The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1916-07-15
$85,OOO,OOO FEDERAL AID
FOR RURAL ROADS
Recent LEGISLATION Provides For Sys-
tenn of Improved Highways-HOw
States May Secure Funds.

Washington, D. c., July 15.-The sun
of SS5,OOO.OOO of Federal funds is made
available for the construction of rura
| roads. by the passage of the Fedora
| Aid Road Bill, which became a law OF
July IL, 1916 OF this sum, S75.000,0O(
is to be expended for the construction
of rural post roads under cooperative
arrangements with the highway de-
partments of the various States. anc
$4,000, 900 is to be expended for roads
and trails within or partly within the
National forests. The Act limits the
Federal Governments share in roao
work in cooperation with the States
to so per cent. of the estimated cost OF
construction. Federal aid may be eN-
tended to the construction of any rural
post road, excluding all streets or
roads in towns having a population OF
$500 or more except the portions OF
such streets or roads on which the
houses are, on an average, more than
200 feet apart.
Five million dollars is made avail
able for expenditure during the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1917, and there
after the appropriation is increased at
the rate of five millions a year until
1912, when the sum provided is twenty
five millions. making a total of seven
ty-five millions. In addition, an ap-
preparation of one million dollars 4
year for ten years, total of ten mill
lion dollars, is made available for the
development of roads and trails wholly
or partly within the National forests.
The class of roads to be built and
the method of construction are to be
mutually agreed upon by the Secre-
tary of Agriculture and the State high
way departments.
The Act provides that after making 6
necessary deductions for administering
its provisions. not to exceed per
cent. of the appropriation for any one
fiscal year, the Secretary of Agricul-
ture shall apportion the remainder of
each years appropriation in the follow
ing manner:
One-third in the ratio which the area
of each State bears to the total area
of all the States.
One-third in the ratio which the
population of each State bears to the
total population of all the States.
Onethird in the ratio which the
mileage of rural delivery routes and
star routes in each State bears to the
total mileage of rural delivery routes
and star routes in all the States.
Project statements setting forth the
proposed construction of any rural post
road or roads in a State are to be sub
mitted by the State highway depart
ment to the Secretary of Agriculture.
and upon approval by the Secretary all
necessary surveys, plans, specifications
and estimates must be furnished. The
roads projected must be of a substan-
tial character, and items covering en-
gineer, inspection. and unforeseen con-
tingencies are not to exceed ten per
cent. of the total estimated cost of the
work.
! Upon completion of the work as ap-
proved by the Secretary, the amount
set aside for the project is to be paid
to the proper State official. The Sec
retary of Agriculture is given authori-
/ ty in his discretion to make partial
payments as the work progresses, but
not in excess of the Federal Govern
ment's pro rata share of the labor and
material which have been actually put
into construction work, nor in excess
/ of $4,000 per mile, exclusive of the
cost of bridges of more than 20 feet
clear span. All construction work is
subject to the inspection and approval
of the Secretary of Agriculture.
The various States securing aid un-
der the provisions of the Act are
charged with the making of needed re-
pairs and the preservation of reason
ably smooth surface, considering the
/ type of the road. but are not obligated
to make extraordinary repairs or un-
dertake reconstruction. If, after due
notice. State fails to maintain a
federally aided road properly. the Sec
retary is required to refuse further aid
until the road has been properly re-
paired at State expense.
The sum of $10,000,000 is made avail
able in yearly appropriations of ST.
100000 for the cooperative construc-
tion and maintenance of roads and
trails within or partly within the Ma
tonal forests by the United States,
States, Territories, or counties in which
the forests lie Expenditures for this
purpose are not to exceed ten per cent.
of the value of the timber and forage
resources available for income upon
the National forests where the roads
or trails are constructed Beginning
with the next fiscal year after an
agreement is made between the Secre-
tary of Agriculture and a State, Terri
tory, or county for the cooperative
construction of such roads, ten pei
cent. of all revenues from such forest
are to be applied toward reimbursing G
the u. S. Government for funds eXpen-
ded in road work until the whole
amount advanced shall have been re-
turned.
The objects sought through fedora
aid to roads in the National Forests
are thus explained by the Secretary OF
Agriculture in his annual report fol
1915. in which he recommends sucl
} legislation we'll as federal aid to ru
raj post roads:
The real agricultural problem with
in and near the Forests is to make
possible the successful occupancy anC
; development of the lands that already
have been opened to entry or actuall!
: patented. The mere private OWNERSHIP
of land does not insure successful us'
i of it. In Oregon and Washington alon,
: there are about 3,OOO,OOO acres of logg
ed-off land much of it agricultural il
, character, now lying idle. In this con
dition speculative holding of the Ian,
. for higher prices plays a large part
Another cause is the lack of transpor
j, tation facilities. A settler may clea
e land and raise crops upon it, but he i
helpless if he can not market them
There are great areas of fertile lam
unused today on this account. In man
sections near the National Forests pi
. oneer conditions still exist. The popu
, lation is small and the task of roa
:. building is beyond the means of tn
, residents. There is little or no de
. mand for timber and the receipts fror
the Forests which go to the communit
are small. The fact that the publ
property is not subject to taXatio
'' makes such communities feel, and yer
- justly, that the Forests are not con
tributing enough to local development
This situation should be changed
Assistance should be given in the build
ing of roads to bring into productiv