El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-03-14

may at his discretion. undertake Suen
Z work and complete il without theH
consent Any work underta ken 5olht53s
bv the county and state viii be pald
for on a basis of 5O-5o and wherever
il proves to be a project dp-
proved by the federal authorities. they
VIII put in sum of equal amount
work BY Contract.
with improvements costing S1v'V %
less il shall be discretionary win INC
state highway engineer 10 execute sue.
work or improvements, or allow tue
county TO do the work on force &c
count. or 10 let the same on contract but
where the cost OF the proposed I'M
proVement eNreds $1,000 u shaI De Iet
on contract il possible But, the ststtS
highway engineer III ms discretion may
reject any OF all bids. if they are uh-
balanced. or for any other good red-
son, in which event he may execute
work on force account All contracts
executed by the highway engineer are
signed by him in the name of the state,
together with the board of county COM
missioners and by the contracting
Partial payments are provided for
in the law, up TO not exceeding 10 per
cent of the total amount Of the contract
price. Maintenance is provided Tor
Dy the state. but may be done by the
county under contract with the high
way engineer and subject to MS ap-
prOval, but not more than 90 percent
OF the cost of such maintenance shall
DE paid by the state and 80 percent
10y the county so contracting.
II is provided that any omissions
in the details of operation OF the law
shall he covered by rules and regula-
tons from the office Of the highway
commission
Where the Funds Come From.
In order 10 provide funds for car
rying out the provision OF TINS act
levy not 20 exceed one mill on the dol
lar Is provided for and which Is esti-
mated may bring in annually S5oV,Vuv'
increasing annually. which II Is sup
EoseQ Will meet the apDOrJ onment OF
New 5le-.ico from the federal road act.
estimated 10 amount 10 S-oeO,oo0 in
the course OF five years One-haI OF
the revenues from licenses for motor
vehicles goes TO the state as IS now
provided by the law
The county commissioners jointly
with the state highway commission
shall employ a county highway super
inteudenI for each county in the state,
or may employ one such superinteQd-
ent for two or more counties. The
commission shall fix the compensation
O. such superintendent IN accordance
with the Importance Of the work IN
the several counties.
Road Work in Forests.
section = Of the law deals with
the cooperation OF the several cOun-
ties with the forest officials in the
construction of roads and trails within
or partly within the national forests.
Under section Of the federal road aid
with the distribution of the $1,OO0,0 0U
annually for ten years TO aid coun-
ties IN the construction Of such roads
IL makes provision for a special levy
ey counties SO desiring, whereby they
can raise the funds necessary and an
uclpate the collection OF the amounts
raised by such levy so as 10 meet the
terms of the act This money. NAV at
the discretion Of county commissions
ers, be spent under The supervision Of
the forest authorities. This Is q very
important section for those counties
desiring TO cooperate with the forest
service in the construction OF such
roads"
FULLY Worked Hard for IL.
Chairman Tally, Of the road commit
tee in the senate, early IN the session.
prepared suite Of bills covering the
proposed provision of the act and later
arranged a joint session of the house
anQ senate to have the matter Of the
federal road aid act discussed bv Mr.
the distribution OF the federal road
fund and the portion which would be
allotted To New Mexico estimated at
ABOUT Sz,oOu,t1U over a period of five
years
Judge Adrian Pool. OF e Paso. was
called upon AT this netting and re-
sponded in splendid discussion on
me benefits Of ceutraliZa ton OF con-
troll IN the construction of roads,
merely convincing the advocates OF
nome rule in county management of
lne ROAD FUNDS that they should sup
port the bills already entered bv the
committee. the result being that the
highway measure went through the
mousse without any amendments and by
unanimous vote.
On the completion OF the commit
Zee labors on the proposed act il was
submitted TO governor W. Z. Lind
seE' VINO gave il his o h thereby
InsUring the passage of The bin wbicb
ne regards as one Of the most i'm
portant reform measures Of his admin
lstration.
CITE crTro- -o-