The Cordova daily times., 1916-08-03
S150,000,Q00 IN GOOD ROADS
 MOVEMENT

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2. - As the first step in the federal governments part of spending $15O,OO0,O00 on good roads during the next five years in cooperation with the states, Secretary Houston soon will announce prelimin- ary plans for organization and some time before September II, will notify the governors of states of the ap- year circular will also be sent to all the governors and state highway authorities, outlining a tentative plan of procedure
 The $150,OO0OOO is to be paid half by the government and half by the several states, apportioned among the latter according to their respective area. population, and rural mail route mileage.
 The expenditures are authorized by the Shackleford.B Bankhead good roads law, the first granting federal aid to states in road building. It was signed July II by President Wilson, and gov ernment officials are preparing to put it's provisions into early operation. Ac tual construction of some of the l, f,l oyta aive construction next spring is planned.
 Appropriations for the present year, ending July 1, 1917, authorized by con eress are $5,O00,OOO. For the four sue cceding years they are, respectively, $1OO30,000 15,OOO,O00, $20,OOO.00o and $25OoO, GOO. The law provides, how eyer that no government money shall be available unless the states spend an equal amount, matching the gov ernmcnt contributions dollar for dol lar
 Every cent of the federaR and state funds. the act provides, shall be spent to build new roads. Maintenance costs thereafter must be borne by the states alone.
 Rules and regulations to put the federal aid law, as it is popularly known. into prompt operation are now being drafted by the secretary Of agriculture. upon whom devolves prac- ticaIIv the entire work of supervising the government expenditures. Imme- diate supervision will be by the office of public roads and rural engineering, of which Logan Waller Page is di- rector.
 A conference of highway represen- tatives of all states and, possibly, of organizations interested in the good roads movement, engineering experts and others, to discuss measures for promulgating the new law is planned soon by Secretary Houston.
 Apportionment among the several states of the $5.OOO,OOO for the first years work will soon be announced by Postmaster General BurlesOn, who IS required to annually certify appor- tionments because of changes in rural most route mileages and population. The allotments of the federal appro- nriations will be made by the secre- tarv of agriculture. one-third being based on the ration which the popu- lation of each state bears to the total United States population, according to the latest census, one-third in the ratio which the mileage of rural post roads in each state bears to the total national mileage, and one-third in the rotion which the area of each state hears to the total area.
 Routes and construction materials of the new roads are to be fhally determined by the secretary of agrl- culture. No public road can be built under the law until it's location, cost and character are appDved by him. Every road project with plans, specl- fications and cost estimates shall be available. There is no specific re- ouirement that such roads shall be per manent, but the act declares they shall he "substantial in character" the secretary being given discretion to construe the question of substantia- bility in each separate case.
 A limit of $1OOOO per mile, however ia the maximum fixed by law to pre- vent use of the government funds Ill building costly boulevards whlch would not assist in rural development
 Whether the new roads built under the law shall be main travelled trunk lines. connecting interstate highways or merely small sections scattered throuobout the states IS also leit to