Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1916-09-29
GOVERNMENT AID
MONTANA ROADS
MONTANA'S SHARE OF MIL
LION DOLLARS WILL BE
5000 YEARLY.
Applications Must be Made Before
October /; Appropriations for-1907
Must be Made at Once; Forest
Area Basis.

Helena. walsh mas
received from the acting forest
er, A. F. Potter, advices concern
ing the disposition of the appro-
priations by congress for the o n
struction of roads in the nation
al forests, and of which Mon
tana's share is $4,000.
The annual appropriation of
the federal government will be
$1,000, 600, and 10 per cent of
this amount is withheld for adj
ministration expenses, and in the
division, the natural forest area
of each state participating will
be the basis. Ninety per cent of
the appropriation will be appor-
toned to the various states as
follows:
One-half on the basis that the net
national forest area in each state
bears to the total land area of such
state, and one-half on the basis that
the estimated value of the timber and
forage resources of the national for
ests in such state bears to the total
value of the timber and forage re-
sources of the national forests of all
the states; provided, however, that in
the apportionment the states Of Flor
ida, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska,
North Dakota and Oklahoma will be
considered as a unit of apportion-
ment; and states within which lands
have been acquired by the United
States under the provisions of the
Weeks law shall be considered as a
unit of apportionment. The appor-
tionment for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1917, will be made immedi-
ately, and the apportionment for flu
ture years will be made on or before
January 30 next preceding the com
mencement of each succeeding fiscal
year. Any amounts apportioned to
the states that may remain unexpend-
ed for a period Of three years, and
any balance of the contingent fund
that may remain unexpended or I'M
appropriated at the end of each year
will be reapportioned by the secretary
to the several states in the manner
provided for the original apportion-
ment.'
Montana's Allotment.
MI. Potter then goes on to say that
Montana's share for the first year
will be 100000. Applications must be
made to the proper officers of the
state or the county within which the
proposed road is located before Octo-
Der 16, in order to benefit by the first
appropriation. The application must
recite the public need of the particular
road, the community benefit that
would result, together with some de-
tail in regard to the road and an es-
innate of its cost. In general, states
and counties will be required to fur
nish cooperation in an amount at
least equal to so per cent of the estim-
ated cost of surveys and construction.
However, upon a satisfactory showing
by the applicant state or county that
such proportion of cooperation is in
equitable, the secretary may alter such
portion and fix the ratio of co-opera-
ton upon a basis equitable to both
the state OF county and the United
States.
Methods of Cooperating.
"The cooperation by states and
counties may be in the form of
money, labor and materials, or the
construction of cooperative roads. 1t
Is anticipated that where other fac
tors are equal the approval of a pro-
ject may be determined upon the rel
ative amount of cooperation offered.
ga great many applications have
already been received and it is i'm
portant that early action be taken.
In all eases where applications have
not already been filed with the dis
trict forester, whose office is located
at Missoula, and early action should
be taken if it is expected to ask for
consideration of projects in the allot-
ment of the funds available for the
first Vear.D