The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-01-06
IMPROVE ROADS
Continued from Page One)

grade crossing elimination funds, not
requiring matching, 81 ,343 600; second
airy and feeder road funds, to be
matched by the counties sharing in
them, 100000.
These allotments would carry for
ward the state highway program until
July /, 1885, What the states i'm
provement program will be from then
on, however, will depend upon the ac-
ton of the Congress converting this
week
President Roosevelt last week made
the federal aid fight inevitable when, in
letter to Congressman Wilburn Cart
wright, chairman of the House Roads
committee, the chief executive reiter-
ated his recommendation for approx
mately a so per cent reduction in
federal aid allotmentS for highways.
The Presidents proposal was made in
the face of recommendation from the
U. S. Bureau of Public Roads which
held that present revenues of state
highway departments are far from
sufficient to meet the growing high
way needs occasioned by constantly
heavier and speedier motor vehicle
travel, and in the face of Congressman
Cartwright's citation that federal high
way aid is not truly an appropriation of
federal money for the states but is ac-
tually return to the states of part
of their own money paid into the
federal treasury by highway users in
federal gasoline and automotive excise
taxes.
In line with Commissioner Elsberg's
announcement that next years program
will be drawn with a view to providing
maximum of employment, the U. S.
Bureau of Public Roads this week an
nounced that its research studies are
being concentrated on a study Of
cheap but lasting road surfaces and
on highway safety promotion"
In line with its policy of making en-
ployment for those on relief rolls its
primary objective, the Bureau pointed
out that during the present year fed
eral aid construction funds provided
direct employment throughout the
nation of 1892, 76O jobs, averaging one
months duration, and that direct en-
ployment on all federal and state high
way construction and maintenance
totalled 3,755, 491 month jobs.
Figures compiled by Commissioner
Elsberg this week show that, during
1887, 1,009 miles of Minnesota,s 1850
miles of trunk highways were i'm
proved and 81 bridges built at a cost
of $9,320800 in the Highway depart
ment's construction program. Work
was begun also, to be completed in
1888, on 1877 more miles and nine
bridges, costing in all 81 ,998, GOT.
In addition to the construction pro-
gram, vast amount of improvement
work was accomplished during 1897
under the maintenance program. The
maintenance division of the Highway
Department gravelled 654 miles of trunk
highways at cost of SAIL 900; applied
575 miles of new bituminous surface at
a cost of $685. 1000; and gave bituminous
re-treatment, providing a new and
smooth driving surface, to 1,751 more
miles at cost of $4,000.
combining construction projects and
work accomplished under the heading
OF maintenance, total of 3,4O9 miles
OF state trunk highways have been i'm
proved during the past year, in ad-
dition to the 81 bridges constructed.
Construction projects provided 1906
man jobs in which an average of 3,708
men worked an average of 1O6,753 hours
per week. Approximately $1,000 900 adj
ditional went for labor in maintenance
operations which at the peak of the
season employed 1000 men.
These maintenance operations in
cluded not only routine surface main
tenance and improvements but snow
removal, brushing, weed cutting, ditch
and culvert cleaning, and bridge, guard
rail and center stripe painting and
repair.
TIE Cu~ Ns-av ;S