Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1916-08-16
.IOWA'S ROAD FUND
TOTALS S146,175
That Is States Share of FirsG Years
Federal Appropriation OF Five
Millions.
TEXAS GETS BIGGEST PART
AMOUNTS TO 1921, 92.
Each of States Must Provide Amount
Equal to That Put up by Ma
tional Government.

tional Government.
Washington, ID. c. July 81
Apportionment among the state of
the first years appropriation of S.
100000 carried by the new good
road act was announced by the de-
partment Of agriculture which has
certified the figures to the treasury
department and state officials.
TO be entitled to it's share, each
state mus provide an amount equal
to that put up by the federal govern
ment.
Texas gets the largest share, SPOIL
I927; New York second, $250,72J.
Pennsylvania third, S230,644, and
Illinois fourth, $22O,926.
Before making the division, Secre-
tary Houston deducted 3 per cent, Or
$150,000, set aside by the act for ad-
ministration. Then the S4,S50, 900
was allotted to the states on the basis
OF one-third respectively in the ra-
ito of area, population and rural de-
| livery and star mail routes.
Among other state allotments are:
Arizona, S6S,513; California
$151,O63; Colorado, $4,000, Idaho,
$6O,463; Iowa, $146,175; Kansas,
$143,207; Missouri, S169,720; Mon
tana, $9S,2S7; Nebraska, $1Q6,770;
Nevada, S64,39S; New Mexico, $751;
1877; North Dakota, $76,143; Okla
homa, S115,139; Oregon, S7S,6S7;
South Dakota, SSO,94S; Texas, S291,-
927; Utah, S56,950. Washington,
I$71,S84; Wyoming, $61,196.
The first installment is Tor the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1917.
For the four succeeding years the
/ following amounts to be apportioned
! in the same manner are authorized:
I191S, S10,000,O00; 1919, SIS, 00O.-
900; 1920, S2O,OOO,O0O; 1921, $780,
| 100000.
In addition, 100000 is appro-
priated each year for ten years for
the development of rural roads in the
national forests.
Routes and construction materials
of the new roads are to be finally de-
termined by the secretary of agri-
culture. No public road can be built
under the law until its location, cost
and character are approved, by him.
Every road project with plans, speci-
| fications 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 sub
stantial in character" the secretary
being given discretion to construe the
question Of substantiability in each
separate case.
A limit Of $4,000 per mile, how
ever, is the maximum fixed by the
law to prevent use of the govern
ment funds in building costly boule-
wards which would not assist il rural
development.
Whether the new roads built UNI
der the law shall be main travelled
trunk lines, connecting interstate
highways, or merely small sections
scattered throughout the states is
also left to the discretion of the
secretary of agriculture. Construc-
ton of both is expected. At the
proposed conference of state high
way representatives here, it is believ-
ed that proposals for a comprehen-
sive, correlative road building
scheme will be reached. The Amer
lean Automobile association and 9TH
er good roads organizations are in
terested in such coordination and
correlation Of the public road
throughout the entire nation. Devel-
opment of the national road system
las a whole is the broad scheme and
aim of government officials, with the
aid of state authorities.