Palisadian., 1919-05-10
WORK ON ROADS
TO Be RUSHED
Construction This Year to Exceed
Volume of Any Year
in History.
LARGER FUNDSARE AVAILABLE
II All the States Take ADVANTAGE Of
Federal Appropriation $343 100000
Will Be Expended-Freieht
Rates an Obstacle.

hates an obstacle.
Washington.-Man important steps
have been taken to expedite road con-
StructiOn under the enlarged program
recently authorized by congress. and
the indications are that a larger vol
ume of highway construction will be
accomplished this season than in any
previous year in the history of the ma
ton, according to a statement issued
by David f. Houston, secretary of
agriculture.
The requisite official machinery,
says the secretary, for executing this
program--that is, the department of
agriculture ahrough the bureau of
public roads on the one hand and the
4S state highway departments on the
Other-is already in existence. A con
ference was held by the secretary on
March l with the state highway COM
misSiOnerS of the Eastern and middle
Western states, and all phases of the
problem, and especially the interpre-
tation of the liberal amendments of
the federal aid road act, were consid
cred
The appointment Of Thomas Fl. Mac
Donald, chief engineer of the Iowa
state highway commission, RS engineer
in immediate charge of the work of
the bureau OF public roads under the
federal aid road act, has just been an
nOunced by the secretary, and 1t is
planned that, in the near future, Mr..
Macdonald will formally assume the
position of director of the bureau of
public roads.
Freight Rates an Obstacle.
1t developed at the conference that
the present freight rates are one OF
the principal obstacles to the active
resumption and extension of highway
activities. The situation was laid be-
fore the proper officials of the railroad
administration on March / by repre-
sentatives of the department of agri-
culture and of the state highway Off
cialS.
They were given sympathetic hear
ing, and the question is now under ac-
tive consideration by the railroad adj
has taken up with the secretary of
war the question of releasing from the
army highway engineers in this coun-
try and abroad. in order that their
services may be utilized during the
coming road-conStruction season.
The secretary's statement in part is
as follows:
During the war it was necessary to
curtail road-conStructiOn operations
because of the difficulties of securing
transportation, materials and the re-
QuiSite services. Now that the Situa-
tion has changed, the work will he ac-
lively resumed and vigorously prose-
cuted notwithstanding the fact that
conditions are still abnormal in some
respects. especially with reference TO
the prices of materials and supplies.
"CongreSS at its last session not only
made available from the federal treas
ury large additional sums for road
construction. but also made some inn
portant amendments TO the federal aid
road act. These amendments will have
the effect of greatly lessening the dfii
cuties of selecting and constructing
needed roads.
"The amount of federal funds avail
able for road building on March l was
over S72.0OO,000, which under the law
must he matched by at least an equal
amount from the states.
More Funds July I.
"On July l, 500. 900 .00U more OF fed
eral funds will become available for
general road purposes and S4,0O00O0
for national forest roads, which. with
equal contributions from the states.
will provide an additional S19S 900 900
for federal aid road work, making an
aggregate sum of S343, 100000 for the
calendar year.
"In other words. the 1919 program
for federal aid road building is greater
than any previous annual road build
ing accomplishments in this country.
THE states and their civil subdivi-
sionS also will carry on large amount
OF road work without federal aid The
extent of this is uncertain and will
depend upon local labor, industrial and
agricultural conditions. The present
Indications are that approximately
S2S0000,000 will be spent in this way.
The purpose of the federal aid road
law is to encourage the construction of
roads of a substantial nature by the
states and to provide adequate safe
guards for securing systematic and
economical action. Long experience
has shown that the best results will
be secured if the work is performed
under the supervision of the state high
way departments, the method of the
control depending upon local cond-
tions."
Ban ON Shnrinn