The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1921-11-17
CONCENTRATES VAST
ROAD CONSTRUCTION
Law Making for Early Highway
Work In National Forests,
Help Conditions In
Idaho.

This state and this section OF
this state needs more and better
roads and the work of construct
ing them will prove exceedingly
helpful to the many in various
communities who are equipped
for doing this work.
The succeeding article from
yesterdays Lewiston Tribune is
interesting just at this time es-
pecially when not only the need
of greater road facilities is hold
ing a strong place in the public
mind, but the returns for labor
thus made possible are of a more
immediate need:
Some interesting information
bearing on national and state
highway improvement was re-
ported yesterday at the CONNER
cial club meeting by Lloyd Har-
ris of the good roads committee,
in communication received
from Secretary M. ]. Carrigan of
the Seattle chamber of commerce,
who sent a copy of a letter re
ceived form Jack Underwood, the
representative of that body at
Washington, who is following the
trend of road legislation. In
this, he refers to the road bill be-
fore congress, saying:
Under the act there is made
Immediately available $5,000,000
for the construction of roads and
trails through national forests.
This sum is to be expended be-
fore June 80, 1922, on which date
there becomes available $10,000,-
900 for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1923. (Another bill has
been introduced appropriating an
additional $20,000,000 for the
construction of highways through
national forests and there is lit
tie chance that this will be enac-
ted in the near future, but it
probably will become a law be-
fore the funds now made avail
able, are expended.
t'The present law carries an
appropriation Of $75,000,000 to
be used in the construction,
maintenance, ETC., of roads out
side of the forest reserves. Of
this sum $25,OOO,000 is to be
made Immediately available, and
100000 becomes available on
Jan. 1, 1922. This sum must be
matched by am equal sum supplied
by the states, which will make
a total of $150,OO0,000 available
during the next few months for
road construction outside of for
est reserves.
"The new law provides that
before any state can participate
in federal aid it must lay out a
system of roads approved by the
secretary Of agriculture, consist
ing of not more than Z percent of
road mileage of the state. Three
sevenths of that 7 percent shall
be interstate mileage, connect
ing with similar roads in adjac-
ent states ,and four-sevenths in
ter-county roads, connecting with
the interstate highways. It was
the purpose, in framing the leg
islation in this way, to prevent
the use of federal funds in uncor-
related roads.
"The new law will give the sec
retary of agriculture far more
control over the selection of the
roads to be built with federal aid
than he ever had under the old
laws. The secretary will be cai-I
led upon to approve all systems
of roads presented to him by the
state highway. commissions be-
fore they can be constructed with
the aid of federal funds. Under
the provisions of the bill, go per
cent of the state s share of the
federal money for roads will bel
expended on interstate roads un-
til they are completed, and with
the consent of the state highway
commission, all of the money may
be expended upon these inter
state roads. This is the first rec
ognition by the government of
the principle that it is the first
duty of the government to assist
in building is interstate roads.
"The appropriation 0 fthe fed
eral funds to the states is to be
made as follows: One-third in
the ratio which the area of the
state bears to the total area of
all the states of the Union; one
third. in the ratio which the
of the states bears to
The total population Of all the
states. and one-third in the ratio
which the mileage of rural deliv-
erv routes and star routes in each
,tate bears to the total mileage of
rural delivery and star routes in
II a. o4o+oo