The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-12-09
MORE GOOD
ROADS BUILT
Greater Interest Manifested
: the Last Year Than Ever
Before

Washington, Dec. 6.-Greater
proSress was made on the. nations
Highways during the last year than
in any similar period in the history
of. the country and there is now
apparent real public appreciation
of the importance of maintaining
the. roads that are built, Thomas
H. Macdonald, chief of the bu-
sreau OF public roads, stated in his
annual report to the secretary OF
agriculture made public tonight.
"Industrial and financial condi-
tions were better during the year"
said Mr.. Macdonald, "and as a
consequence remarkable progress
has been made. in highway con-
struction under the states and
counties as we'll as under the joint
control of the. government and
states. Ten thousand miles have
been added to the federal aid roads
alone, and doubtless more than an
equal. mileage has been constructed
without federal assistance. More.
significant, however, than the pro-
gress in. the physical work of road
construction, or any other accom-
plishments of the year, are two
the results of which
are not Immediately apparent,
and which can not be measured
in miles and dollars and cents, but
which promise. results for the fu-
ture unequa1led by any develop
ments of the quarter century high
ways activity:
First of these is the passage Of
the federal highway act with its.
plan for. connected system Of
roads for the whole nation; the
second is the extraordinary activity
in economic and physical research
in connection with the financing,
location, management, and design,
of the highways. For more than
two decades there has been in
progress slow but certain devel-.
.opment of highway construction
from casual activity in the hands
of unskilled local officials without
plan or program, other than to
maintain an established minimum
of facility in highway transporta-
ton toward a reasoned Industry in
the hands OF state and national Of
fcials, supplemented by intelligent
local aid, the aim of which is TO
provide complete and economical
highway transport service through
out the nation. In this develop
ment the adoption Of the federal
aid highway system provided Tor
blythe federal highway act and the
significant researches of the past
year constitute the greatest for
ward steps that have ever been
made.
During the year, 7.67s miles of
road projects were completed and
1878 miles were under construc-.
ton, which were estimated as SO
per cent. complete. Federal aid
earned by the states On complet-
ed and uncompleted projects.
amounted to s1s4,560,135, Of which
$1,000 has actually been paid.
The roads brought to completion
averaged over 200 miles for each
state. Texas had the largest COM
pleted mileage, 933, while Arkan-.
sas. Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota and
North Carolina each completed
more than 500 miles, Montana and
Wisconsin, 400 miles and Louis.
lana. Maryland, Massachusetts, and
Rhode Island made very substan-
tial increases. Texas received the
largest payment Of federal aid,
amounting to s5,915,046 and earn
ed nearly .s2,500,o00 more. Other
large payments were made to IL
hnois, Iowa, Ohio and Pennsyl-
vania, each receiving from s4,-.
100000 to s5,oe0,o00 during the
year.
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