Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1916-08-28
Million Dollars
For Forest Roads

Secretary Houston has just an
nounced the plan to be pursued in
spending the ten million dollars ap-
propriated by the federal aid road
act for the construction and main
tenance of roads and trails within
or partly within national forests, and
has tentatively allotted among the
various national forest states the
million dollars which is expendable
this fiscal year.
The tentative allotments to the
principal national forest states are
as follows:
Alaska, S46,2SO; Arizona, $59,-
795; Arkansas $11,294; California,
$14O,76S; Colorado, $62, SS5; Idaho,
$1OS,O1O; Montana, SS9,9O1; New
ada, $19,195; New Mexico, $42, ,622;
Oregon, s127,794; South Dabota,
sS,115; Utah, s4O,9S2; Washington,
$91,799 Wyoming, $4O,566.
In addition, a total OF 1882 has
been tentatively assigned to Florida,
Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska,
North Dakota and Oklahoma, while
the eastern states, Maine, New Hamp-
shire, Virginia. West Virginia, North
Carolina. South Carolina, Tennessee
and Georgia, in which the govern
ment is purchasing lands for ma
tional forests, have been allotted
$21,057.
"In general" said Secretary Hous-
ton, the states and counties Will
be required to furnish cooperation
in an amount at least equal TO oU
per cent of the estimated cost OF
the surveys and construction. How
ever, upon a satisfactory showing
by the applicant state or county that
such proportion of cooperation is
I inequitable, it may be altered and
the ratio of cooperation fixed upon
a basis equitable to both the state
or county and the United States. ~
The method followed in appor-
/ tioning the money was explained by
| Secretary Houston as follows:
Ten per cent of the amount avail
able each year will be withheld az
a contingent fund. One-half of the
remainder will be allotted to the
states in amounts which Will De
based on the area of national for
est lands in each state. The other
half will be apportioned on a basis
of estimated value of timber ant
forage resources which the forests
contain Amounts apportioned bul
unexpended within three years, ahc
any balance of the contingent fund
which remains unapportioned at the
end of each year, will be reappor'
toned on the same basis as the or
iginal allotments.
The two groups of states to which
lump sums are allotted are, 1t was
explained. to be considered as single
units of apportionment. Appor
tionments now to be made are fol
the current fiscal year only.
Thereafter new apportionment'
will be made, giving consideration tt
the number and character of appll
cations made by the state and coun
ty officials for expenditures on spe
cific projects. These applications
must be filed with the district for
esters in the seven national fores
districts on or before January l o
each year, for the fiscal year begin
ming the following July l.
The determination of the pro1eot
upon which funds will be expended
during the current fiscal year vii
be made on the basis of application
which must be filed with the dis
trict foresters on or before Octobe
/. 1915. Each application mus
contain a statement of the publ
needs to be served by the propose
road and the manner and extent t
which it would aid in the develop
ment of the resources upon whic
communities within or adjacent 7
the general location of the propes
road and its estimated cost.
As already stated, in genera
states and counties must be prepare
to furnish cooperation equal to a
least so per cent of the estimate
cost of surveys and construction.
This cooperation may be in tn
form of money, labor and materials
or the construction of roads. Wher'
other factors are equal, the approva
of a project may be determined upol
the relative amount of cooperation
offered. Many applications have, l
is stated, already been received 10
expenditures upon specific projects