The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1916-08-03
j. S. GOVERNMENT PREPAR-
ING FOR GOOD ROAD WORK
Preliminary Plans For Organization TO
Spend S15.OOO.OOO Being Made
BY Federal Government.

As the first step in the federal gov
ernments part of spending $3.50, 900, 900
on good roads during the next five years
in cooperation with the states, Secre-
tary Houston soon will announce pre-
liminary plans for organization and
sometime before September II will
notify the governors of states Of the
apportionment of federal funds for this
year. A circular will also be sent to
all the governors and state highway
authorities outlining tentative plan to
procedure.
The SIS, 900, 900 is to be paid half by
the government and half by the several
states, apportloned among the latter
according to their respective area, popu-
lation and rural mail 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
eminent officials are preparing to put
its provisions into early operation. Ac-
tual construction of some of the roads
may begin this fall and extensive con-
struction next spring is planned.
Appropriations for the present year,
ending July l, 1917, authorized by Con-
gress are $1,000, 600. For the four sue
ceeding years they are. respectively,
$4,000, GOO; SIS, 600, 900; 500. 600, 900 and
S25, 200, 600. The law provides, how
ever, that no government money shall
be available unless the states spend an
equal amount, matching the govern
ment contributors 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 regulations 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 whom devolves practically
the entire work of supervising the gov
eminent expenditures. Immediate SUI
pervision will be by the Office of Public
Roads and Rural Engineering, of which
Logan Waller Page is director.
A conference of highway representa-
tives Of all states and, possibly of or
CARNATIONS interested in the good roads
movement, engineering experts and
others, to discuss measures for promul-
eating the new law is planned soon by
Secretary Houston.
Apportlonment among the several
states of the $1,000, 900 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 post
route mileages and population. The al
lotments will be made by the Secretary
of Agriculture, one-third being based
on the ratio which the population of
each state bears to the total United
States population, according to the
latest census, one-third in the ratio
which the mileage 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 appointments Of
this year 5 S., 900, 900 appropriation, less
three per cent for administrative ex-
penses with those of other years in
proportion. are as follows
Alabama ,................ $lo7, 200
Arizona. Observation-Disclosures. n,75O
Arkansas Observation-Disclosures. S4,850