Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-07-26
Funds Available For Build
ing New Highways Under
New Statute.
IOWA'S SHARE
is $146, It's
Apportionment Made on Basis Of
Population, Area and Mail Routes
States Must Appropriate Equal
Amounts to Secure Government Aid
agricultural Department to Ad-
minister New Law.

Washington, July 26-Apportion-
ment among the states Of the first
years appropriation Of 100000 car
ried by the new good roads act was
announced today by the department Of
agriculture, which has certified the
figures to the treasury department and
state officials
To be entitled to it's share each state
must provide an amount equal to that
put up by the federal government.
Texas gets the largest share, S291,-
991; New York second, s250,707;
Pennsylvania third. s23O,644, and III
nots fourth, s220,926.
Before making the division Secre-
tary Houston deducted per cent. or
$15o,o00, set aside by the act for the
administration. Then the s4.S5O. 900
was allotted to the states on the basis
OF one-third respectively to the ratio
Of area, population and rural delivery.
Iowa Gets $146,175.
lowa's allotment is s146,175; South
Dakota's $S0,966, and North Dakota's
s76143
The first installment is for the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1917 For the
tour succeeding years the following
amounts are authorized: 1913 S10,-
100000: 1919, $4,000, 900; 1920. $50
100000: 1921. s25 5000, 900.
First Federal Aid Law.
Inc expenditures are authorized by
the Shackleford-Bankh good roads
law, the first granting federal aid to
states in road building. 1t was signed
July II by President Wilson and gov
ernment officials are preparing to put
its provisions into early operation.
Actual construction Of some Of the
roads may begin this fall fand exten-
sive construction next spring is
planned.
Appropriations for the present year,
ending July 1, 1917, authorized by
congress are s5,0oo,oOO. For the four
succeeding years they are respective
~. s10,e00 900; 81, 100000: $4,000. 900
and $o5,000,000. The law provides,
however that no government money
shall be available unless the states
spend an equal amount, matching the
government contributions dollar for
dollar =: -Er.
Every cent of the federal 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-
tically the entire work Of supervising
the government expenditures. I'M
mediate supervision will be by the
office Of public roads and rural en-
gineering, of which Logan Waller
Page is director
A conference Of highway representa-
tives of all states and, possibly, of or
ganizations interested in the good
roads movement, engineering experts
and others to discuss measures for
promulgating the new law is planned
soon by Secretary Houston.
Agricultural Department Controls.
Routes and construction materials
of the new roads are to be finally de-
termined by the secretary Of agricul-
ture. No public road can be built
under the law until its location. cost
and character are approved by him.
Every road project with plans, specifi-
cations and cost estimates must be
given his approval before any of the
federal money shall be available. There
Is no specific requirement that such
roads shall be permanent. but the act
declares they shall be Substantial in
character" the secretary being given
discretion to construe the question of
substantiability in each separate case.
A limit Of $4,000 per mile, however,
Is the maximum fixed by the law to
prevent use Of the government funds
in building costly boulevards which
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 thru
out the stAes is also left to the discre-
ton of the secretary of agriculture
Construction Of both is expected. At
the proposed conference of state high
way representatives here, it is believed
that proposals for comprehensive,
correlative road-building scheme will
be reached The American Highway
Association, the American Automobile
Association and other good roads or
ganizations are interested in such CO.
ordlnatlon ana correlation of the pub
lie roads thruout the entire nation. De-
velopment of the national road system
as whole is the broad scheme and
aim Of government officials, with the
aid of state authorities
Cooperation Planned.
The machinery for cooperative ac-
ton is substantially as follows: States
desiring to secure their share of the
federal funds will, thru their highway
commissions or departments. file for
NAL applications. submitting the route
and character of roads proposed to the
secretary of agriculture. Should he ap-
prove the projects, the secretary of ag-
riculture will notify the state commits
sions and the secretary OF the treasury.
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