Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-07-25
GOOD ROADS.
What 1t Is Costing the United States
to Improve Its Highways, and What
1t Gets in Return.


Washington, D. c., July 25.-Approx.
imately $2O6,OOO,OOO was spent last
year ON public roads in the United
States, according TO statistics prepared
by the United States department of
agriculture. In 1904 the total was only
S7Q,000,000. In nine wears. therefore
the increase has been over $50 per cent
This awakening on the part of fine
country to the importance of GOOD roads
has experts say, been due in great
measure to the principle of state aid
to counties and other local communities
New jersey began the movement in
1891 when it passed its state highway
departments; TODAY there are only six
that have not. In 1918 the individual
states appropriated total of 37.755..
0SS to supplement local expenditures.
The value of this state aid is how
ever, not to be measured by the fipures
alone, for the bulk of the money comes
and always must come from the coun.
ties and townships -Thus, in 1912. the
cash outlay by counties. districts and
townships was $l3T4939Sj. Complete
figures for 1913 arc. NOT vet available
but it is safe to estimate the sum at
approximately $15l, 100000. To tais
must be added some $4,000 600 to rep.
resent the value of the labor contrib
uted instead of cash. in districts where
this practice prevails. Last wear,
therefore, local communities contribut.
ed, in round numbers, 100000. 600. as
against appropriations from state treas.
uries of $3S .755,OSS. The true import.
ance of this $4,000, 900 lies in the
fact that it means expert supervision
of the expenditure of considerable
portion OF the vast sum Of 52OOOO0, 900
When each county built as it chose and
when it chose the services of trained
engineers were usually out of the aues.
ton. There was little opportunity to
test innovations, little advance in the
science OF building, and there was
also difficulty in arousing each county
individually to do its best to improve
conditions within its own limits. State
aid has changed all this. The best
engineering skill is available for All
works of importance, there is co-opera.
ton and constant stimulus to further
improvements. The money contributed
by the states does not only build more
roads, it makes better those that other
money builds.
AT the present time there are in the
United States 2O,74l miles of roads
improved either wholly or in part by
state aid. This is nearly the mileage Of
the French routes nationales. the sys-
TEN Of great national highways which
is the envy of every civilized nation.
The routes nationales are, of course,
only small part of the total mileage
of France where practically every road
of any Importance is an improved road.
and France is vastly smaller country.
both in area and in population than the
United States, so that this comparison
is not, in itself, very flattering to our
progressiveness IL SHOWS. however.
that we have at least made a beginning.
OF the 2,226.S42 miles Of roads in the
United States, 223.774 miles or qpproxi.
mately 10 per cent, are classed as i'm.
proved.
To improve the remaining 90 per cent
may well seem big Job. 1t is. in fact.
only made possible because the work
really pays for itself. From material
gathered by the T. S. department Of