The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1922-07-20
ENGINEER's sTATEMENT.


The State Highway Department
sends us the following account Of Mr.
Deitzer's visit;
Port Gibson, Miss, July 18Th. c..
Dieter, State Highway Engineer,
met with the Board Of Supervisors Of
Claiborne County and a number Of
the citizens Of this city this morning
and explained to them the proposed
amendment to the Mississippi Consti-
tuition, giving an outline of Federal
Aid in this State and what it means.
In opening his talk, Mr.. Dieter
gave a brief review of the work done
by the Highway Department with
Federal cooperation before 1921, eX
planning that under the provisions of
the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916,
only the counties in which Federal
Aid Roads had been built were re-
sponsible for their maintenance, and
nthe event that the roads were not
maintained, in any one county, only
that particular county would suffer.
Under the Federal HighYa ay Act of
1921 however, he said, all this was
changed, and the State made respon-
sible for the maintenan Of every
Federal Aid road in Mississippi. In
order to make certain the mainten-
ance Of these roads, a provision was
inserted providing that if the roads
were not adequately maintained. the
Secretary of Agriculture should put
the roads in proper condition Of main
/ tenance, taking the cost from other
Federal Aid allotted to the State, and
refuse the State further Federal Aid
until the money has been refunded
I from some other source.
Mr.. Dieter then read the amend
ment to Section ITO of the Constitu-
! ton which gives the board Of super
visors full jurisdiction over roads,
I ferries. and bridges in their respec-
/ tive counties. The amendment would
add a clause to this as follows: Ex-
I cept such roads, ferries, and bridges
as shall be designated by the Legis-
laturc as State Highways, which high
ways shall be under the full jurisdic-
ton Of the State Highway Depart
ment for construction and mainten-
ance"
Unless this amendment is passed
\ by 1924, Federal Aid allotments will
automatically cease, since it is re-
0uired in the Federal Act Of 1921
. EudE all DLdNco give tiAS AAAkANNy
i partment authority to maintain Fed
eral Aid Roads within three years af-
ter the passage of the Act. There IS
probability however that it viii
cease before then if the amendment
is not passed, Mr.. Dietzer said. Mr..
any one county does not maintain a
Federal Aid Road within its limits
/ up to Federal requirements, it viii
cause the other eighty counties to
I lose this great benefit, and they are
powerless to interfere. The State
I Highway Department is at present
maintaining about eight hundred
miles Of Federal Aid Roads, It was
said, with the consent Of the Boards
4 Of Supervisors, but there are still
some Federal Aid Roads under the
control Of the Counties.
Mr.. Dieter stated that in accord
ance with Federal requirements, the
State Highway Department has plan
ned a system Of State Higways,which
Is the result Of five years study, and
( knowledge gained in the field. This
system IS roughly composed Of the
main north and south, and the main
east and west, or the main trunk
roads in each County. It was point
ed out, that in practically all Of the
counties, the three mill county taS