Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-08-27

JOHN N. EDY
| bridge improvements in Montana In The
total amount of $40, 964,237.13. For
merly federal funds were required ia
be matched by the state on a AO-0C
basis. At this time there is in effect
a graduated scale Of federal partlclpa-
ton which in Montana provides % PEI
cent of federal money against a pei
cent of state money.
OF the total federal appropriation
approximately S4,300,OOO has been obi
gated by project agreements betWeen
the state highway department and the
secretary of agriculture, so that this
amount can never be lost to the state,
Of the remaining Sc. 100000 of federal
appropriation. S1,235,45S must be obi
gated or matched by the state on OF
before June 80, 1923. or 1t will revert
TO the federal government and be dis
tributed non the other states; the
balance is either available now or Will
become available year by year until
1925. AS above stated, no local money
appears now to be available to match
any part of this S. 0,00O of unobli-
gated federal funds.
HAfhH
Under certain circumstances and re-
strictions We understand that federal
aid projects lying upon or across In
dian reservations can be improved I'M
der the direction of the state highway
department. entirely at the expense of
the federal government and without
ever, federal appropriations made prior
ever. fedora appropriations made prior
tn November @ 1921 cannot be used
for this purpose; so that the Indian
reservation projects which the depart
ment is now initiating will not save to
the state the 81 above referred
to as reverting on June 30, 1923.
Indian reservation projects now in
process of development represent ap-
proximately IT'S miles. One of the
most significant of these projects.
from the standpoint of this association,
is that between the southeast corner
of the Blackfeet Indian reservation
at Birch creek and Glacier park, a dis
lance of approximately 81 miles.
Application of Federal Aid to Montana
Manifestly the state highway depart
ment and the people of the state should
not be concerned with raising money
to match federal aid merely to prevent
federal funds from reverting to the
federal government and unless federal
aid is decidedly beneficial to the state.
While ! recognize that federal aid I'M
der the law is not applicable to every
mile of the $1,000 miles of road in the
state. and while because of peculiar
conditions l do not believe it is now
applicable to every mile of the 4,S00
miles of main state highway eligible
for federal aid. / am quite sure that
we can use to good advantage every
dollar of federal money appropriated
for use on Montana's highways. Six
million seven hundred thousand dollars
of federal funds. representing 53 per
cent of the cost of improvements if
matched with state money win produce
approximately So, 100000 worth of
AT an estimated average cost
of $1,000, per mile this means approx
1900 miles of road. Adding
the total mileage of state highway i'm
p~rovements now completed and under
contract if we match and make use of
all federal money now appropriated
to the state. the total mileage repre-
scented by federal aid improvements viii
approximate 1900 miles. which is
more than one-half of the
4.S0O-mile system eligible for federal
aid. This mileage, if so restricted.
would provide but two EAST and west
roads and two north and south roads
the state; which represents less
than 4 per cent of the total road mile
age of the state. I doubt If any well
informed citizen of Montana win sug-
gest that the state cannot use and does
need this very modest mileage of
well improved highways.
Regardless of minor administrative
I desire to repeat an as
sertion which I have made frequently
the past: the federal aid road act
has proved to be the greatest impetus
for the construction of legitimate road
and bridge improvements that has
ever com to the state.
State Maintenance Activities
Perhaps this is not generally known
appreciated, that the state high
way department is this year actually
maintaining approximately 600 miles of
highways improved under its direction.
This maintenance work is being car
led on with financial cooperation
the counties but under the direct
md immediate supervision of the
state.
Summary Of the Situation
A brief but accurate summary of the
may be presented as fol-
/. There has already been selected
system of main state highways of
and ~inter-county import
lnce, eligible for federal aid and of
800 miles will have been i'm
proved upon the conclusion of the
season.
9. Six and one-half million dollars
# federal money has now been ap-
,ropriated to Montana with practically
10 local funds available to match it.
( as is believed federal aid properly
estricted is. beneficial to the state, we
hould accept this federal a%ppropri-
ltion and not permit it to revert to
he federal government.
8. Neither state nor county bond