The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-11-26

Public Roads, Department of Agri-
culture, under the Federal Highway
act, signed November Q, by the Presi.
dent. In addition, $16,000,000 is ap-
propriated for national forest roads.
The $75,o0o.000 represents the Fed
eral Governments appropriation to
the work Of building highways in the
various states and must be matched,
dollar for dollafs by funds from the
States Treasures, except in States
where more than s per cent Of the
area is unappropriated public land.
Part of Money Now Available
The 5000, 900 appropriated is for
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1922,
and $25, ZOO, 900 Of the sum IL avail
able Immediately, the balance be-
coming available on January 1, 1922.
Louisiana has been apportunsd $685.
$3.50.
OF the appropriation Of SIS, 200, 900
for the Improvement Of national for
est roads st, 900, 900 il made available
for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1922, and $40. 900, 900 for the follow
ing fiscal year.
The Federal Highway act IN .
general way resembles tho Federal
aid act Of 1916. bot contains several
new features. Administration Of the
act by the Secretary Of Agriculture,
and under him the Bureau Of Public
Roads, remains unchanged.
Apportionment Of the fund to the
states is almost the same as in the
previous act, the fund being divided
into three parts, l part apportioned
according to population, 1 according
to area, and 1 part according to
mileage Of rural and star mail routes.
A new feature is the stipulation that
no state shall receive less than one
half Of 1 per cent Of the total fund
which, in this case, amounts to $685.
625. This stipulation will increase the
amount received by Of the smaller
states, i. e., Delaware, New Hamp.
shire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
Change in Use of State Allotments
There is considerable change, how.
ever, in the manner in which state
may use its allotment. Each state
must select a connected road system
not exceeding Z per cent Of its road
mileage for improvement with Fed.
eral aid. This system will be divided
into two classes, one Of which will
be known as interstate highways and
the other as intercounty highways
The interstate highways must not ex.
coed three-sevenths Of the system
selected; on them not more than sc
per cent Of the states allotment car
be spent without the joint approval
Of the Secretary of Agriculture and
the state highway department. The
intercounty highways, which consist
Of the remainder Of the system
selected, will receive the remainder
Of the states allotment.
Except in states where more than
per cent Of the area is inappropriate
public land, the amount Of Federal
aid received on any project must NOT
exceed 80 per cent Of the estimated
cost. In states where more than 8 Del
cent Of the area Is inappropriate
public land the so per cent allotment
is increased by an amount equal "a
one-hah the percentage Of unappro.
priated public land in the state. Be.
fore any funds can be paid to q
state, the state must appropriate
money, under the direct control Of
the state department, to match the
Federal allotment, and for the main
tenance Of Federal aid highways.
All highways in the interstate sys
tenn must have q surfaced width Of a,
least IL feet, unless q narrower Width
is deemed permissible by the Seere
tary Of Agriculture. In case 9
Federal aid highway d not properly
maintained by . state. the STATE vii
be given 30 days notice by the depart.
ment; at the end Of that time Il The
highway II not in good condition Of
maintenance the Secretary Of Agri.
culture win maintain it out Of the
states allotment and refuse to sp.
prove any new projects until REIN.
bursement b made By the stats.
What the new appropriation Vim
mean to the country can be judged By
the use to which the $76, 000, 900 pre-
viously appropriated has been put,
according to officials Of the United
States Department Of Agriculture.
Practically $2oo,o00,o00 Of that
money has been put to work in pro-
jects which are either entirely conf
pleted or now under construction. The
exact amount was $199,S23,427 on
October 81. To match this amount
the states have appropriated $685.
529, 900, making a total Of $A65,-
352,517.
Mileage Sufficient to Eneircls Earth
The roads to be paid for BY this
money. = placed end - end. would