The Glasgow courier., 1916-10-20

these expenditures must be in such
units that will admit of economical
administration, that is, they will not
approve many isolated small expendi-
lures, as the cost of examination and
engineering will be so great that it
would be Improbable to undertake
the work in this manner. The de-
partment s reasons for limiting the
projects IN each state to the smallest
possible number are sound, as this will
tend to make the amount expended on
each unit as large as can be consist
emily administered, with the result
that greater economy will prevail. The
elimination Of the number of small
projects will start program of road
construction that will rapidly develop
certain and definite mileage each
year, which will in a short space of
time take the burden of construction
of our through tonnage roads from
the shoulders of the local community
and distribute it on the state and fed
eral government, the local commun-
tiles being only held for the mainte-
nance of the roads so constructed.
Under this program Montana will
be limited not to exceed five projects
at the outset. 1t would be prefer
able were the number reduced to two
as bv such an arrangement an organ
ization could be formed to more
readily cope with Montana conditions
thus avoiding the danger Of many
possible expensive mistakes, as many
features connected with the admins
tration of this new law will of ne.
cessity have to be worked out to meet
the conditions Of each individual
state, and in many cases each individ
ual community or section in which the
work is carried on.
However, as the financial require
ments were such that Montana coult
not at this time meet an expenditure
of more than $4,000 per contract
as it is necessary to rely on the coun
ties matching the governments ap
preparation in the proposed five pro
iects Of two units, each, which vii
! make an expenditure Of $4,000 in two
contracts on the part of the county
. or two counties might join in an ex
) penditure Of $4,000 each, the gov
ernment meeting this amount dolla
for dollar.
In addition to the federal appropri
alton of $1O,OOO,O0O available to b.
expended in those portions of th
s States in which forest reserves are 10
Gated Montana's share of this ap
preparation for the year 191G-1917 i
{ $69,9OO. This can be expended onl,
in counties in when forest reserve
: are located and upon the main ton
s mage roads within the forest reser
8 YES. TIE appropriation will continu
! for period of ten years, each an
s nual sum available will be approxim
ately the same as the initial oppor
tionment, the division being made II
ten installments of one million eacl
More In Forest Reserves.
In all there will be available fo
Montana road work next year frol
s government sources $16S, ,lS7. The lay
requires the State Highway depart
ment in making application for fed
2 eral aid to make survey, plans an
5 specifications for the proposed worl
& The same shall be submitted to tn
5 Federal Department Of Roads for ar
8 proval and upon approval with a sat
3 isfactory showing being made tha
s the county will meet the proposed e2
3 penditure in an equal amount, tn
s project vii be approved, and a cor
& tract authorized The state is re
s quired to stand all expense of admir-
Z istration, that is the Highway Con
s mission must stand the cost of all SUI
E veys, plans, specifications, superb
s tendence, attendant upon the cor
E struction of the work. in order tha
s every dollar of the county's none