Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-07-17

years the United States will have
system Of highways superior 10 mat
cf my other country in the word
This IN assured by the new Postofice
Appropriation bill. provisions OF wbicf
include three items agRregatng s1sV'-
600 900 to DO expended under the
state participation plnn In the con.
struction Of high grade roads within
the period indicated. In addition TO
this, approximately SIo.000,000 VIII be
devoted to building Of roads in the
national forests IN 70 states.
Tbese new authorizations are ex-
pccted to result in the construction u
more than Is 900 miles OF the Fed
eral-aid roads. Previous appropria
lions have provided for 4s 900 miles /
which are completed, in course Of /
building or projected and approved
which will make a grand total OF H. !
900 miles. or nearly 40 per cent OF the I
| 10000 mics contemplated in the /
| svstem Of roads now being outlined
mileage almost an great as that Of
the first class railroads Of the country
with the rapid increase in tho use
Of motor vehicles Of all kinds II is .
tax upon the Imagination to estimate
lust what this will mean By way OF n
solution Of the transportation problem
Of tho nation. II Is conceivable, now
eyer. that n this development COntin-
ues the time will come when a rail-
road strike will be anything but the
menace Il Ia now regarded. Food ana
fuel supplies OF the cities win not be
cut of. industry and commerce para
lived. movement Of mails tied up and
the farmer barred from his markets
lty a breakdown of rail transporta-
ton II every state is criss-crosscd
With a network Of fine highways thai
make the truck real competitor Of
tho freight train.
No longer will there be such a thing
az rural isolation. The tendency TO
ward tho congestion ~ the population
I in largo centers may be checked The
back to the farm movement will be
: given a real impetus. Life will be
made easier and more enjoyable for
| many millions. and relief may be
, found for strains and stresses in the
T economic adjustments Of society that
have been growing more serious in
, recent years.
Wide Field For tho Work
? what might he done in this line of
work IS apparent when It is stated that
there are az present approximately
' two and one-half million miles of pub
- lie rural roads in the United states
:. or this total less than u per cent
a Or about 2o9 900 miles. are improved
. With any sort Of surfaclne while the
n mileage ~ permanent. wsll-built roads
p 81 the kind that 10 being constructed
q whore the government furnishes part
of tho move seerns almost nngIigi-
\ ble by comparison
: Tho average cost II construction oi
% the Federal-aid roads has been ST.
q 40 per mile. Tho expense Of the
% work has decreased materially within
10 tho last year and the new appropria-
ton bin reduces the maximum par
- ticlpation on the part 81 the govern
8 nent from $4,000 to s1s.25O per mile
q. for tho present fiscal year and SIS.
:, boo per mile thereafter.
," or the $3.50. 000, 900 authorized. $50,
d., 900 900 is available for the fiscal yea
:, which began with this month. whil'
- Sos 900 900 and SIS. 900 900 respective
:" ". will DO expended during each o
y the two succeeding fiscal years. Pre-
building have aggregated $3.50 .000. 00'
i OF which about S2S7 500, 900 have bee
spent. To this the several States hav
added expenditures of approximate
$3.50. 900 900, making a grand total Z
1861. 900. 900 as the outlay 10 date &c
modern highways.
The $50. 900, 900 for the current yea
have been apportiOned 20 the variol
. lei =
d 6l4: Arizona, $702. 188; Arkansa
1896. O9J: California. S1,64l ,399; 60
ne orado. Ss94.1I7; Connecticut. 1920
'er 500; Delaware, S243.75o; Florid
s50l,217; Georgia. S1,331.972; Idah
lg, s625 .691: Illinois, s2.164.1S7; Indian
or 81, 305. 904 Iowa. SI.40i,915; Kansa
$1.4OI,521. Kentucky. S944.7se; Lol
70 isiana $6G4 $50; Maine. S463,44
Maryland. s427 .Os6; Massachusett
$730.7s4 Michigan, S1.499.6ss; MINI
he sofa. s1,4I5,731; Mississippi, ss63.27
Missouri. $1.632 .Os6; Montana, S1,o3l
va 257: Nebraska, s1.054.126; Nevad
S635.G24: New Hampshire. S243, >
, a New Jersey, 1928. 5S1; New MexiC
S793,2I6: New York, S2,464,239; Nor
'ed Carolina, SI.19O.556: North Dakot
s776.476: Ohio. S1.Ss2, 003; OklahOm
SI,16S,266; Oregon, S7sS,443; PennsJ
ue' vania. $2.265, 1863; Rhode Island, s24
ew, $50; South Carolina. S707. 492; Sou
els Dakota. $500. 7O7; Tennessee. SOS
46l: Texas. $3.50, rs: Utah. $685.
ee1, Vermont. s243,750: Virginia, $971,2i
Washington. S735 SOC; West Virgin
ma 1894. 900: Wisconsin, S1,263.21l; Wy
ming. s623.07S.
OF the ten millions that are 70
ma spent in building forest roads {
one largest allotment goes to Greg
where S2.270000 have been set as
'he for the building of 210 miles Of roa
while S1,246,197 will go TO Califorl
lie" for only so miles that will be {
-, tremely difficult Of construction.
>'"' tually all of these roads will fit il
State and county systems and the
fore in most cases will connect W
and extend the system OF Federal
highways covering the entire count
en- States Must Maintain Roads.
zee
site Federal aid roads must be mainta
rect ed by the several states, and II Z
of them fail in this obligation all g
- eminent funds for new projects II
be withheld until such delinquent
~ are made good. All the states are
vi CURED to maintain adequate hi
way departments and funds 20 s
Is. plement the money from the Fedt
treasury must be placed under
direct control Of these departmel
~ The type Of surface constructed m
be adequate for the traffic anticipa
Ex- wi'n ' se~.r ar Eaaara, mo
rue ~. '''''- ,..5 -. -
IL must DC tNptiluSQ oAA a @NAiA'NN