Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-03-20

years 1911-1S-19, $4l1,0S1.14; fiscal
year 1919. $685., 04S.57; fiscal year
1920, $2T4,017.43: fiscal year 1920,
27,565.36; fiscal year 1921, $S42,- |
521.7s; fiscal year 1921, $1,027,5S6.S6.
Total $S.757, 794.65.
Officials of the bureau of public
roads L, s. department of agriculture,
which administers the provisions OF
the federal aid road act and CO.
operates with the state governments
in the expenditure of the money, point
out that this amount of funds is the
largest ever appropriated for similar
purposes and for a similar period byl
any government in the history of the
world and that ii enables the fedora
and state governments TO carry out al
road-b building program of magni-
tu0e never equaleu.
In connection with the great federal
aid program it is also noted that en-
penditures for highway work in the
United States this year are likely to
| amount to a half billion dollars or
| more on reports received from state
! highway departments, the bureau OF
! public roads estimates the 1919 expen-
| ditures for roads and bridges at $685.
| 600, 600 or $4,000, 600 more than the
\
/ 1917.
Road Definition Broadenet.
An important effect of the law con-
| tanning the new appropriation is that
| il broadens the definition of a rural
l post road, under which class a high
way had to qualify in order to receive
the benefits of the federal aid act.
i Under the old act it was required
that mail should actually be carried
on the road or that there should be
a reasonable prospect that mail would
be carried on it within a short time
after improvement. The new act SAYS,
." the term rural post roads
shall be construed to mean
any public road, a major portion of
: which is now used or can be used, or
forms a connecting link not to exceed
ten miles in length of any road or
roads now or hereafter used. for the
Transportation of the United States
mails, excluding every street and road
in a place having population. as
shown by the latest available federal
census, of $500 or more, except thN
Iportion of any such street or road
along which the houses average more
than 200 feet apart"
Government Limit Raised.
The new act also raises the govern
ment limit of contribution from not
to exceed $40, 900 a mile to not to ex-
coed $4,000 a mile, taking account
of higher present costs of labor and
materials.
The law also authorizes the secre-
tary of war to transfer to the secre'
tary of agriculture material. equip
ment and supplies suitable for high
way Improvement and not needed BY
the war department.
OF the $209,000,0 600 added to the
funds available under the federal aid
road act. the new law makes $1,000
/ 600 available for expenditure by the
secretary of agriculture Tor roads and
trails within or partly within the ma
tional forests. 1t also provides other
J measures which are expected to give
great impetus to the development OF
the road systems in the national for
ests.
The original federal aid road act
} which became law in July, 1916. ap'
) propriated $4,000 900 to aid in the
. construction of post roads during a
: five-year period ending June 30, 1921
and 100000 geo to aid in forest road
, building during ten-year period end
ing June 80. 1926 Not over $4,000.
600 of the original $S5,000,000 hat
: been expended prior to 1919. so thai
, $S2, 600, 900 plus 5000, 100000. or {
= total of 1921 10000 of federal funds
! will be available, of which s2S70
: 900 will be available during the mex
0 three years. The act and Its amend
1 ment require the states to provide a
, least an equal amount on the pos
1 road work, and it is customary fol
: the states and localities to contribute
toward the forest road work
IN the accompanying table of ap
+ portionment is shown approximate,
I what each state will receive in fed
. eral aid to post roads under the term
of the original act and under thu
tamendm ept %.