Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-02-10
Governor and Council Meeting, Feb. 20.

ment as to the assistance which the
State Of Maine might expect if the
Shackleford bill providing for Federal
aid for highways, which recently pass
ed the House of Representatives, at
washington, by a vote Of PSI to 81, is
passed by the Senate and becomes a
law.
In discussing this matter recently
Paul D. Sargent, chief engineer of the
State Highway Commission, furnished
the information that the Federal bill
is substantially a bill prepared by rep
resentatives Of the organized state
highway departments at meeting of
state highway officials at which Mr..
Sargent was present representing the
State held in Washington. D. c., in
December. 1914. Over half the states
in the Union were represented at that
| time and every feature contained in
the bill, which recently passed the
House of Representatives was thor
oughly discussed and it was the unan-
imous opinion Of the State highway
officials present at that meeting that
Federal aid in the form provided in
this bill would be the most practical
assistance which the government
could grant for highway improvement.
A good roads committee of Congress
has introduced one or two minor fea-
lures which would not lessen the value
of the bill in the slightest degree.
/ The bill is modelled after the state
aid idea which has done so much to
develop improved roads in majority
of the states.
The bill provides that Federal as
sistance shall be granted for the con-
struction or maintenance of any rural
post road which may be selected
| jointly by the highway department
of any state and the secretary of agri-
culture of the United States with the
provision that Rural Post Road shall
be held to mean any public road over
which rural mail is or might be car
ried outside of incorporated cities,
towns and boroughs, having popula-
! tion exceeding 1000 and in said cities,
towns and boroughs having popula-
ton exceeding 1000 along streets ana
roads where the houses average more
than 200 feet apart.
The bill provides that the secretary
of agriculture shall set aside from
tho appropriation Of s25,d00,000. which
the bill carries, a sum sufficient TO al :
minister the provisions of the act anu
that he shall then appeftieh seS,Bs9
to each state and ehe=haiI 81 The
remainder in the rats &t1tS..tt tiie pop
population Of all the states and the
other half Of such remainder in the
ratio which the mileage Of free de-
livery and star mail routes in each
state bears to the mileage of rural
free delivery and star mail route OF
all the states. 1t is understood that
this sum would be about $275,0OO for
the State Of Maine.
The bill further specifies that the
secretary Of agriculture shall notify
the State Highway department OF
the amount Of money which he has
apportioned to the State and that
thereafter the State Highway depart
ment may apply to the said secretary
Of agriculture for aid under the pro-
visions of the act either for construc-
ton or maintenance Of any rural post
road. II the secretary of agriculture
determines that the road is a proper
one to receive assistance the state
highway department must furnish nm
!. with surveys. plans. specifications ano
estimates Of costs Of said proposed
construction or maintenance. The sec
rotary of agriculture shall then de-
termine what amount Of aid will pe
given to such proposed constructor
or maintenance and in no case shall
this be less than 80 percentum MOI
more than so percentum OF "hat lie
has determined will be the reasoh'
} able cost Of such proposed construc-
ton or maintenance. After completinS
these preliminaries the state :1lsn
wav department may then proc'e IN
accordance with the laws OF the STATE
with the construction or maintenance
uor,. which has been previously
agreed upon. the secretary OF agrlcuI.
ture making payments to the ota'e
.ro,, time to time as the work pro-
crosses. .,,., .ho
II is seen from the above outline ina
tho rroposed method OF handling th'
work ia almost identical with the pres
ont method of handling State aid by TIL
! state highway commission. Towns ap
. nlv for aid, it is apportioned by the com
mission. proposals accompanied whei
necessary by surveys. plans and est
, mates. are made by the municipal Officers
to the State Highway Commission and i
approved the town goes ahead and car
. ries out the work under the supervision
/ Of the State highway department ant
when the work is completed the amour
, Of aid due the town is paid to them b!
the State.
It can be readily understood that i
such law had been in effect when thu
highway commission began the expendi
ture of State highway loan funds AMI
had continued in effect up to the presen
time that expenditures by the State nigh
have been so arranged that just twic'
as much highway could have been bull
for the bond issue as will result; that is
providing only that the secretary of ag
riculture had agreed to pay one-half o
. the cost Of the construction and the high
way commission had planned to eXpent
, the bond funds just fast enough to tax,
up tha States apportionmen: of fedora