El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-03-23

I dented truck travel Is reported. Loads
] exceeding for size all expectation are
I reported rumbliug over highways and
I the state highway commission OF
/ Maryland points out that the millions
I that have been Invested must be
I spent In vain unless states undertake
I % repair as quickly as they build.
/ IT is common sight" reports the
/ Maryland commission, ito see loads
] rumDllnE over our highways now that
would ordinarily wreck a city street
Our whole road fabric must be rent
/ through II we continue to build and
not to repair"
The only Fly IN the ointment IS the
commissioners display marked uneasi-
ness over the shortage Of labor and
freight cars for hauling road build
Ing material They expect govern
Road funds include building and In
provement Of bridges. etc. but Il is
lmpossiD bic TO get an estimate on how
much this phase viii eat Into the to-
tai A tendency Is manifest every
where though TO 90 away with the
narrow road and construct only
broad, firm, bodied roads capable OF
heavy traffic.
Reports from state highway com
missioners TO the Goodrich officials
disclose some interesting individual
featuras
In Oregon. for instance. the gov
eminent and state bodies are spending
five times what thev did last wear In
order to build trunk roads into large
timber tracts. From these is being
taken the woods for the armada OF
ships Uncle Sam IS constructing. In
many cases roads have been planked
BY army engineers 20 enable the
heavy trucks laden with mighty tim
bers to pass.
A.. c. McKibbiu OF the Missouri
state highway board, writes that in
forwarding to Washington reports
on traffic areas In Missouri he
give first consideration to livestock.
grain, poultry. mineral and timber
producing areas. Into these. he rec
commended auxiliary and tributary
roads should extend
Iowa is entitled to the palm for
consistent road construction This
state, with more automobiles IN pro-
portion to Its total population spent
s l5,OOg,oe0 last year and Is doing the
same this year. Approximately 5000
miles Of highways In the state are be-
Ing improved and extended
Recognition OF the tremendous i'm
portance gasoline Is playing In the
war and In the sustenance Of our au-
LomODlle INDUSTRY here is reflected In .
the figures from Oklahoma. Tulsa /
county, in the heart Of the oil fields.
IS spending Sl,f5O,000, which is more !
Than some states spent during the I
entire u months OF last year. An
other county. Okmulree. rs Durting I
100000 into 43 miles OF road way.
Wisconsin is putting into effect g /
trunk system OF roads which taps
every community OF the state. Of /
iicials Of the Goodrich Touring Bu- /
-eau consider the plan outlined by the /
Wisconsin commissioners one for I
others 70 pattern after. Much indi- I
yidual credit Is due A r Hirst. one /
1f the foremost civil engineers. for ]
The installation OF the road system
Arkansas, which last year spent /
sf,O0o.O 900 is Investing $4,000. 600 in 4
a series OF highways be-
tween Louisiana and. Arkansas via /
Hot Springs and Little Rock
Illinois and Indiana rank next 20 \
Texas In expenditures for road build ]
ing. Indiana has inherited IFS miles I
d the new martet highway and is 4
also eager 20 polish up its share OF /
the Dixie highway.
Texas huge appropriation IS not IN
lated BY any large government /
.ender. Federal authorities have
rlven the lone star state Just ss75.-
40 and the counties and state have
gone out and got the rest.
In addition" writes a highway I
there are 100000 au-
omobiles 10 be registered IN the state
MS year AZ an average registration !
ZEE OF $500 OF this amount so per-
'eut VIII he returned 10 each county I
o be used IN highway maintenance.
The other so percent IS retained by I
he state and after all operating eX-
lense Is paid the balance.sif anv, viii
% into the stass rund for roads and
highways"