The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1915-04-01

uufluS l5l4, or a total or $4,000
miles in the brief period of two years,
is impressive, it does not convey an
adequate conception of the great
progress that is being made in the
building and management of good
roads. TO grasp the significance of
the movement it should be borne in
mind that in 1904 there were in the
United States only 153,500 miles of
surfaced roads of all types, and this
included many thousand miles of
road which in the year 1914 would
not be regarded as improved. In
the brief period Of ten years $4,000
miles of surfaced roads have been
completed, which would mean an av-
erage yearly increase of 5000 miles.
The year 1914, with its $4,000
miles, shows rate of progress nearly
double the average for the ten-year
period.
The total amount of money ex-
pended on road construction during
1914 was 1926, 100000. In 1910 the
total was slightly in excess of $79,-
100000.
Discussing the progress in highway
administration, j. E. Pennypacker.
chief Of road economics, United
States office Of public roads, said
recently:
Many recognized authorities have
pointed out what a large percentage
Of this is wasted because it is ex-
pended under local control. Unques-
tionabfy this is true in very large
measure. That the results under
state aid are becoming evident at
rapidly increasing rate is proved by
the fact that during 1913 and 1914
nearly 10000 miles of state aided
roads were completed as compared
with 10000 miles for all the previ-
Gus years.
State Control Essential.
1T must be admitted that the eff
cheney of state highway departments
Is greatly hampered because their
supervision extends to only limited
portion Of the great system Of $780,
900 miles of public highway in the
United States. Most Of this milage
is still under local control, but grad
ually state control is reaching out
into the local field. Already the
State Of New York by its elaborate
system Of aid to the various classes
OF highways, practically centralizes
supervision in the state highway de-
partment. The same holds true OF
Pennsylvania. Last year the Iowa
law placed all road work in the state
I,rnntinnc nf tho state
highway department. The trend is
Inevitably toward the centralizing OF
supervision In a state highway de-
partment 80 that the work through
out the state may be corrected and
standardized and so that the effi-
cheney of the highway department.
may replace the inefficiency which
marks local control in many hun
dreds Of counties.
admittedly the weakness of state
highway work in its earlier stages
was the failure to provide efficient
control and adequate funds for road
maintenance. The result was that
many thousand miles Of well con-
structed highway were in serious
danger of utter disintegration. This
condition is rapidly being met by
reemdial legislation and large ap-
preparations, and the much abused
automobile Is proving a saving rae
Tor in this crisis. During the first
ten months Of the year 1914, 1,75o,.
600 automobiles were registered, and
It Is estimated that the annual reve'
nue. from this registration will ex'
ceed $11,500,000. Most OF this sum
goes to the maintenance OF state
highways.
What States Arc Doing.
"The year 1914 was marked IL
the field of legislative enactment by
the action of Kentucky in joining
the ranks of state-aid states and pro
viding a system of state roads. A
levy of one-half mill tax has been
authorized, which will provide abou,
5000. 900 annually, and this fund vii
be available for 1916. Colorado mas
also taken steps to provide adequate
state road funds by authorizing al
tbe last election, a measure Tor I
one-half mill state tax, which VIII
nroyide about 100000 per annum
Illinois, which enacted legislation IL
1919 for state aid, actually got under
way in 1914, and this year awarded
contracts for 100 miles of improved
roads. The appropriation for 1871
was 100000, and for 1915, $500,