Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1924-07-03
GEORGIA MOVING FORWARD
IN HIGHWAY DEVELOPMENT
Commissioner Holder Makes Optinis-
tic Address Before County Commits
sioners in Session at Rome

Declaring that the old spirit the
same indomitable spirit that made
Georgia the Empire State OF the South
was fast returning to the people OF
Georgia" John n Holder, state high
way commissioner, in an address pre-
pared for delivery before the Associa-
ton OF County Commissioners OF
Georgia in SESSION here today, assert
ed that Georgia people are being re-
leased from the bondage Of debt and
are going to rebuild their state and
make it yet the greatest state OF the
south"
Education for the children Mr.
Holder continued, Great highways for
her citizens and market Tor the farm
crs will make Georgia iii three years
the most talked Of and the greatest
OF any state in the south. From the
busy waters OF the Chattahoochee to
the surgng waters Of the Savannah,
from Georgia's sun-kissed plains to
her storm swept mountains, there will
come from the hearts of her men and
women echo and rc-ccho that refrain
so familiar to all-Glory, glory to old
Georgia She will again take her place
in the great sisterhood OF states as
the great Empire State of the South. }"
Mr.. Holder then launched into dis
cussion of the activities of the State
highway department and declared that
much of the credit for road activity on
the state add road system is due to the
federal government, for without federal
funds the department could never have
made such great progress in road i'm
provemcnt. "To the county commits
sioners of Georgia much credit should
be given for bringing federal funds to
Georgia.
Roads and Bridges
"On roads and bridges" the speaker
"the State highway depart
ment has spent $20,24l ,065,97. Roads
and bridges under construction January
1. 1924 amount to $7,613.210.36 The
estimated cost of roads and bridges
that will be put under construction for
which plans have been made and funds
provided will amount to IS 1920 so,
making grand total Of money spent on
highways or to be spent $33,05089652.
Georgia had built or had under CON
struction to January |, 1924, 2,1261
miles of road There will be put un-
der construction or reconstruction
this year more than 800 miles of road.
On July 2, at East Point, there will
be let something like $2.000,000 of
contracts On the first Friday in Aug
ust $l,000000 OF projects There are
81 projects being constructed by the
counties and at least 20 more will be
put under construction by the coun-
ties before the end of this year.
During the year 1923 the state
highway department spent $6,3536l0.-
80 on road and bridge projects for
maintenance and for the support of
the department. The administration or
overhead expenses were 463 per cent,
which is considerably less than any
year since the department has been in
operation. 1t is less 1877 per cent re-
quired by law.
Federal Aid Mileage
The state road system of 6.100 miles
must be maintained by the state high
way department All federal aid roads
are on the state aid road system. The
federal law provides that each state lay
out system not to exceed 7 per cent
of the total road mileage of the state
Roads are no longer local problems but
ar" county, state and interstate prob
lens The federal government funds
must all be spent on the per cent fed
eral system in each state Georgia has
used all her quota of road mileage and
no more mileage can be added to the
state system
The noads are better maintained this
yea" thar last and better last year than
the year before. They will be better
maintained next year than this The
state highway department is well sup
piled with the necessary machinery to
keep the roads in good repair.
The budget system has proven itself
to be eminently satisfactory to the
state highway department Once each
year the state highway engineer makes
his recommendation to the board tell
ing of the needs of the department and
estimating the amount necessary to
properly carry on the work by the sub
divisions of the department. The state
highway board makes the budget for
year. 1t then invests in the chairman
power and authority to make bud
get each month and to vary same as
necessity demands. The budget system
could now hardly be dispensed with.
County Roads Good
while Gcorgia's state roads are not
as good as North Cardinals. Florida's
or Mississippis. yet we do not believe
any state in the south has more miles
OF improved county roads than Geor-
sia. Why is this? Because convicts
have been worked on the roads by the
counties for about twenty years. Dur
ing the past four years. especially,
counties have put most of their roads
in first class condition"
In referring TO the proposed bond
issue to be considered by the coming
session of the Georgia general assem-