The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-12-27
TO AGAIN
START ROAD WORK

Delayed in its program of good
roads construction b. the wal and
confronted at the end OF that period
by a condition of badly rundown
highways, the federal government, CO.
operating with the highway depart
ments of the several states. has re-
sumed the vigorous prosecution of the
work, and, says David F. Houston,
secretary of agriculture, there is now
no special obstacle to the construction
in the different states of the Union
of those roads which serve the great
est economic needs. In his annual
report, Secretary Houston says:
Good roads are essential to the
prosperity and well-being of urban
and rural communities alike. They
are prerequisite for the orderly and
systematic marketing of farm prod
ucts, for the establishment of salts
factory rural schools, and for the de-
velopment of a richer and more at
tractive rural life. Recognizing these
facts. the federal government, through
the passage of the federal-aid road
act in 1916, inaugurated a policy of
direct financial participation in road
building operations in the various
states. This act appropriated $751;
900, 900, to be matched by an equal
amount from the states, for the con-
struction of rural post roads over a
period of five years, and s10,0O0.O0O-
81, 000,0 900 a year for ten years-for
roads within or partly within the ma
tional forests. 1t required each state
to have a responsible central high
way commission with the requisite
powers and funds. All the states have
complied with the terms of the act,
although it was necessary for them to
enact additional legislation, or to
amend their constitutions; to pro-
vide sufficient funds TO match the fed
eral apportionment; and to strengthen
existing central highway bodies or to
create new agencies.
when these preliminary steps had
been practically completed and the
department and the states were about
ready to proceed vigorously with the
actual construction of roads. the
United States entered a 1t soon
became necessary greatly to curtail
highway building because of the diff
Guilty of securing transportation. con-
struction materials, and the requisite
services. After the armistice was
signed arrangements promptly were
made for the active resumption and
vigorous prosecution of road work in
all sections of the country, not only
with a view to repair the damage
wrought by the heavy traffic forced
upon our highways during the war.
when maintenance operations were
seriously interfcred with, but also TO
provide adequate transportation facil-
tiles to serve the increased needs Of
agriculture and industry. Recogniz-
ing also that roGd-building activities
would furnish suitable employment
for many unemployed men during the
period of transition from war TO
to peace the Congress at its last SEES
sion, accepting the recommendation of
the department Of agriculture. APP
propriated 5000, 900, 900. in addition IN
the $4,000. 900 provided by the
original act. for the extension of road
construction in cooperation with the
states. and also made some important
amendments to the act. The defini-
ton of the kind of roads that a be
constructed was greatly b~roadened
and the limitation on the federal con-
tribution for any one road was in
creased from &c., 900 to $4,000 a mile.
These amendments have greatly ia
cilitated consideration of and action
upon the road projects submitted by
the state highway commission. There
is now no special obstacles to the
construction, in the different states Of
tba IYpiop of the roodc mhtoh cpr-ya