The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-01-01
AID FOR
BUILDING ROADS
SECRETARY HUSTON ANNOUNCES
GREAT BUILDING PROGRAM
FOR HIGHWAYS

WASHINGTON.-T greatest road
building program in the history Of the
country is now under way and will
extend throughout the year 1920, ac-
| cording to David F. Houston, Secre-
tary of Agriculture, in whose depart
ment is the Federal good roads bu-
reau.
Secretary Houston says road work
has been facilitated and much impetus
given the good roads movement by
the amendments to the Federal aid
road act. These amendments were
adopted during the Sixty-fifth con-
gress, which was under democratic
control.
Discussing the nationwide cam
paign for better roads, which are made
possible by Federal aid in conjunction
with the states, Secretary Houston
says
ut is interesting to note that up to
July 1, 1919, state bond issues az
gregating 1924, 100000 had been auth
orized and approved by popular vote
and that provision has been made for
voting next year ON proposals for the
issuance of additional state road bonds
to the extent of approximately $314,-
100000. During the present and the
next fiscal year there will be made
available for road improvement at
least one billion dollars. Certainly
few laws, if any, have produced great |
er results, either in terms of expend- !
iture for a good purpose or in terms |
of helpful legislation and machinery,
than the Federal aid road act.
'It seems clear, in the circum-
stances, that the principal limiting |
factors in the 1920 program will be |
those Of rail transportation for, and |
production of, suitable road material,
the contractors organizations avail |
able, and the labor supply"
Secretary Houston says the 1919
program for road building was great
er than any preceding year and was
SO great, in fact, that many Of the
states must postpone until 1920 the ex-
penditure of Federal funds simply be-
cause it is necessary to develop ex-
perienced contracting and engineering
organizations from the stagnant con-
ditions brought about by the war.
Under the terms of the Federal road
act the apportionment to a state for
any, one fiscal year remains available
for expenditure until the end of the
succeeding year. 1t is estimated at the
department of agriculture that the
funds already provided and allotted
will be sufficient to finance next year
a program more than four times
greater than any that has been under
taken.
Amendments to the Federal road act
which the Sixty-fifth congress approx
ed are explained in brief, to increase
from $4,000 to $4,000 per mile the
amount of Federal funds that may be
expended by one road, and to broaden
the definition of what
constitutes rural post road.
Under the original wording of the
law Federal funds could be expended !
3n1y on roads upon which the United
States mails "now are or may here
after be transported" This feature
vas the most troublesome to the high
way departments Of the several states
and caused delays because it requir-
ID the determination in each instance
# the exact post-route status of the
'Oad
Under the amendment very few, if !.
my, important roads will be debarred
rom receiving Federal aid if other
of the law are met. This
provides that aid may be
attended to "any public road ma
or portion of which is now used, or
an be used, or forms a connecting 5
ink not to- exceed ten miles in length !
# any road or roads now or hereafter |
lsed for the transportation Of the
United States Mails.
The act as it now stands, Secretary
Houston says, places only three linn q
tations on the type of road which (
must be built. The roads aided must 9
e Substantial in character" Amount |
contributed from the Federal treasury G
aust not exceed SO per cent of it's )
ost or $4,000 per mile. Finally the 6
Dad must be postroad as defined in $
he amended law
Following the amendments to the !
ct" Secretary Houston added, "the /
equations governing it's administra-. (
on and the standard for plans, spe-
ifications and estimates were modi-