Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-09
MARYLAND ROADS
PRAISED BY EXPERT
Chief of U. S. Bureau Says
State Has Best System
in Entire Country.
BY WILLIAM ]. WHEATLEY.
staff Correspondent of The Star.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. March 9.-Mary-
lands bodybuilding system. particularly
as to the method of letting contracts,
which has been assailed during the past
several months before several inveSti-
eating bodies and even in the halls of
its Legislature by its own citizens, yes
terday received the unqualified appro-
baton of the Federal Government,
which paid part of the contraction
bill, through Thomas H. Macdonald,
chief of the Bureau of Public Roads in
the Department of Agriculture. For
nearly three hours Mr.. Macdonald oc-
cupied the witness stand in the State
house before joint session of the grand
inquest of the Legislature and The
Nelligan commission.
Mr.. Macdonald was closely examined
rs to the distribution of war material,
gave expert opinion as to the methods
followed by Maryland in putting good
roads in the State. and told the inquest
members that the system inaugurated
in Maryland of improving the main
arteries by shoulders, and using Federal
aid money for building new lateral roads
was the most profitable and most eff
Gent from the viewpoint of the Federal
Government and of the State. He said
that Maryland was the first State in
the Union allowed to go off the main
roads in its construction.
Praises States Progress.
Maryland has made more progress In
building secondary roads than any other
State in the Union, he testified. But
he pointed out that the building of the
secondary roads was profitable because
1t permitted the roads to earn money
for Ho 70 Ar1e &C a..
territory. He pointed out that 1t was the
most courageous policy to follow, and
the most courageous acts are what al
ways bring criticism. A less courageous
policy would have been, for instance,
he said, to take the Federal aid money
and build the Washington Baltimore
boulevard 40 feet wide, and not build
any secondary roads.
But the efficient maintenance system
which has been built UP by the State
OF Maryland has resulted in keeping
the main arteries in the best of shape,
leaving the new construction money for
the lateral roads. He pointed out also
that the more roads, the more income.
and the greater number of people are
served, and this is just what the State
had done, with the approval of the
Federal Government
Road Commission, he said, had relieved
the taxpayers of the State from
shouldering hundreds of thousands of
dollars in taxes. because without such
a policy it would have been necessary
for the counties to float big bond issues
to pay for the new construction. Many
counties in many States now have big
bond issues outstanding to pay for road
construction on this less efficient policy,
he said.
Only a few States he said. have
record as good as Maryland, which has
built up the most efficient road MAIN
tenance system, which, he continued. is
more important than new road con-
struction. He said that there is no such
thing as permanent road.
Close Check Kept.
Questioned as to the comparative
costs of road construction in Maryland
as compared with surrounding States,
he said that the average cost of the
surrounding States was $3.50 square
yard for concrete road, while Mary
lands cost was $262.
He pointed cut that the Federal Gov
eminent engineers closely checked all
projects in Maryland in which it was
partner in the payment of costs. 1t
and finally checked the finished project.
He detailed the Federal Governments
system in paying part of the cost of
State road construction and also was
examined as to the distribution of war
surplus material tor road building, ex-
planning some of its difficulties. He
testified that it was impossible to give
actual price values of the material de-
livered at the time of transfer to the
States and any prices on various pieces
were merely arbitrary, citing, for in
stance, that new trucks that had never
been used were invoiced at 80 per cent
of their cost. regardless of whether they
had deteriorated by having been allowed
to stand out in the weather. There
were many difficulties involved in the
distribution and he cited an instance to
show that those in charge of the dis
tribution knew little about the material
He said the inventories showed dirt
scrapers." These were believed to be
good for road building and were in
cluded in the lists sent to the States
as available material. Some of them
selected them and when delivery was
finally made there came many protests.
It was found that the dirt ScraperS"
were the small iron pieces placed on
door steps which people could use to
Scrape mud off their shoes before enter
ing the houses.
He testified that it was further i'm
possible to price the material because
subsequent to the war there was no
market and pointed out that TINT, for
which the Government paid 80 cents
pound, was bid on by manufacturers at
/ cent pound. He said trucks sold as
low as $40.
Other witnesses before the committee
yesterday were J. Bernard Wells, dep
uty States attorney; Ira H. Danforth,
elevator man in the Garrett Building,
Baltimore, and Thomas j. Dennis, as
Sistant State auditor. They testified
about the visit made to the roads COM
mission offices in the building on March
Is last by Mr.. Dennis, Daniel H. Car
roll, deputy State auditor, and Thomas
A Butler, Charles L. Robbins and c.
" Miles. The last three named are
former employees of the commission,
who were sent to the penitentiary for
6efrauding the State.
Another witness, William p. thinner
man, photographer, testified to
the dates appearing on certain pictures
introduced previously in evidence, pur-
porting to show the condition of con-
struction Of the Severn River Bridge.
The dates on the pictures had been
challenged, and the photographer assert
ed to the investigators that he had cut
the dates appearing on the pictures in
the negatives and said they were cor
rect.