Morris tribune., 1917-04-27
State Roads Nos. l, 2 and 3, Touch
ing Morris Will Be Gravelled
Within Four Years
CONNECT COUNTY SEATS
Federal Appropriations Improving
Three Roads Amounts to $175,-
OOO-County Gives Like Sum

Three state roads reaching Norris
will receive the Federal aid within
the next five years that will enable
them to be graveIled and equal to
turnpike highways. The roads are
No. /, from Morris to GlenwoOd, No.
, running southeast and northwest
from Hancock to Herman, via Nor
ris, and No. 4, connecting Norris
and Elbow Lake. They will receive
$175.OOO Of the S2,OOO,OOO given to
Minnesota under the provision for
state roads connecting county seats.
An equal expenditure must be borne
by this county, of which 70 per cent
will be derived from the State of
Minnesota and the remaining 80 per
cent will be obtained from this coun-
ty.
Stevens county will not receive
this aid this year or next for the
first work is being done on the Twin
Cities-Duluth Highway. A letter re-
Gently received by County Auditor
Wollthan from George w. Cooley,
state engineer explains the appOr-
tiOning Of the Federal aid. Mr.. Cooley
says: The apportionment of Fed
eral aid and funds to Minnesota for
the fiscal year ending July 1, 1917,
is $142, ,394O6; the apportionment
for the second fiscal year is 1884,
1882. making a total for the first
two year period of $427,182.18. This
will be increased each year until the
fifth year, when the amount appOr-
toned to Minnesota will be $2,135,-
91O.9O."
1.-The Highway Commission real
ICES that it will be impossible to
grant all applications made for Fed
eral aid" continued Mr.. Cooley, but
the commission intends to appOrtion
the fund to all of the counties if
possible, but ask that the counties
submit propositions for improve
ments of the section in which they
are interested. 1t is suggested that
the counties may provide a more
liberal amount of Federal aid than
the One-half required by the Federal
law and thereby receive preference
over other projects for which the
counties only provide the required
amount"
Stevens county will this year ap-
proprtate $4,000 for the improve
nent and in building new roads. Of
this amount the State of Minnesota
will furnish $4,000 and the county
the remainder.
The new road law just passed by
the state legislature provides for the
adjustment of the state highway
commission of three members and
the substitution therefor of one COM
missioner who is appointed by the
Governor and holds office six years.
Governor Burnquist has named
Charles NJ. BabcOck, chairman of the
former highway commission, as state
highway commissioner.
COUNTIES WILL DO WORK
Under the new law all of the road
work will be done by the counties
and none will be done by the state.
The state highway commissioner will
superintend all road work done by
the several counties. The money for
state aid to roads is to be raised by
a tax Of 1 mill on each dollar of val
uation of property in the state, levied
annually. This amount, with all
other moneys accruing to the fund
from automobile licenses and other
sources, constitutes the general road
and bridge fund.
The law provides that not less
than 1 per cent and not more than
8 per cent of the state aid fund shall
be allotted to any one county. No
less than 20 per cent and more than
80 per cent of the allotment to any
county shall be used for maintain
ance of state roads and bridges there
in. The county board may desig-
nate the roads to be improved or con-
structed under the supervision of the
state highway commissioner.
MUCH IMPROVEMENT PLANNED
The outlook for increased road i'm
provement and building in the state
this year is excellent, according to
Mr.. Babcock. Generally the coun-
ties Of the state have levied rs per
cent more tax for road and bridge
purposes than in former years and
are going about the work of road i'm
provement in more systematic man
ner, he said.
Under the old law 20 per cent OF
state aid allotment could be used fo1
roads other than state, but under the
new law all Of the money in the state
aid fund must be used for state roads.
This year the state aid fund amounts
to $1,613,5O0, of which 10 per cent