Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1918-08-09
Zouck BIanes Deficits.


cussing on Friday of last week the contro-
versy over the use of road bonds money at
this time, made statement in which he
said the maintenance money turned over
to the Road Commission by the Automo-
bile Commissioner for the year ending
April last. was not available for mainte-
nance work dnring this year, because it
was needed to liquidate maintenance
and construction deficit of the former
Roads Commission, amounting to about
100000, and maintenance deficit of
the present commission during the years
1916 and 1917.
That has meant, Mr.. Zouck also stated,
that the commission is dependent for main
tenance work this year entirely upon the
net funds received by the Automobile
Commissioner from motor licenses since
April !. of this year, and the expectation
that this money will fall far short is the
reason that the Roads Commission felt it
necessary to use part of the roads loan
money for maintenance. Mr.. Zouck also
said that it would be necessary in any
event to borrow temporarily from the roads
loan for maintenance, because most of tn e
maintenance work is done before the bulk
of the maintenance money is received dur
ing January, February and March.
Regarding the other uses to which the
roads loans is proposed to be put by the
Roads Commission, Mr.. Zoucks statement
sets forth that he considers the shoulder
and replacement work to be done on
the Elkton- Baltimore Washington boule-
ward construction and reconstruction work.
As to the bridges named in the specifica-
tons submitted to the Capital Securities
Issues Committee, Mr.. Zouck said that
most of them would not be torn down inn
mediately. but it was deemed wise to have
the money in case of need. Mr. Zouck's
statement follows:
Considering the question as to how the
automobile receipts have been expended,
which were supposed to amount to $780,
900. covering last years receipts, beg to
state that law was passed changing the
fiscal year of the Automobile Commits
si0ner from May back to April. Therefore.
instead Of receiving IL months receipts.
amounting to approximately $750,000.
we received only II months receipts, or
about $623,0OO.
las stated. when reply was made
during the legislative session to the arti-
Gle appearing in the Baltimore Sun headed
Asks Aim of Road Loan this money from
the Automobile Commissioner was used to
take care of a maintenance and cOnstruc-
ton deficit of the former commission,
to approximately 100000.
and a maintenance deficit of this commits
sion for 1916 and for part of 1917. amount
ing to approximately 100000 The cost
Of maintenance of our roads for this year
comes out of the money received from April
|, 1918. to March 81. 1919. the bulk of
which will be received next January, Feb
ruary and March. We. therefore, have to
spend our money before we receive it and
must have some fund to carry us along
until it can be replaced in January, Feb
ruary and March of 1919.
in reply to the article referred to above
stated that 100000 would be avail
able for new construction. consider the
placing of concrete shoulders on the Elkton-
Baltimore Washington road to be new con-
struction and the replacing Of WORKOUT sec
lions with concrete to be reconstruction
and If we do not have sufficient money in
The maintenance fund for this work we
shall have to take it out Of the cOnstruc-
lion fund. The material necessary to
Ihicken the macadam still in place will be
charged to maintenance.
THE Elkton-B Baltimore Washington road
Is wreck in a number of places The ex-
penditure of 100000 or 100000 will
save this property, which could not be
duplicated. at the present time. for &c.
100000. Unless the necessary work is
done now. il is the judgment of the Com
mission that this road will be entirely
uCoAiOyCu ny htAN ohiiiithE W. ~ ithoAg
the greater part Of it,
ut has been said that our roads ought
to be maintained for $500 per mile. They
we're maintained for this sum when they
were first built and new. but at that time
labor cost from $1.25 TO $3.50 per day;
stone at the quarries so cents per ton, and
freight on an average Of from so cents to
$l00 per ton. Labor now costs around
81 per day.
Stone is now SITS per ton at the quar-
ries. and freights have gone up as high as
$l.75 per ton. Formerly, shipments could
be made promptly they are irregular.
Often we have stone loaded. for which our
gang is waiting, and the Government COM
handlers the stone on the cars 1t is then
necessary for us to see the Governments
agents. and. after a long delay. we receive
permission to renew the shipments, by
which time an embargo has been placed
on all shipments in certain section. This
has occurred a number Of times, and our
men and equipment have been on the
road. not employed to advantage. but we
could not afford to let them 80. because. If
we did. we would not be able to get them
when needed. This has run our cost up
tremendously.
"Our oiling formerly cost $3.50 per
mile now it costs approximately $3.50
per mile.
1T must also be taken into consideration
that our roads are now carrying traffic
unthought Of few years ago. AS an
illustration. the contractor who is now
doing the work on the Washington Boule-
ward this side Of Laurel, informed the
Commission at its meeting yerterday that
there is an average Of 80 automobiles and
trucks per hour which pass his work. and
that on Saturday and Sunday the num-
Der averages 120 per hour. Our State
Dad C,,stau, IL ro,s IN rr,,ind QE nar oant