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Farm-to-Market Roads 



Plan To Start Projects About Nov. I , Ask That Applications Be 



Filed At Once 



Counties and townships wishing to co- 

 operate in the farm-to-market road build- 

 ing program of the Works Progress Ad- 

 ministration should file applications for 

 projects at once. This is the word brought 

 back by Paul E. Mathias, corporate sec- 

 retary of the I. A. A. who attended a 

 recent meeting in Springrfield called by 

 the County Highway Engineers Associa- 

 tion. 



Major Lord of the WPA asserted that 

 in his opinion Federal expenditures would 

 not continue at the present rate more 

 than one year and that localities wishing 

 to take advantage of present funds, 

 should get busy at once before it is too 

 late. Applications should be made to the 

 district office of the WPA. There are six 

 in the state. 



WPA in Illinois has been under way 

 about one month. It has approved abo^jt 

 350 projects involving $45,000,000. Nine 

 counties have filed large farm-to-market 

 road projects. Five of these are county- 

 wide. Projects vary from 35 to 214 miles 

 per county. Gallatin county has sub- 

 mitted plans which will use every able- 

 bodied man on relief in that county. 



An effort is being made to have all 

 projects under way by Nov. 1. Thus far 

 the road district, township, or county 

 sponsoring the project have contributed 

 an average of around 25% of the cost, 

 the government furnishing the balance 

 as a grant. There is no fixed rule on 

 this point. The ability of the local unit 

 to provide funds is considered. Salaries 

 paid superintendents, rent on equipment, 

 materials provided and other items may 

 be included in the contribution of the 

 township or county. 



A "security" wage (minimum $40 per 

 mo.) is paid to workers on relief projects. 

 Ninety per cent of the employed men 

 must come off relief rolls. Each man is 

 given a maximum of 40 hours work per 

 week. He is paid twice a month. As soon 

 as he gets his first check, his name is 

 stricken from the relief roll. If able- 

 bodied men refuse work relief will be 

 withdrawn. This is in line with the pro- 

 gram advocated by the Farm Bureau. 



Standards of road design are left 

 largely to the local community sponsor- 

 ing the road program. The WPA believes 

 it is better to build 10 miles of low cost 

 gravel roads than two miles of high cost 

 hard roads complying with all engineer- 

 ing standards. Approval of the county 

 highway engineer is not necessary for 

 township or road district projects. But 

 if county funds' are spent, approval of 

 the county engineer is required. Workers 

 may be brought in across township or 

 county lines but if they do not reside 

 within walking distance the sponsor of 

 the project must provide transportation. 

 While on the job, the men are the respon- 

 sibility of the federal government. Men 

 may take a few days private employment 

 while on a project without losing their 

 status. 



The various district offices of the 

 WPA in Illinois are ready to assist com- 

 munities in the preparation of their ap- 

 plications for projects. Farm-to-market 

 roads according to Major Lord will be 

 given preference over most other proj- 

 ects because they use a maximum amount 

 of labor. ■ ' 



With Our County 

 Farm Bureau Presidents 



From school teacher for 25 years, 

 to township supervisor, Jersey breed- 

 er, dairyman, and Farm Bureau presi- 

 dent is some- 

 thing of a jump, 

 believe it or 

 not. 



A. E. Suley, 

 of Edgar coun- 

 ty, has been or 

 is all of these. 

 He is a living 

 example of a 

 man who can 

 succeed at a 

 number of 

 more or less 

 unrelated occu- 

 pations. A. E. STALEY 



The folks 

 down Edgar county way will tell you 

 that it's Staley"s enthusiaSm, unself sh- 

 ness. energy, and willingness to serve 

 his fellow man that makes him one of 

 the outstanding Farm Bureau presi- 

 dents in Illinois. And they'll also tell 

 you that he had a lot to do with 

 putting Edgar county's membership 

 up around the 1,000 mark. 



Born on a farm near Vermilion in 

 Bklgar county 63 years ago. Mr. Staley 

 attended the public schools there 

 where he began teaching at an early 

 age. His desire for more knowledge 

 led him to enroll at the State Normal 

 School in the neighboring city of 

 Terre Haute. Indiana. There he fitted 

 himself for his future work in train- 

 ing the thousands of boys and girls 

 of elementary school age who came to 

 him for instruction. 



Always an active church worker, 

 Mr. Staley has taught a class for 40 

 years, the adult bible class for the 

 past 10 years. He has been an elder 

 in the New Providence Presbyterian 

 Church for 30 years, is president of 

 the Elbridge Township Council of Re- 

 ligious Exiucation, and has served as 

 adult suprintendent of the Edgar 

 County Council of Religious Educa- 

 tion since 1929. 



"Mr. Staley is known throughout 

 Edgar County as one who is willing 

 to make unusual personal sacrifice 

 for the general welfare of the peo- 

 ple," said one of his co-workers. "His 

 judgment and decisions are always 

 recognized as being fair and im- 

 partial. During the past seven years 

 he has had the undivided support of 

 the Edgar County Farm Bureau board 

 of directors. Largely through his ef- 

 forts and princioles of organization, 

 has the Farm Bureau been able to 

 secure the support and co-operation 

 of a large number of EMgar county 

 farmers." 



Mr. Staley operates a 176 acre dairy 

 farm near Paris where he has a good 

 herd of 35 Jersey cattle. He served 

 his township as supervisor four years, 

 was chosen Farm Bureau director 

 from his township in 1927 and a year 

 later was elected county president. 

 Mr. and Mrs. Staley reared four chil- 

 dren, two sons and two daughters. 



Excellent type of farm-to-market gravel road in McLean county, III. 

 SEPTEMBER, 1935 



i in McL 



