REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS. 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



Bureau of Public Roads, 

 Washington, D. C, October 15, 1920. 



Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith the report of the 

 Bureau of Pubhc Roads for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1920. 

 Respectfully, 



Thos. H. MacDonald, 



Chief of Bureau. 

 Hon. E. T. Meredith, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



FEDERAL AID ROAD WORK. 



During the fiscal year 1920 the execution of all classes of construe 

 tion work has been greatly delayed by the most disadvantageous 

 economic conditions which this country has faced in many decades. 



Railroad congestion, strikes, and labor and material shortages, 

 resulting in high prices of these essentials of construction, have 

 combined throughout the country to delay work which had been 

 undertaken, and to discourage the undertaking of any but the most 

 important new projects. The high prices of labor and material have 

 sent construction costs skj'ward, and the work which has been 

 launched in spite of conditions has necessarily been curtailed to the 

 limit of the funds available. 



Highway construction has perhaps been more adversely affected 

 than any other class of work. After the war there was a great 

 public demand for the improvement of roads, which had been 

 seriously damaged in many instances by the augmented trafhc incident 

 to the prosecution of the war. It appeared that the release of labor 

 from war activities and the return of men from the military service 

 would provide an abundance of labor. Indeed, it was thought, for a 

 time, that highway work should be increased to provide employment 

 for returned soldiers, if for no other reason. Highway programs were 

 accordingly greatly expanded, and in accomplishing this result the 

 appropriation by Congress of the additional sum of $200,000,000 for 

 Federal aid in February, 1919, played an important part. 



The army of laborers which was expected to apply for the work 

 did not materialize. On the contrary, there has been at all times a 

 distinct shortage of labor to carry out the work planned, and wages 

 during the past fiscal year have reached the highest levels attained 

 in the history of the country. Whereas, in 1917, competent hibor 

 could be secured in various parts of the country for from -51.50 to 

 $3 per day, the corresponding wages this fiscal year were from .S3 to 

 $5 tor a shorter day's work. 



491 



