The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-08-31

eIal states nave control OF the us
tributiop of the money. In Other
words, the State highway department
of Tennessee shaull furnish to the
Secretary of Agriculture plans, speci
ficarions, and estimaes, ard designate
/ the roads that are to BE- improved
If the Secretary of Agriculture ap-
proves thes plans, specifications, esti.
mates, and roads he will notify the
State highway deparement of Tonnes
see ar, certify his apr4val to the
Secretary of the Treasury, and there
upon the Secretary of tie Treasury
shall place the fund to til ecredit OF
that State. Rules and regulations
governing the operation of the act
will be formulated by the Secretary
of Agriculture, probably after confer
ence with the officers of the various
State Highway commissions, which
conferel ce will take place soon.
Half and Hall Plaza
The funds are to be distributed up
on the half and half plan. In other
words, the State will pay 50 per cent
of the total estimated cost of any
road designated by the State highway
department and approved by the Sec
rotary of Agriculture, and the Federal
Goyernn ent will pay the other half.
The Secretary of Agriculture is given
authority to make payments on said
const' Lotion as the work progresses,
but they shall not be more than the
United States prorata part of labor
and material which have been actual
ly put into the construction in con-
formity to such plans and specifica,
tons. 1t is also provided that such
roads shall not cost in excess of $10,-
600 per mile, exclusive of cost of the
bridges of more than 25 feet clear
span. All roads are to be built under
the dii ection and supervision of the
State Highway department, and Sub
ject to the inspection and approval of
the Secretary of Agriculture. Pay
ments for this work are to be made
by the Secretary of the Treasury on
warrants drawn by the Secretary of
Agriculture to such official or Off
Gals, or depository.
Creation OF State Highway
Department
| happened to be in Nashville a
numbe.' of times in the spring of 1915
while the State legislature was in ses-
sion, and privately urged, among my
friends in the Legislature, the passage
of Il highway commission bill. | had
talks with number of senators and
that Senator w. A. Johnson, of Shell
by county, and Senator j. j. Murray,
of Marshall county, were taking an
active hand for the measure. l was
delighted to see the same pass, for
then felt that it would be necessary
to have a highway commission in or
der to make the proposed Federal law
effective in Tennessee. The ohnson
bill provides for this very thing.
Additional Legislation May BE
Needed
department act, known as the John
son bill, provides:
THAT all moneys accruing from an
nual registration and licensing of au-
omobies in the State under any law
now in existence or that may here
after be enacted, over and above the
necessary expense incident to the col
lection of same, and all penalties paid
for the violation of such laws which
are paid into the State treasury, shall
be set aside as highway fund, and
shall be available for the purposes of
this act, and expended under the di-
rection of the State highway depart
ment, Tor the maintenance of public
roads in the respective counties of
the St"te in the same proportion as
collected from said respective coun-
ties, after deducting 10 per cent of
the same for the maintenance of the
said highway department"
| do not know how much money
can be derived from this source. 1t
will dot btless be an ever-increas = :
sum as the number of automobiles
increases in the State, but it will be
seen from a reading of this section
this sum can not be expended in ac-
cordance with the Federal act. In
other words, the use of this fund is
now restricted under the terms of the
State highway law, and either other
funds must be raised in order to give
the State its so per cent necessary to
secure the benefits of the Federal act,
or the highway act must be changed
so that the highway commission can
use all of this fund if necessary for
the purpose. OF course, this is a
matter for our State legislature, aad
| am sure, under recommendation
from Gov. Rye, the law will be chang
ed so IS to permit Tennessee to get
the fnll benefits of the Endaral act