Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-05-31
NORTHWESTERN News
State Highway Engineer
Makes Reply to Charges
OF Auditors Convention

~ S110l ~ ~
its career during the war and has
had 26 Of its employees enter military
service it could not be expected that
very great efficiency could be MAIN
tanned as the leaving of engineers
meant that an equal number Of new
ones has to be broken in to fill the
vacancies. At present the department
a force that is about half as great
as it should be to handle the work
as it should be handled. The charge
Is made that roads costing from ST.
600 to $500 per mile under the SUI
pervision Of this department have
been duplicated by variovs counties
for $500 or $500 per mile. This state
easy stretches of similar road might
have been built in those prosperous
times of the past when the farmer re-
cetved thirty-seven cents per bushel
for wheat and the laborer received
from one to two dollars per day for
his labor. This charge seems strange,
however, when the fact is considered
rectly ver many of those that are
claimed to be almost as good
Choosing particular short stretches Of
roads and comparing them with the
average cost of federal and state roads
is very far from a fair comparison.
The real test is the average value re-
ceived for every dollar expended by
the two methods in question under
similar conditions. This resolution also
charges that this department main
tains a press bureau" which in
yeigles the various counties into this
great saturnalia of "wilful waste
that is now sweeping our country.
As a matter of fact. there is no fund
available to get out the monthly good
r4~l ro~~~k no l,lvok- %L~k T. 80
ltshed by nearly all other state high
way departments. The charge that
a press bureau is maintained to mis-
lead the public is another product of
the overworked imagination of the
same individual or inivid uals who in
stigated that great erusion against
dirt roads. In order to give the pub
lie the exact situation regarding fed
eral and state aid it is only proper to
briefly repeat the facts concerning
them.
Status Of Law.
The original Bankhead bill passed
by congress and approved July IL,
1916, carried an appropriation of $685.
600, 900 and was allotted to the differ
ent states in increasing installments
covering the five-year period. North
was a little v $1,142.O00. In order
to take advantage of this appropria-
ton it is necessary for each state to
appropriate at least an equal amount,
The state legislature passed H. b.
1853 in 1917, creating the state high
way commission and setting aside part
of the fees from motor vehicle regis
tration as state aid to the counties in
meeting this federal appropriation.
The plan at that time was to build
highways by cooperation between the
federal government. which was to fur
nish SO per cent of the funds and the
county and state each Is per cent. Last
winter congress appropriated $780,
10000 additional to be Immediately
year of 1920, and SIS. 900. 900 for the
fiscal year Of 1921. This gives North
Dakota a, grand total of s4,222,977
and when matched by an equal
amount will mean over So, 000. 900 for
better roads In this state. This $4.-
222.0 0 is not a present from ourSgov-'
eminent, as it has no been collected
country! Each and every producer
in this state has OF will a his share
in some manner or other. If North
Dakota does not raise an equal
amount within the time set by law
its share, or such part Of it as is not
50 matched, will revert to other states
that are anxious to use it. In that
So~oS ' III DdhOLd CIIlLeHS would De
paying for roads in other state and
such states would be the only party
getting something for nothing" II
it should happen hat North Dakota
loses some OF this federal aid in this
manne it Is safe to predict that GER
tain county officials will be. exceeding
ly busy in explaining to its taxpayers
just why that particular county failed
to receive it's share Of these funds.
(Signed)
w. H. Robinson,
Chief Engineer and Secretary North
Dakota State Highway Commission.