Show 0 SOAD ROAD building I 1 NG IS BOOMING steady increase in federal aid business in all sections expenditures prepared by the ilie united culea department of agriculture since early curly in 1919 there has been a steady increase each month in the federal old business in the bureau of public roads of the united states department part ment of agriculture states in all sections of the country are filing their projects and recoil ms allotments the roid road building bullying era is in full swing and it would seem that the end is not yet all indications point to greater records in the months immediately to mine come based on complete reports from 44 of the states basli casi expenditures on the rural roads and bridges of the united states for the calendar year 1918 amounted to to this should be added the va value ue t f statute and convict labor which cannot be fixed with any great degree of accuracy but probably amounted to not less than 1 1 thus making the grand total expenditures jor for uio bic year this total Is made up of the actual expenditures for such items ns as labor materials supervision and administration directly connected with the construction improvement and upkeep of public roads and br badges d es outside put side the limits of incorporated towns and cities and doea not include any item for sinking fund payments or redemption and interest on road aud abid bridge bonds the year 1918 offered an unprecedented condition in practically all lines of highway work there was not only a tremendous increase in creasa and expansion in the amount of heavy beavy truck traffic on public roads and an unprecedented shortage in regard to oad materials labor and ready funds out ut alpo alo a decad decided ed increase in main cnance work which was however partially offset by a decrease in the amount of new nemr construction |