The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-03-17
THREE MILLION A
DAY is SPENT IN
U. S. ON HIGHWAYS
LAVE COST THE COUNT RY
EIGHT AND ONE-HALF Bill
LION DOLLARS SINCE 1904.
FEDERAL REPORT GIVES FACT

Government Spent $88, 1893, 900 on the
Roads in 1924, and States Raised
Many Millions More From Auto
Licenses and Gas Tax.
Figures given out by the federal
good roads department, in Washing
Ton. state that the rural highways of
Fl the United States have cost the nation
approximately eight and one-half bill
lion dollars since 1904. During the
last Jour years the annual highway bill
has averaged about one billion dol
lars,
State and national governments are
B searching every nook and corner in
the effort to secure greater economy
in governmental expenditures and the
ever increasing highway bill is being
n closely scrutinized to determine what
y returns are secured from the now
average daily expenditure OF $3,000,-
4 WO
In considering the case of the i'm
Il proved road and the motor vehicle
given consideration. Nearly 90 per
cent of the worlds automobiles are
cars. The durably paved roads laid in
+ 1924 we're not sufficient to provide ade-
Ouate parking space for the 100000
#motor vehicles produced in that year
for the home market. One-tenth of
#the roads in the United States bear at
least three-fourths of the traffic, so
Nthat in most regions comprehensive
system of pavements involves only
small fraction of the total road mile
age.
State and federal records show that
about Is per cent of all rural pave
ments were built by the states alone
|or through federal aid, which sources
& together provide about 40 per cent of
The annual highway outlay.
Inasmuch as all of the federal aid
funds come indirectly from the feder-
b motor vehicle and accessory taxes
levied on the motorists, and as ma
0r portion of the state road money
VI equivalent to the sum of gasoline
w. motor vehicle registration fees
v w. 755 &3,szSF il property taxes on auto
mobiles il is evident that the car
owner foots by far the larger portion
i the paved highway bill.
County and township funds which
komprise the remaining 90 per cent OF
he highway expenditures, are devoted
AMeAy 10 the building and mainten-
nee Of local dirt and gravel roads, to
barry the light traffic on the nine
4 senths of the highways not included
n the main systems.
But in the case Of the pavements in
(which motorists are chiefly interested
There is no question that those who
llSe them supply most of the funds.
asst year motorists contributed about
kjOO000.000 to the national, state and
Ocal governments through federal eX-
kise taxes, state gasoline taxes, state
Registration fees, and personal prop
krty taxes on motor vehicles. OF this
bum the federal government collected
bout $144, 100000. The state collect
ID about 225000000 in registration
ees and about $75,000,000 in gasoline
axes. The. municipal and personal
property taxes certainly bring the to-
al up to the half-billion dollar mark.
An increase Of ~ per cent in the
otal contribution of the automobll1st
the fiscal year of 1924 over 1923 is
foted, corresponding to an increase OF
65 per cent in motor vehicles regis
ratons. Since 1904, when the auto
mobile first gave signs of developing
nto an important part OF the coun-
8ry's economic fabric, the increasing
utcnobile family has been gradually
: ssuming a larger portion OF the high
#ay cost
The extensive federal aid road build
be program is progressing slowly but
surely with an ever-ncreasing mile
lee OF permanently paved highways.
puring the fiscal year ending June 81,
924 the federal government devoted
@399.000 to assisting the states in
pad building. Nearly $400,000000 has
een appropriated for federal aid since
inception in 1916. About 81 per
ent OF this money has been used Tor
Pc construction OF concrete highways;
Practically all of the 225,OO0,0O0
Fceiyed by the states in registration
feS during 1924 was expended through
be state highway departments. ILL
ois last year built 1904 miles OF con-
*ete roads without taxing the general
roperty owner a single cent, but SIM
~ by capitalizing the car registration
returns. Bond issues which Will
dequately be taken care of by these
kes have provided ready money Tor
is almost ideal highway system. Il
Thirty states have adopted !
Pc gasoline tax as a means for ra1s-
rs highway funds which are used
pretty in hard road building. This tax
#nges from / to 4 cents a gallon.