to stop. It was not until later that the fact became known that Governor Baldwin Mad submitted to him a set of figures from the State Com ptro1Ier's office in which it was shown that MT. Mcdonald turned over to his successor balance Of z,940,e74>s7 which was more than one-tlzfrd Of the total amount placed at his disposal by the General Assem- b1y during the past six years.
 From the statistical table made up by the comptrollers office were taken the following figures, the period cov- erinr the administrator of MT. Mac Dnnalds
 ApproprIations. 1ss5-s15o, ,O06: Igs7, sz0n. 900: 1s9e- -ssss,ooo; 1901. s440,o0o: 1908, Sz5a, coo of which s225.O00 was to be ex- pended in each of two years. 1905, $439.- GOO of which $219,500 was to be ex- pended in each@of two years; 1907, $4,- 800, 900 of which $75o,000 was to be ex- pended each year for six years; 1909, no special appropriation but the law was changed so that $1, 5OO. .0oo of the 1907 appropriation might be expended within two years; 1911, $s, 100000.
 On May 1. 1913, the unexpended bal missioner was $2,94o,674ys7, divided as follows:
 Salaries and expenses s15.136. SS; dep 1ties, supervisors and division engi- neers $zs, ,7T2.46: towns for roads ap- propriations 1901-11, $1,243, ,T7753; trunk lines and repairs of same $1.s11, ,4s2. .s5; repair account, town roaAs, $21. 555. 65; total balance s2.94o,674.S7.
 The figures show that the total ap- appropriations to the highway depart 1nent since 1895 and including 1911 amount were s9. e17, 900 and out of this Is left to be expended the May first balance, leaving the total amount ex- pended in IS years s6, 9T6s 32513. In conn par1sor, should the appropriation bill which passed the House, Thursday af- ternoon, be adopted in concur ence by the Senate and which carries $3,O00,- GOO for highways and $42O.000 for de- partmenfa1 expenses, Commissioner Bennett will have the opportunity of paying out a total of $6,36, ,676.S7< dur ing the next two years and before the appropriation which the 1915 session ing greater than all the money spent by the highway department in 1sl years
 Of the credit balance on May 1, the item Of $1,611, ,432-s5 represents in all pr in part contracts for trunk line con ntruction and repairs which MT. Mac Donald awarded before he retired as commissioner but the contracts are vet to be filed and paid for, and the work will be included in that which is accomplished by Commissioner Ben nett during the next two years. The comptroller's statement placed the amount of the contracts as an unex- pended portion of the departmental appropriation.
 In the past six years, covering the period of highway construction of an expanded scale, the appropriations
 eContinued on Page TwoO