The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-01-13
State Road Department Chief.
tain Speaks Before Com
lnissioners Convention

~SsAovA uSsAVAA QAV6A0AA w CdCL CVuAAsy
was advocated by A. D. McKinnon
chief highway commissioner for the
state highway department, in an ad-
dress here Wednesday before the state
convention OF county commissioners.
Such program, McKinnon said
would enable completion Of the state
and federal highway system in an Or
derly manner, and would make it pos
sible to prepare surveys and plans for
approval by the U. s. Bureau Of pub
lie roads in advance of the date con-
tracts are to be awarded.
Many counties have planned sys-
tenn of county trunk highways and
have made considerable progress in
their construction" McKinnon said.
Permit me to suggest that more at
tention be paid to the investigation of
proposed routes and the preliminary
survey of them.
"Only by making preliminary sur
veys of proposed projects can neces-
sary drainage be assured and unless
any highway has adequate drainage 1t
is not worth constructing. Many coun-
ties have competent county engineers
and you should make use of their en-
cheering ability and training. You
will find that this will be money we'll
spent. Should any county be unable
to secure the services of a competent
engineer, the state highway depart
ment will be willing to extend the
services of it's engineers If they can
spare the time and will charge you
actual cost"
Outlined Changes Made
McKinnon outlined changes inau-
gurated by the commission in an ef-
fort to conserve funds.
"All division engineers" he said,
shave been notified that they will be
held responsible for all highway ac-
tivities within their divisions. This
places both construction and maintsn-
ance under their control and means
centralizing authority as we'll as re-
sponsibility and will tend to eliminate
all possibility of buck passing.
Instead Of two or more superin-
tendents or general foremen located at
each division point supervising main
tenance work within the division, 1t
is planned to have the general fore
man stationed at different points in
each division. This will do away with
large amount of unnecessary travel
expense and place the individual pa
trolman under close supervision.
"A plan has been devised whereby
the department will have closer
check on the time the various en-
ployes actually work and 1t will be
just too bad for anyone caught pad
ding his time sheet"
North Dakota'S share Of 81 ,293, 532
of emergency federal aid. McKinnon
said. was used in full.
Certain provisions of the emer-
gency federal aid act" he added. pro
vided among other things that the
emergency federal aid would partici-
pate only In construction work actual
~ done by Sept /, 1881. AS all pre-
liminary preparations, prior to the
latter part of December. had been
only on a basis of small anticipated
program in 1881. and further handi-
capped by the capitol fire which des-
troyed practically all the plans of the
department. it will be realized what a
task confronted the department in
completing all necessary preliminary
procedure, placing under contract and
completing approximately $4,000, 900
worth Of emergency federal aid by
Sept. l, 1881.
Should Be Returned
Another provision of the emer-
gency federal aid act provided that
the allotment of emergency federal
aid to the state should be returned to
the federal government in five an
nual installments, without interest, be
deducted from regular federal aid al
lotted to the state beginning with the
1888 apportionment available July l,
1882.
"AS the states annual apportion-
ment Of regular federal aid is ap-
proximately $1,970,643 ordinarily and
the emergency repayment reduces the
states annual regular federal aid by
approximately $259, 706.40, there re-
mains 81, ITO, 936.50 regular federal aid
for 1882 and subsequent years.
"AS this reduced amount of regular
federal aid is in itself more than the
state can match in any one year with
present state revenues, no great hard
ship will result to this state in this
annual reduction Of regular federal
aid funds under present conditions.
ION the other hand the advantages
that have accrued to the state by rea-
son Of the emergency federal aid al
lotment cannot be overestimated.
Coming as 1t did at an extremely low
ebb in highway revenues, it not only
permitted the largest construction
program in any one year that the
highway department ever attempted
but left the highway department at
the end Of this period in fair finan-
cial shape. Further it permitted q
large volume Of work to be contracted
for completion in 1892 and with more
than sufficient revenues on hand to