The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-10-11
SAFEGUARDS ROAD NOM.
ELABORATE PLANS TO PREVFlNr
IMPROPER USE OF THE
HUGE APPROPRIA.
TION.
Federal Government Will Not Permit
Any FavOritcs to BE Played but
Will Give Work to LOwcS- Bli1f3er

my H"'oAAWS W AC Nhye0 Ont
Will Give Work to Lowes- Hlader.
News and Courier.
Elaborate plans to prevent the di-
version into improper channels of
any part of the $75, 100000 which the
federal government is to spend ~ CO.
operation with States on good. roads
within the next five years have neon
made by Logan Waller Page. director
Of the Office Of public roads and ru-
raj engineering. which will supervise
the work. The public roads once is
preparing to see to 1t that the roads
for which the government money IS
spent are places where the trafsic de-
mand Is the heaviest and not where
politicians or others desire them.
Plans designed to prevent abuses
are covered largely in rules and reg
ulations promulgated by Secretary
Houston Of the department Of agri.
culture. under authority confefred by
the Federal Aid Road Act. The rules,
which outline the methods by which
the federal government shall aid the
States in the construction Of, high
ways. provide that detailed infqrtna-
tion In reference to the proposed con-
struction and maintenance shall be
Furnished to the secretary of agri-
culture before any agreements are
made. se
z When the plans Of a State for road
building. accompanied by q request
for federal aid, are received, they viii
be fully investigated by government
agents. and If acceptable the State will
receive from the government its, ap-
portionment of the appropriation
made for the purpose. Under the
terms of the act the federal govern
mont pays the bill for one-halfs the
cost and the State pays the &other
half. More than q score Of States nl-
ready have indicated their intontioh
to ask for federal aid, and twoS CHI
ifornia and Connecticut. have ailed
formal applications.
Rights-of-way and damages, a. eat.-
Joining property have to be pa&a for
blythe States. and the federat gov
eminent will not pay any part xtsthe
expense of making surveys, &1aus.
specifications or estimates prior ~ the
beginning of construction. .5tys 81
The regulations require. too, 1t no
Epart q, the federal money TX ra sian-
yllsk t6ss 8 II snoSsn 20 t1is - = ISc- ss
ton OF the secretary that ed nase
means were employed priorto the be-
ginning Of the construction to Insure
economical and practical expenditure.
Prior to the acceptance of any lid,
sufficient opportunity must be given
the Office of public roads to have a
representative present.
II contract should be awarded to
any other than the lowest Responsible
bidder. the government will not pay
more than its pro rata of the lowest
bid. unless 1t can be satisfactorily
shown that 1t was advantageous to
the work to accept the higher bid.
Unless otherwise specified In writ
ing by the secretary of agriculture,
materials for construction, prior to
USE must be tested for cOnforroity
with specifications.
Certified vouchers showing the
amounts expended upon any project
and the amount claimed to be due
from the federal government must be
submitted upon the completion OF the
work. or, II the secretary Of akricul-
ture has determined to make pay
ments as construction progresses, at
intervals Of not less than one month.
The Office Of public roads will, as
far as Is practicable. endeavor to have
the roads Of one State connect with
those Of another. In some cases
plans for roads branching out from
market or Industrial centers to
thickly populated sections would be
acceptable to the government regard
less Of whether they connect with
other market or industrial centers.
STAFF ASSIGNMENT TO HACOOD.