374 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The engineer of tests of this office devoted a considerable portion 

 of his time to aiding the Emergency Fleet Corporation in the test- 

 ing of materials for and the designing of concrete ships. This co- 

 operation began in November, 1917, and extended throughout the 

 fiscal 3'ear. 



The* testing laboratory of the office was engaged to a considerable 

 extent in the design of apparatus for the Ordnance Bureau to test 

 the power of various explosives. Other special work of this charac- 

 ter was done from time to time, and the services of our mechanician, 

 in addition to those of the testing engineers, were utilized to a con- 

 siderable extent. 



Complete and detailed highway maps were made, utilizing, as far 

 as practicable, topographic sheets of the United States Geological 

 Survey, covering all of Maryland east of the meridian passing 

 through Washington, all of the coast counties of New Jersey, all of 

 the coast counties of Connecticut, and all of Florida south of Jack- 

 sonville. In addition to these detailed highway maps, the principal 

 highways in a zone extending from Boston to Newport News, through 

 New York and Washington, were plotted on topographic sheets for 

 the use of the Geological Survey. Detailed route maps were pre- 

 pared, covering the route from Detroit to Baltimore. 



The cooperation of the office was sought by the Capital Issues 

 Committee in connection with highway, irrigation, and drainage 

 bonds which were subject to the approval of the Capital Issues Com- 

 mittee. During the fiscal year, inspections were made of 126 high- 

 way projects involving bond issues aggregating $49,276,366, and re- 

 ports made to the Capital Issues Committee. Inspections were 

 made of 25 irrigation projects, involving $18,279,060, and 30 drain- 

 age projects, involving $19,356,970, or a grand total of 181 inspec- 

 tions, involving $86,912,396. 



Early in the spring of 1918 it became apparent that unless posi- 

 tive action was taken, serious difficulty might arise in obtaining the 

 necessary bituminous materials for highway work during the season 

 of 1918. • Accordingly, an arrangement was entered into with the Fuel 

 Administration whereby that organization would issue permits for 

 bituminous materials for highway work upon recommendation of 

 the Office of Public Boards and Kural Engineering. Under that 

 arrangement several thousand applications for approval of highway 

 projects were submitted to the office and permits were issued by the 

 Fuel Administration in line with the arrangement for amounts of 

 bituminous materials equivalent to upward of 100,000,000 gallons. 

 This work, however, was merged in June, 1918, into the work of the 

 United States Highways Council, and the totals to June 30, inclu- 

 sive, cover in addition to results obtained under the original arrange- 

 ment, those obtained under the operation of the United States High- 

 ways Council for the period from June 8 to June 30, inclusive. To 

 the close of the fiscal year, a total of 2,235 applications had been 

 received, calling for the equivalent of 75,000,000 gallons of bitumi- 

 nous materials," of which 58,000,000 gallons had been approved and 

 permits issued. 



It became apparent early in the fiscal year that some method of 

 coordinating the various powers of the Government with reference 

 to highways was essential, not only to the appropriate regulation of 



