Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-11-17
FEDERAL AID FOR ROADS.

The bill providing for federal aid for
road building in the several States has
been finally passed by Congress and
signed by the President and is now
law. The bill carries an appropriation
of S75000,0O0, and according to an
analysis made by Congressman Echo S,
of West Virginia, this State will receive
approximately SS75 900 of that amount
The bill provides that the S75,0O0,000
appropriated by ii shall be allotted TO
the States, pne-third with respect 10
their area, one-third with respect 10
their population, and one-third with re-
srect to the proportion its total miles
of rural mail and star routes bear TO
the total number in the United States.
To secure its allotment of the federal
funds appropriated for road :oustruc-
ton for the remainder of the fiscal
wear, a State must select connected
road system not exceeding seven per
cent of its entire mileage for improve
ment with federal aid. This system is
TO be divided into two classes Of roads,
one consisting of interstate roa5s,
which shall not exceed three-sevenths
of the system selected, and upor which
not more than sixty per cent Of the
States allotment can be expended with
out the Joint approval of the Secretary
of Agriculture as admins ratnr of tho
act, and the State Highway Department
The other ass, consisting OF inter-
county roads, will compose the balance
of the system and receive the remain
der of the allotment.
Word has been received mere that
the West Virginia Road Comm sSiu1
will not decide upon the route be-
tween Martinsburg and Charles Towr
until its members have visited .his
section and observed for themselvcd
the roads advocated by the various in
terests. This is fair and sensible, and
shows that the commission will not
act in the matter without full informa-
tion. We very earnestly hope that il
vii decide to locate the route through
Shepherdstown, and We believe that d.
will likely do so if the Berkeley Coun-
ty Court and the people of Martinsbure
will so recommend. Our Jefferson
County COURT has made such recon-
mendation, AMI our Berkeley neigh
bors could very sensbly do the same
thing.
II is inexplicable TO our mind why
Martinsburg business men should re-
fuse to endorse the Shepherdstown
route. Itwould give them a chance al
very profitable business from this
section, and would be a convenience
between their town and ours that all
would appreciate. Besides the local
advantages, it would give them access
to the fine system of Maryland roads,
leading east and north and to the south.
shortening very materially the distance
between Martinsburg and Baltimore
and Washington The advantages Of
the Shepherdstown route from busi-
ness STANDPOINT, and its connections
with the splendid Maryland roads, must
certainly outweigh any benefit that
might be gained by going catacornered
across the county in order to save
a couple OF miles in getting to Charles
Town. The travel between Martins
burg and Charles Town is small at
best, and there would be few persons
in either town who would be benefited
Aside from those residents Of Mar
tinsburg and Berkeley county who have
personal interests to be subserved,
by reason of owning property along
other suggested routes, we think il
. SNtSiuSiy Stuplu VI OuT HClSIlpOIS ,
from that section to oppose the road
by Shepherdstown.
The passage OF the federal bill
makes certain the construction Of the
MARYLAND State road to Shepherdstown
or the nine-mie link between Boons-
boro and this place, the three miles
between NNoastoro and Keedvs 'il!s
has been entirely finished, including
the new concrete bridges, and is a
splendid piece OF work. The contract
has been let for the three miles be.
tween Keedysville and Sharpsbure
And the Maryland Road Commission
announced some weeks ago that when
the fedora funds should become avail
able the three miles between Sharrs-
burg and Shepherdstown would be
quilt. This work will undoubtedly be
done next summer.