Arizona republican., 1921-02-12

such arrangements as may be neces-
sary.'"
At this point Mr.. Heard then read
the letter which had been written by
Thomas II. Mcdonald, chief of the
bureau of public roads. to Congress
man Hayden, and to which reference
was made in Mr.. Hayden's letter. Chief
MacDonald's communication follows:
In response to your inquiry con-
corning the progress of federal aid
road work in Arizona, | am submitting
the following as the status shown by
our books here I have not included
in this any plans or project agreements
which may be under consideration by
the district office at albuquerque,
Arizona's Allotment
"Arizona's total allotment of funds
is $3,771351. Project statements have
been approved which will take up fed
eral aid in the amount of $2,9l9,9St.
Plans and specifications for road work
have been approved which VIII take
up $2,773,249. Project agreements nave
been executed between the secretary or
agriculture and the state winch VIII
take up $2,334,932.
The project agreements are not ex-
ecuted until a showing has been made
by the state that sufficient funds are
in hand to meet the federal aid allot-
ment. The state must, before June 80,
1921, have project agreements executed
for approximately $2,4O0,000 in order
not to lose any portion of Its aliot-
ments. You will thus note that there
is only approxims tely $4,000 of fed
eral aid which must be taken up by
project agreement by June 80, and
plans and specifications have already
been approved calling for over 100000
in federal aid above the amount which
must be taken up by June 80. Assum-
ing, therefore, that the funds have al
ready been provided by the state to
meet the allotments of June 80, the
state must provide approximately ST.
| 81, 900 to meet the apportionment that
| became available to the state on July
| 1, 1920. This fund is available until
| June 80, 1922, as the law now stands
| The Sells bill which has been reported
| favorably by the committee on gooo
| roads of the house, would make avail
able any funds still remaining to the
credit of the states from the above al
lotments for two years after the close
| of the fiscal year for which any such
sums become available, SO that in cast
| this legislation became effective tht
state would have until June 30. 1928
to meet the apportionment for the fis-
| cal year ending June 80, 1921. Fur
| Their, It is proposed by some of thu
| measures proposed to reduce the CO
operation required from the states II
proportion to the amount of public
land within the state. The best fig
ures which I have show that Arizons
| has approximately 81 per cent Of pub
lie lands. Should the ratio of coop,
GRAFTON be reduced in proportion t
| the total amount of public lands, tn
state would be required to pay approx,
imately IL per cent of the cost or fed
eral aid road improvements in place O
the 80 per cent which it now pays, ant
the federal government would pay 8
per cent. Thus If S1,000,0 in fedora
aid were made available to the state
i, the state would be required to provide
| only $4,000 plus the cost of the sur
yeys. plans, Specifications and the ad-
ministrative and engineering work re-
/ auired in the state highway depart,
| ment
"These figures are merely indica-
| tive. From a 500, 100000 appropria-
| ton, based on present ratios or APP
portionment, Arizona would receive
| would be highly desirable for the state
/ to arrange to meet within the nexl
| fiscal year the allotment Of fedora,
| aid funds as they now stand. with dis
| erection reposing with the state au-
/ thorities to make such other arrange
| ments as might be necessary, If
through legislation, the amount of CO.
I operation required from the state Il
reduced"
After reading the foregoing letter
Mr.. Heard was vigorously applaudet
4 when he said:
when / was in Washington abou
10 days ago found a strong feeling II
the senate and the house that thi
country should go ahead with its high
Mr.. Heard then presented the fol
lowing table on the public lands o
Arizona. The figures refer to squar
: miles.
Public Lands Of Arizona
Total area of state, 1926.
Public lands, unreserved and unap
propriated, 28,547 or 351z per cent.
National parks and national monu
ments, 1000, or .85 of one per cent.
Unallotted lands in Indian reserva
tons 29,018, or 25.4 per cent.
National forest, 1852, or 1915 pc
: cent.
Total area public owned lands, rs,
e 327. or 81 per cent. =
: Mr.. Heard then discussed the high
3 way problems OF California in a brie
: manner, and then passed on to a con
y sideration of the same issue in Arizona
The question of through highway
!, in this state he said, ais Of suprem
= interest to every one Of its citizen
!, and it Is a problem which must
. solved without regard to county line
1t Is going to be a problem of the entir
: state getting behind the work"
State Highway Commission
Referring to the resolutions of IL
: last state convention which instructe
a special committee to endeavor to al
range for legislation providing for
= constitutional amendment that wou
8 allow an increase in our present lin
y itation of state Indebtedness of $3.50
u 900, and also to secure the enaetmel
: of legislation providing for q sta
e highway commission. and to tai
II steps IL necessary to have these pro-
y ositions presented to the people |
y initiative, Mr.. Heard states that the
r, matters had been quite Borough
= covered in the report of the secretar.
lie treasurer.
y The matter of increasing the sta
1Akx L.