92 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



different points on this projected network the commission has constructed, 

 by request of local authorities, short pieces of road a mile or more in 

 length, according to the most approved methods of road building, to 

 serve as object lessons and create by the experience of their high quality 

 a public demand for farther construction. These short pieces are ex- 

 tended from year to year to carry out the general plan. 



Through the courtesy of the commission I am enabled to make a state- 

 ment of the appropriations and expenditures from 1894 to the present 

 time. I quote the following from a letter written to me by Mr. A. B. 

 Fletcher, secretary : 



"In 1894 and 1895, 86.37 miles of road were laid out. These roads 

 cost on an average, for actual construction expenses, about $9,612. per 

 mile, and the engineering and inspection charged to them was $1,130. per 

 mile, making a total of $10,742. the average cost of the roads per mile, 

 exclusive of office expenses and salaries of the commission and clerks. 



"In 189639.8 miles of road were laid out. These roads not being 

 complete in all cases, the cost shown is to some extent an estimate. It 

 is estimated that these roads will average about $7,900 per mile for the 

 actual construction, and $741 for the engineering and inspection, a 

 total of $8,641 per mile." 



The appropriations for the use of the commission have been as follows : 



1894 $300,000 



1895 400,000 



1896 600,000 



1897 800,000 



Total $2,100,000 



From this it will be seen that with three years of careful work, Massa- 

 chusetts has built 126 miles of good road in different parts of the state 

 to serve as object lessons to the people. 



As this official statement shows, in 1896, with an appropriation of 

 $600,000, Massachusetts constructed forty miles of high class road. 

 Since the appropriation for 1897 is $800,000, it may be assumed that a 

 much larger mileage will be completed. As a certain proportion of the 

 money appropriated is used for official and clerical salaries and expenses, 

 the whole of the appropriation is not available for road building alone, 

 but assuming the number of miles to be constructed in 1897 at 80, it 

 appears that the total mileage to be rebuilt (2,000) would be completed 

 at this rate in 25 years. It will be seen that the plan of road improve- 

 ment now adopted in Massachusetts, is not intended to provide for any 

 general improvement in the 18,500 miles of public highway not included 

 in the system to be rebuilt by the state, except through the influence of 

 the object lessons furnished in the local examples of new state roads. 



