REPORT OF THE FORESTER. 185 



The cost of repairs and necessary replacement of permanent im- 

 provements on the Forests is now about 40 per cent of the annual 

 appropriation, amounting in 1917 to approximately $100,000, Con- 

 siderinjr the exposed situation of these lines of communication and 

 other Forest improvements, this rate of depreciation, between 2 and 3 

 ]un- cent of their total value, is surprisingly small. It will be mate- 

 rially increased during the ensuing year by the rapidly advancing 

 costs of materials and labor. 



The new construction comprised 130 miles of roads, 1,153 miles of 

 trails, 1,414 miles of telephone lines, 26 miles of fire lines, 39 lookout 

 structures, 40 bridges, 148 miles of fences, 320 dwellings, barns, and 

 other buildings, 8 corrals, and 190 water improvements. The above 

 figures include 65 miles of roads, 172 miles of trails, 78 miles of tele- 

 phone lines, 33 miles of stock fences, 20 miles of fire lines, 5 bridges, 

 4 lookout stations, 1 dwelling, 31 water improvements, and 4 corrals 

 built in cooperation with communities, associations, and individuals. 



The value of all improvements on the National Forests at the close 

 of the year constructed from funds derived from congressional ap- 

 propriations and the contributions of cooperators is estimated at 

 $6,992,599. Of this amount $5,071,875, or 72.5 per cent, represents 

 works of communication and protection; $1,715,836, or 24.5 per cent, 

 improvements used in administration, and $204,868, or 3 per cent, 

 range improvements. The lines of communication within the Forests 

 constructed by or under the direction of the Forest Service now total 

 2,922 miles of roads, 25,193 miles of trails, and 23,118 miles of tele- 

 phone lines. 



BOAD CONSTEUCTION UNDER THE FEDEEAL-AID ROAD ACT. 



Section 8 of the act of June 11, 1916, commonly known as the 

 Federal-aid road act, appropriated $10,000,000 for roads and trails 

 within or partly within the National Forests when necessary for the 

 use and development of resources upon which communities in and 

 near the Forests are dependent. Under the terms of the law the work 

 must be done under cooperative agreement between the Secretary of 

 Agriculture and a State, Territory, or county, and the expenditure 

 must not exceed 10 per cent of the value of the National Forest timber 

 and forage resources within the respective counties where the roads 

 or trails will be built. 



This law opened the way for undertaking road development greatly 

 needed by the public. On September 1, 1916, regulations providing 

 for the carrying out of section 8 of the Federal-aid road act were 

 approved by the Secretary of Agriculture. They required that ap- 

 plications from States and comities wishing to avail themselves of 

 its provisions should be filed with the district forester within whose 

 district the project is located, after having been referred to the State 

 highway department for recommendation. Applications for the fiscal 

 year 1917 were received up to October 1, 1916, and for the fiscal year 

 1918 up to_ April 30, 1917. A total of 143 applications was filed. 

 Authorization was given by the Secretary for entering into negotia- 

 tions for the preparation of cooperative agreements with the appli- 

 cants for 43 projects. Various causes occasioned considerable delay 



