Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-06-03
[wallsn for the Inf'anA Farmer,I
Ditch and Road Improvements.
BY DIR. T. O. HUNTER.

Good roads and perfect drainage are
prime necessities to the welfare OF any
community. These are truisms that 1t is
hardly necessary to prove by argument
at tins time. But how these benefits can
be obtained In q community of farmers,
large portion Of whom are struggling
to lift q mortgage from their land, or to
pay other debts already incurred In the
effort to make their land productive, Is
question that Ii not 80 easily solved.
Large tracts of land In Ohio, Indiana,
and Illinois, are now undrained and In 9
great measure unproductive, which II
well drained would be Of great value;
and after draining the value would be
again increased by constructing good
roads, to make them accessible at all
times. This can only be done by the
united effort Of all parties interested.
The aid of the law is called In, to COM
pel every one to pay his just proportion
OF the expenses. The ditch laws gener-
ally required these expenses to be paid
ina short time, generally less than o
wear. This is disastrous to the land own
er who Is already burdened with debt,
and frequently c0mpels him to sell his
farm at o great sacrifice, and begin again
somewhere else, perhaps to repeat his
experience. Let me suggest the oI0w-
ing plan. for accomplishing this work,
without running the person intended to
be benefited. Let the county commits
stone 3 be authorized by law. to issue
ditch bonds and road improvement
bonds, to run 20 years, at rate ofinter-
est not to excede 4 per cent per annum,
payable by the county treasurer semi
annually. After the road or ditch has
been legally established, and the assess
ments made upon the land benefited,
these bonds to be sold to an amount
suficient to pay all the assessments.
The ditch or road can then be construct
ed on cash basis, and large saving
made. These bonds should be made Q
lien upon the land to an amount equal
to the assessment. To provide for the
paymeut of these bonds at maturity
collected in the same manner as other
taxes sum equal to 5 per cent OF the
amount of the assessments, as sinking
fund. and also an additional sum suffi-
cient to pay the accrued interest.
After the first year the commissioners
could use the money thus paid Into the
treasury as sinking fund. In the pur-
chased of other bonds that might De isstl-
ed from time to time and thus prevent
the money from lying idle In the.treas-
ury. The profits arising from such use
ofthe sinking funds could be used In
paving the expenses incurred BY the
coinmissionersin In issuing said bonds, and
siso In paying the cost of collecting and
paying out the money.
AS these bonds would be what is called
'scilt edge, p there would be no difficulty
in selling them at . premium:
This plan would enable the farmer
with limited means, to drain his land
and improve the roads between itand q
market. and at the same time greatly
Improve the productiveness and value
Of his land, without so increasing his in
debtedness, as to compel him to sell his
land at o sacrifice. The increased pro.
ductiveness Of his drained land would
far more than pay his annual assess.
ment, and he would have the work done
promptly at the least expense. His n.
nancial condition would be benefited
greatly, that of the county would also
st the same time be improved, az the
more valuable the land the more taxes
it would pay. If this plan is not prac'
ticable, why not?