The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-06

1 In the record of approVals by the agricultural department in one month ! recently Arkansas occupied first place ' in the estimated cost and mileage Of projects and in respect to the largest project. Two projects approved in ok | lshoma occupied third place for the month in the estimated cost of the roads and second in the amount of fed | eral aid allowance. This state led the 1 country in the size of single project | handled in one month. It was esti-
 mated to cost $t271,555. fer which e00,000 federal aid was allowed. Six 1 teen projects in Georgia were approve | by the department in a recent month. l Several of them were for bridges and i for concrete roads costing $S20c0 a mile. Virginia had nine projects ap- | proved in one month. In Louisiana a 1 short bituminous macadam road was ! approved 10 cost S6,377 a mile.
 Tn round numbers 55O00000 has been apportoned by the Secretary of Asri- culture for federal aid in god construc-
 tion in southern states out of the funds
 available for the fiscal years 1919 and | 1920. This sum has been divided among the states follows:
 Alabama, sS,359.221; Arkansas, s2- 1 6S66S2: Delaware, $260.424. Florida. | $l.s34,75S; Georgia, s4.307,4S7; Ken l lucky, s3.125.S92; Louisiana, $2.177 S6S;
 Maryland. s1.491,607; Mississippi. s2.- | SIT 266; Missouri, $5.435. .0t3; North Car
 olina, ss,64s,4ss; Oklahoma, sS,69o, ,S49; South Carolina, $2s25.174: Tennessee, l s3,62S. 7e2; Texas. s9.S6S.021; Virginia, 1 $3,175.62o: West Virginia, s1.701.53S
 Not only are southern states putting | up so per cent to the federal govern ments 40 per cent for joint highway
 instruction. but large sums are also | being expended in the south by states | counties and local communities for | good road work. The total of such
 sums is estimated to be at least $l00 1 000.00 for this year The government has not taken a census of road con structicn since 1914, when the revenue
 in southern states applied to roads and | bridges aggregated over s52,000 GOO | The total road mileage in southern
 states was 14563 of which 73,594 miles | was surfaced. The road census to be
 taken this year will show big gains in | surfaced road mileage in the south, it | is expected.
 Development organizations in the | south are supporting the good roads movement to the limit. The North l Carolina Landowners Association is in 1 the forefront of a campaign 10 obtain | authority for a $50, 900, 900 bond issue l for state god road construction. W. A, | McGirt, manager If the association. is | president of the North Carolina Good Roads Association and a leading apos- tie of good roads among southern de- | velopment boosters. He realizes that l intrastate highways must be built by 1 the state. The Asheville- Charlotte Wilmington highway has long been one
 of the strong blanks in MT. McGrits 1 platform. North Carolina counties | have authorized $20.Oo0.000 bonds for l roads recently. Tn South Carolina a | similar campaign has been launched for | authority to issue s20,c00.0o0 of state bonds for good roads Georgia has a 1 good roads law that. it is claimed. will give her system of highways second ! to that in no other state Maryland ] has splendid state system of high 1 ways. Georgia, Arkansas and Tennes- | see are reported to he submitting bond | issues of s50000 900, $S0.090,000 and | $50. 900. .000. respectively. Alabama will 1 spend $25 000 900 for state highways. | if present plans are carried out; Flor
 ida, sS.Oo00OO; Virginia s4oOCO0Oo
 7, Florida already has good road sys- ! tenn. built by the counties. but there | is said to be need of state action and | federal cooperation. A. A. Coult. sec retary of the Florida Development As- | sociation. says that the spread Of l Knowledge about Florda's s good roads | can more than double the number of | automobile tourists in one season. In | Florida a regular schedule is main- 1 tained by motor trucks along the main highways and these gather up the products of the farmer and carry them I direct to the city consumer.
 1 While affording means of transpor- l tation and other utilitaran are to be ! the good roads of thes outh are to be beautified. One of the latest sugges- | tions along this line has been adopted | by patriotic citizens of Tampa, Fla
 namely to lire 15 miles of the high ways up the west coast Of Florida with
 trees and shrubs planted as a memorial l to the Tampa and south Florida boys | who lost their lives during the war