Arizona republican., 1918-12-20
MILLIONS FUR THIS
 STATE F HIGHWAY
 BILL BECOMES LAW

State Engineer B. NJ. Atwood re- turned yesterday morning from Chi cago where he attended the American Association of State Highway officials from December g to 13, inclusive. The session was marred by the sudden death on the first day of the confer ence, of Lagon Waller Page, director of the United States Office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering. who already had done so much for the cause of good roads. The cause of death was heart failure.
 That morning, said Mr. Atwood, MT Page fell while crossing the lobby of the La Sale hotel, but was assisted to his room. He seemed to recover, but he stated that he would not at tend the conference that day. Later in the day a telephone message was sent from the meeting inquiring as 10 the condition of Mir. Page. It was answered by him. He said he was feel ing quite well.
 Within a few minutes he sank to the floor again. An assistant carried him to his bed and sent for a doctor, but | when he arrived MT. Page was dead. | On receipt of the news of his death | the conference adjourned and a ban quet which had been arranged was cancelled
 Mir. Atwood said that the meeting was the most successful the associa tion had ever held. One of it's most important acts was the adoption of a bill which had been prepared by MT. PSge amending the Bankhead law by providing a larger sum of money for road construction and amending the 1 clause confining construction to post roads by authorizing the construction | or improvement of roads which may l become post roads,
 The original federal aid bill, known as the Bankhead bill had been pre- pared by the association. The amended | bill had been drafted by Mr. Page l He was engaged on it some weeks ago | when Mir. Atwood visited him in Wash l ington. MT. Page told him that he had already conferred with Secretary Houston and Secretary Baker regard
 ing it, and they had given it their ap- proval. He had not then seen the presi-
 dent with reference to it, but he did SC i afterward and there have been eX- tensively printed letters by the presi- | dent and the two secretaries fully endorsing the good roads movement. Inc proposed amendment. llke Int
 original bill, provides for the appor-
 tionment to the states of road funds annually. the apportionments increas- ing through seven-year period. Un-
 der the Bank head bill the apportion- i ments to Arizona for that period would
 be s1,027, 70S.3S. nder the amended bil | this states share of the fund would
 be SS,221,622.52. The apportionmen l would be made in the same manner a: | is now provided on the basis of area
 mileage, and population. The first
 named factor in the interest of tn.
 western states was introduced into tn,
 present bill with great deal of diff
 ficulty over the objection of easterr
 representatives. Tn the late confer
 ence it was again the subject of dis
 pute, but again the west won.
 Mir. Atwood has the promise of thu
 senators and representatives from thi
 state to work unremittingly for it.
 passage, and he believes that it will b.
 passed in the short session.
 Speaking again of MT Page, he saiC
 that he was cut off in the very be ginning of a most promising career
 He had attracted to himself, by hi
 ability in the good roads movement
 the attention of the whole country and he had so enlarged the scope of tn,