Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-03-08
STATE TO TAKE
over RAILROADS
IN GA. SYSTEM
To Maintain Highways
independently Of
Counties

Is organizing maintenance system
for roads designated as part Of the
state highway system, under which
they will be put in good condition
and so maintained by the state, with
out dependence upon the counties
through which they pass, is the in
formation given out today in a state
ment prepared by W.. c. Caye, Jr.,
division engineer in charge of state
work in the Third congressional dis
trict.
Mr.. Caye states that arrangements
are being made to take over main
tenance of the recently paved section
of the Dixie Highway in Sumter
county, and points out other high
ways in the district now being main
tanned and still others which are to be
taken over. The statement, which is
interesting to every person concern
ed with better highways for Geor-
gia, follows in full:
Engineer Cages Statement.
"For the information of those in
terested in what the Highway depart
ment is doing for roads in the Third
Congressional district, it seems wor-
thy of note at this time that, in addi-
ton to the federal state and county
projects now under construction in
Guiding every county in the Third
Congressional district, except two,
and which projects are being taken
over for maintenance as fast as they
are completed, the department is now
arranging to also take over and
maintain those roads on the state
system that at present are bad and
that have no funds provided for inn
mediate federal, state or county i'm
provement. The idea Of this program
is to eliminate from the minds of the
people the fact that the state system
depends upon the county through
which the road runs to make it passa-
bic the year round for travel through
the state. 1t is through the intention
of the Highway Department to make
those reads taken over In weaker
counties passable through the state
at the earliest possible date.
Then bearing in mind that it is the
bad places that must be made passa.
BILE first and that the funds for such
improvement are limited, depending
upon what is and is not considered
as justified at this time, there is be.
ing organized by the division engineer
in each congressional di trict a main.
tenance force under a competent SUI
pervisor that will be actually turning
ont construction wark in a reasonable
time. The division engineer has en-
ployed Mr.. Henry T. Christian, of
Americus, to handle the maintenance
work in thir Third district. The or
ganized in patrol units, divided into
fifty-mile sections or as nearly as
such sections can be divided, will
start as above mentioned this month
to- functioning in the worst sections
first, whcih sections int is not likely.
that there will be any federal, state
or county permanent construction
work on within reasonable
time. 1t will be the duty of these
forces to start at bad wash-outs, mud
holes and weak bridges and repair
them gradually as time will allow to
build them up to at least the general
standard of the best portions Of the
road in their fifty-mile section.
Now Maintaining Road.
"The division engineers office is
now operating maintenance work on
the National Highway from the Doc.
ly-Crisp county line through Cordele,
and Ashburn to Tifton They are now
organizing to take over the pavement
Nand new bridges on the Andersonville
road in Sumter county, and the Mar.
shallville- Fort Valley road just com
pleted by federal and state funds ir
Macon county. 1t IS expected that
the Dawson-Albany road in Terrell
county and the Cuthbert- -Blakely road
lin Randolph county, both federal aid
projects, will soon be completed and
taken over by the state department
| for maintenance. In addition to the
above forces will at an early date be
organized to put into passable condi-
tion Immediately and later to Improve
by careful maintenance the bad sec
| tion of road from the Sumter-W Web
! ster county line west to Georgetown,
! on the Alabama line, so that with the
already good east and west road in
Sumter county and the federal aid
project now under construction in
Dooly county from Flint river bridge
to Vienna, good travel-way through
the district may at an early date be
expected; also as soon as this immed-
| lately above section is satisfactorily
organized, a force viii be started on
the section from the north end of
the new federal aid project north of
/ Ellaville to Butler. 1t is contem-
! plated that, provided another federal