The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
| HIGHWAY BOARD
 DISCUSSES PLANS
(COntinued From Page one) e enactment of the above resolu'

tiOn.
 Action RecOmmendatOry Only.
 The action taken was merely rec ommendatory and was not In any sense binding upon the various boards of revenue and boards of county commissioners, but, although no ae- curate registration of those in at- tendance was attempted, it was said that all north Alabama counties were represented. A similar meeting at tended by south Alabama county of- ficials and citizens was held in Mont gomery Tuesday, the same course of action being recommended to the va rious counties by that convention.
 President Rogers, J. F. Suttle of Felix, Ala, and J. H. Scruggs of Birmingham, associate commissioners, expressed themselves as well pleased at the action of the assemblage.
 In discussing the boards proposal that state bond issue funds be util- ized independent of federal funds, MT. Rogers pointed out that while road construction work now under way in Alabama totals nearly $13,5O0, ,00O, nearly half of this representing fed eral aid money, this situation was made possible by the accumulation of government aid funds before the state could match the appropriations, In future, he said, federal aid will be available to Alabama at the rate of not more than $1,500,000 a year, which would allow the construction of only about three miles of road per county per year, If the state waited for the federal money On the contrary. the state highway boards program calls for the issuance of S14.60O 000 worth of state highway bonds within the next three years, six millions of tn Aw,1 eral funds for the building of hard surfaced roads. The government money for the third year, under this plan, would also include the s1.50O. 000 appropriation for the fourth wear. which could be anticipated to that ex- tent. The remaining eight millions. under the boards plan, would be used for construction of roads com meeting county sites, graded and drained and with bridges built, but With surfacing to be done later.
 Ihe various counties could be well expected to keep up the roads until such time as the states money would De available for this purpose, 1t was contended, with reference to the sec ond resolution, because the counties nave the gasoline tax money.
 Counties Make Complaint.
 Extended discussion of the resolu- tions followed. There were numbers or complaints from county represen- tatlves who asserted that mot a tan" had been done in road work in their counties, and volleys of questions were fired at President Rogers, who, however, answered them nimbly, open hostility was expressed in some quarters. the state highway board being changed with negotiable dis tributton of road funds applied to work in the various counties.
 Chairman Rogers retorted dryly that If such was the case the state highway commission was breaking the law, and its critics could come to Montgt mery and have them con- signed to suitable penitentiaries. MT. Rogers read the law, which provides that time, money and labor shall be equitably apportioned among the va rious counties in road building.
 If any county is treated inequit- ably, there is recourse at law" com mented MT. Rogers.
 What I want to know" said board of revenue member from one county, "is how long have we got to maintain these roads? How do we know that we won't have to keep them up in our county for Is years, while the state money goes to other ctunties?"
 MT. Rogers. in reply. again re-
 
 distribution.
 Another County Heard From.
 Tt will be fair enough If each county gets its proportionate part of the state funds for maintenance as the money comes in," commented an- other county commissioner. We've got to maintain them now, and heaven knows, If the state is going to grade and drain roads and build bridges for us, we don't want to stop it from doing so."
 Some of the gentlemen present seem to believe that we of the state highway board are inclined to play favorites." was MT. Rogers smiling comment Now, I might want to do that, but I don't believe Scruggs and Suttle would stand for it."
 When the approach of o'clock reminded the assembled commission CTS that they were hungry, and there was a chorus of insistent calls for Question. question" MT Rogers protested:
 Don't stop them. Let the boys talk. It reminds me of the time the doctors told me l was in danger of losing my voice. I said: Give me ether, doctor. Death would be pre- ferable to the silencing of the sweet est music ever have heard"
 However, MT, Rogers did not in clude Miss Alma Rittenberry among the boys" Her remarks in favor Of the construction of main trunk lines. like the Spanish Trail, first, were si fenced by whitening remarks from the chair. Miss Rittenberry con- tended that the state should give at- tention to the projects calling for great national roadways like the Bankhead highway, Lincoln highway. Jackson highway and others MT. Rogers replied that these highways did not exist, save in the proposals of their promoters, that they had nothing to do with federal aid, had no standing in law and were not rec ognized by the state governments or the United States government