The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-08-05
Ncrlrctn.l Itcns.

The cost of building roads Includes
other expenses than the payments
made to contractors, although few
highway commissions include these
overhead charges in their report on
costs. The California highway COM
mission does so, however hence its
reports have a high reputation among
business men who have examined
thin. The commission buys directly
all the materials used in the roads
which amounted a year ago to nearly
200 cars per working day. A pur-
chasing department for handling bus
mess of this amount is an unusual
EXPENSE for a public commission, for
the work is usually done by contrac-
tors 1t is included with the expenses
of the auditing, discussing, legal, sec
retarlal, engineering and clerical de-
partments. The overhead expense on
the California state highways to date
amounts to 4.i1 per cent of the total
This is the estimate prepared on the
usual theoretical basis.
But the actual facts are very diner
ept. A recent estimate showed the
total expenditure from the highway
fnnd had been $l2,746,396, of which
S11.5g1.l8S was for contracts ana
materials and $6O4,926 for the over
head items Just mentioned. These
two classes Of expenditures amounted
70 1913 per cent, exclusive of state
construction, has ever afterwards
abandoned ii. The original laws have
been changed in almost every S'aie'
there have been changes in organ,
ization and changes in general
scheme, But every state has adhered
n the basic idea that ii effective
statewide road construction IS 10 De
secured, it must be through state alq
which has developed its main lines OF
travel to meet modern requirements
without some system Of state AID OF
$50 construction. The state most
closely approaching this condition IS
Indiana but it is understood thaI
even there the system OF local Donu
issues and consequent local consul Ut.
ton has not been wholly satisfactory
and that some other system VIII soou
be substituted. :.
The first effect OF state aid mas IN
rariahly been to increase road con-
struction Of an adequate character
This is due to two reasons First IN
dar ali state aid laws the cost mas
baan distributed better than undeF
- Iowe Second, all state aid laws
ara so arranged that unless a county
proceeds with construction, II s4 ,si,
sces money to other counties WHICH
do proceed. 81, ,os
The second result of state AID mas
haon hetter construction and the
Standardization of plans Throughout
tbo State even though different types
Of construction are necessary III u''-
ferent counties, as is the case.
The third result has been the ell,
gao, stare aid construction mas haa
=, otLer construction in the state, IN
t5at The roads. ulyerts and bridges
cnnztrrcted under state plans anu
specifications have served as examples
from which. in many cases local con
st~rrtfon has distinctly benefited
Il ia now practically anniversary
,,Ice5oa mat any work Of import
800 II il is to be a success, must
~, head. A state highway COM
mission made UP of high class iecn-
meal and non-technical members
Win highway engineer as cHecu !,
,f.s otrcer and an engineering stan
r-,fneq Ia both the scientific and
r-sr-fca, sides Of road and bridge
=.rucaon. is the logical head oil
highway construction in any state.
The principal employees OF a state
highway department can be engin-
ra-e Maid reasonable salaries, VINO
should be, and usually are, more eN-
perlenced in road and bridge design
an construction than the men whom
counties can afford to employ. Ihese
mon deal with conditions not In one
county only but in many counties
and mat they are usually able 70 nan.
/ die any road or bridge situation tha'
may arise is not the result OF enence
or book education or white coliaIS
but Is simply the result Of statewide
experience. Having had the oDpor-
tun!ty Of seeing many pieces OF many
kinds Of work they have prooe oly
already encountered and helped tC
overcome almost every difficulty oTdi'
narny met with In road or pridge
construction,
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