Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-08-08
WILL ORGANIZE
GOOD ROADS FUND
Pennsylvania Gets $239,050 in
First Year of Federal
Aid

Washington. July 00-As the first
step in the federal governments part
Of spending S15O.O0O.0O0 on good roads
during the next five years in co-opera-
tion with the States. Secretary Hous-
ton soon will announce preliminary
Aplans for organization and will notify
Vie governors of States of the appor-
,.onment of federal funds for this year.
A circular will also be sent to all the
governors and State highway authori-
ties outlining tentative plan OF pro-
cedure.
The s150,O0O. 900 is to be paid half by
the government and half by the several
States. apportioned among the latter
according to their respective area,
population and rural route mileage.
The expenditures are authorized by
the Shackleford- -Bankhead 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 and exten-
sive construction next Spring is plan
ned.
Appropriations for the present year.
ending July !, 1917. authorized by
Congress are S5,0e0.000. For the four
succeeding years they are, respectively.
S10,000,00O. Sl5,OO0,000, S20.000.000 and
S-OtUVusuuu- 1 he law pEONlOSS, Ao"SNSL,
that no government money shall be
available unless the States spend an
euqal amount, matching the govern
ment contributions dollar for dollar.
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 regulati tions to put the fed
eral aid law as it is popularity known.
into prompt operation are now being
drafted by the Secretary OF Agricul-
ture, upon which devolves practically
the entire work of supervising the gov
ernment expenditures. Immediate su-
perv!sion will be by the Office of Pub
lie Roads and Rural Engineering, of
which Logan Waller Page is director.
a conference of highway represen-
tatives of all States and possibly, of
organizations interested in the good
roads movement, engineering experts
and others, to discuss measures for
promulgating the new law is planned
soon by Secretary Houston.
S5,OOO,OOO First Year
Apportionment among the several
States of the S5.000,000 for the first
years work will soon be announced by
Postmaster General Burleson, who is
required TO annually certify apportion-
ments because of changes in rural route
mileages and population. The alloeSi
ments of the federal apportionments
will be made by the Secretary of Agri-
culture, one-third being based on the
ratio which the population of each State
bears to the total United States popu-
lation, according TO the latest census,
one-third in the ratio which the mile
age OF rural post roads in each State
bears TO the total national mileage,
and one-third in the ratio which the
area of each State bears to the total
area.
The approximate apportionments of
this years S5.o0O,000 appropriation. less
3 per cent. for administrative expenses
with those of other years in proper
tion, are as follows: