El Nuevo mexicano., 1919-02-20
Vast Sums to be
Spent For New
Roads This Year

NEW MEXICO TO SHARE IN
BENEFITS OF STUPENDoue
PROPOSED HIGHWAY PRO
GRAM.
(By Or. S. N. Johnson, Washington
D. CO.
The annual Post office appropria
tion bin has passed The Senate car
rying 5000, OoO,O OO for the improve
ment OF Post roads and $4,000, 900 fol-
national forest roads; also providing
for the transfer of available road
material, equipment and supplies
from the War Department to the De.
partment of Agriculture. The bill
now goes to conference, the House
is expected to concur the President
has already signified his approval,
Thus, within the next few weeks a
vastly enlarged bodybuilding program
is likely to be financed.
These sums are in addition to those
provided by the existing Federal Aid
Act, which provided $4,000, 900 for
Post roads and $4,000. 600 for forest
sroads.
Due to various causes very little
Oh the original appropriation has
been extended. The news appro-
priations are for the fiscal years
ending June 80, 1919, 1920 and 1921
end are thus coterminus with the old.
There is available for the state
cf New Mexico for the current year,
81, LIS, 692; for year ending June 80,
1921, $1,597,571; a grand total OF
4. 1885, 9S.
The additional Sums are to DO adj
m%inistered under the terms and on
ditions Of the present Road Act
The present Act appropriated $10,-
100000 on d ten year program. 1t
gave the initiative to the country
and required a cooperative agree
ment. While 1t did not require the
local co-operator to assunle half the
cost, in actual working this became
the rule. The new appropriation
does away with the necessity for a
cooperative to the Federal Govern
ment, and authorizes construction
and maintenance entirely at Federal
cost. Since 1t will strain her re
suorces to provide the required CO.
operation on post roads, New Next
co will hardly be required to defray
any Of the cost of roads on National
Forests. There is no way to de-
termine what share New Mexico viii
get. There will be the new appro-
priation 80, 1000 for the current fis.
cal year. $1,000 600 for the next and
SO, 100000 for the next
Since little Of the original has been
expended, this will meal $4,000. 900
for the forest roads by June 20,
1921. The amount which may be ex-
pended in New Mexico is left to the
discretion Of the Secretary OF Agri-
culture. If the former basis were
continued it would amount to approx
imately 100000 by June 80, 1921.
The impetus thus to be given TO
road improvement is to be accelerat
ed by the provision for the salvage
Of a vast quantity Of road material,
equipment and supplies by its trans'
fer from the War Department where
It is no longer needed to the Depart
nent of Agriculture, where It's value
is 100 per cent. 1t is impossible at
this writing to give any estimate
Of the quantity or character OF this
On the floor of the Senate
It was stated that there were "hund-
reds Of millions of II. If this be
true. New Mexico would be entitled
10 four and d third millions in value,
ar more than the State could use.
The War Department however is
fastening to dispose of much OF this
Equipment. Forty thousand horses
and mules have been recently aue-
Toned off at the various camps ana
,antonments. How much may re-
when Congress authorizes the
transfer no one can forecast, but
here should be enough to supply
.entg. cots. blankets and m~ess-outtlts
'or ali the road camps that can pos
;ibly be started in New Mexico WITH
n the next three years. It is stated
in storage in the u 3. there are
,icks, mattocks, crow-bars, piows
,crapers, drags, road-machinery OF all
tinds. There are automobiles, trac-
.ors, tanks, trucks by the ten thous
ind. over 10000 trucks were bought
or war purposes. Many Of these are
n Europe, never perhaps 70 come
Jack. But there are tens of thous-
.nds Of them on this side.
Ten per cent Of this equipment IS
or use by the Department on forest
-oads--the remainder is a gift OF the
Nation to the States, pro-rated ac-
to population, area, and mil
Of postroads. Some of this
viii no doubt find its way into every
county in the State, purchased with
he proceeds Of Liberty Bonds, des
to build the roads OF war. put
inally used to construct the nign-
Of peace in our own homeland