Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1919-03-27
GOOD ROADS HIGHLY
IMPORTANT TO STATE
Approval of Roads Amendment
Means Much to People and
the State.

"When Michigan voters take Uncle
Sam into partnership in the big en-
terprise to build comprehensive
system OF main market highways
throughout the Wolverine state,
through the adoption of the Good
Roads amendment at the election
April Z. they viii get more than "a
mere 100 per cent dividend in Federal
Aid" said State Highway Commits
soner Frank r Rogers The United
States government not only stands
ready to give Michigan better than
SI000,000 providing like sum is
provided by the state, but 1t has aU-
thorized the war department to turn
over all the vast quantities of equip
ment, material and supplies not need
ed for the army in peace times to the
various states who take advantage of
the offer of federal aid for highway
construction"
Michigan has already put in Official
claim for its full share of equipment
because, as Commissioner Rogers
says, the sentiment Of the people is
such that the highway amendment
Is certain Of ratification and the Leg
islature is going TO have authority TO
issue bonds from time to time 10 meet
the governments offer on a dollar
for-dollas basis and to build the roads
on the deferred payment plan
The order to turn over all surplus
equipment and material which may
be available for highway construc-
tion and maintenance is contained i'm
Section Of the Post Office Appropri-
alton bin already passed by congress
and signed by the president 1t in
cludes motor trucks, automobiles,
rock crushers. industrial railway sys-
TENS. civil engineers Instruments.
concrete mixers, tractors, mules.
horses, harnesses. wagons. steam
shovels and hundred Of other items
necessary to- road construction and
hard 10 obtain under the existing
conditions Of production The bin
provides that the distribution of the
equipment and material will be in the
same proportion as the distribution
of the Federal Aid funds This means
that Michigan will be entitled to
something less than four per cent OF
all the vast stores Of machinery and
supplies gotten together for the war
IN Europe and for training in this
rountry, which will be transferred
from the war department TO the de-
1 partment of agriculture and thence ia
the Michigan highway department.
Highway Commissioner Rogers al
ready has received notice of this dis.
tribution of equipment and directed 10
elect what he needs. He responded
that Michigan would take it's full
quota. There came back a direction
to specify his immediate needs and he
wired the department the following
list which he assured the department
OF agriculture could be put into ac-
tion within 80 days
Ten automobiles, twelve heavy dutv
motor trucks, six power road rollers
twelve transits and levels. three con
crete mixers Of one-half TO one ward
batch capacity six miles of railway
one locomotive. thirty cars, one steam
shovel of one-half to one cubic yard
] lcapacity. three caterpillar tractors OF
30 to 10 rated horse power and six
trailers.
+ This material represents small
! fortune and means that the cost OF
road building will be reduced in just
the amount Of the cost Of the machin.
cry and speeded up by the application
Of machinery and modern methods.