The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-04-03

tensive program of read improvement
under Federal and State Aid then
the State Highway Commission pur-
poses to make surveys this summer
and plans this winter. Contracts
will be awarded beginning next spring
and the work of construction carried
on through the working seasons of
1920 and 1921.
Scheme for Financing Federal and
State Aid Projects
The State Aid available to the
county may be added to the sum ap-
propriated by the County Board of
( Commissioners to make a fund that
| can be used as the basis of claim
/ for an equal amount of Federal Aid.
/ AS indicated by the Program above
the County Board may make appro-
priation from the levies of 1919, 1920
and 1921 to provide the County's
share.
The total of assessed taxable valu-
/ atons in the county for each of the
next three years will be about thirty
million dollars. A three mill levy
would produce annually about 500
10000, and for the three years would
produce total Of about S270.000.00.
The sum of the County and State
funds would be about S3OO,OO0.00.
/ And the total of Federal. State and
County funds might be S6O0,OO00.
! Viii! Not Strip County Of Funds
| The suggested scheme will leave
available, to the County Commission
ers, for work under their supervision
on roads not being constructed by the
! State Highway Commission the Poll
Tax, the General Road Tax, the
Bridge Tax, and the balance of the
( Special Road Fund
+ The suggested scheme does not take
any money from the Township Boards
or from the funds administered by
! the County Commissioners in behalf
of the unorganized townships.
Practical Points Concerning the APP
| plication of Federal and State Aid
J The combined Federal, State and
/ County fund would be used to build
the State Highways which are the
principal county roads.
1t is probable that arrangements
could be made, if desired, to enable
/ the county to do a part of the work
with county organization and county
! equipment.
In any event it is certain that this
construction would bring a big de-
mand for local labor and teams, es-
pecially at times when the farmers
are not busy with their crops, as well
as big increase of business for the
merchants of the towns in the county.
The taxes on railroad, telegraph
l and telephone companies would under
this plan pay heavily toward the i'm
provement Of the roads but it is be-
lieved that they will not object since
the Improvement aimed at is such an
important public benefit and will. in
the long run, by aiding progress and
prosperity bring them better bust
! ness.
Does Ward County Want Federal and
i State Aid?
l. Does the county wish to apply
for less than its share, S149, ,5S242
of Federal Aid and if so in what
amount?
2. Will the county provide for its
share, $149,5S242, of Federal Aid?
3. Will the County make arrange
ments to apply for Federal Aid in an
amount greater than sl49,5S242 but
less than S30O,000OO, if so in what
amount?
4. Will the county make arrange
ments to apply for the amount, $780,
!. 0O0.C0. suggested?
5. Does the county wish to apply
for Federal Aid in an amount great
err than S3O0,O0O.O0 and if so in what
amount?
In conclusion we wish to state en-
phatically that in every case where
a road is built under Federal and
, State Aid the State Highway Com
, mission will endeavor to secure type
of construction suitable to the traf-
, fic needs of the road, and the i'm
provement will be SO planned that
; the cost Of the road will be low in
proportion to the resultant saving ir
, the cost Of hauling and travelling ovel
the road.
The roads to be improved under
/, the described program are the prn-
cipal roads in the county, roads which
, on account Of their Importance to the
county will require substantial i'm
+ provement within a few years.
, If the county neglects this oppor-
LuHily 10 nave us man ROADS SuoSLall-
| TALLY built, with the county paying
: less than one-half of the cost the OBJ
vious result will be that at an early
t date the county will be compelled tc
bear the entire expense for this work
Respectfully submitted,
State Highway Commission
| BY Project Engineer.
March "a, 1919.