The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-02-07

tention for the supposed benefits, as well
as our previous experience in road tinker
ing 1.-THE word is used suggestively, as it
was very soft metal applied to the roads),
would result in a needless, if not criminal,
waste of the money.
Either the bond or direct tax methods
will furnish cash, but no surety OF perma-
nent, first-class roads.
Why cannot the roads be secured before
taxpayers are required to pay for them
or to enter into costly experimenting?
Private or corporate enterprise has al
ways been ready to take hold of public
works of utility or necessity
when proper security has been
given of final payment, and a
reasonable profit on capital invested and
woald be ready to aid in this work.
Travis county affords all the problems
to be solved in the road question and
epitomize5 the matter for the whole state.
A county of partly black wax land, with
little material for metaling roads in that
portion, and nearly or quite impossible
after rains, and partly of hills or small
mountains, with material in abundance,
and where the natural roads can be kept
in order at comparative little expense, its
county seat the most important town and
to which all prominent roads lead; now,
let the county be laid off in road districts
or precincts with definite boundaries, all
radiating from this county seat, in number
equal to the prominent roads leading into
the town, and such roads to pass through
the middle of such road districts as near
as practicable, tributary travel and value of
adjoining lands being taken into account.
ha ~ rtitutps q Histript nv
itself with all the others tributary to it,
and together with the inhabitants of any
one of these road districts should be able
to say whether roads should be built in
that particular district, the cost of the
same to be borne by the county seat, pro
rata, as its valuation is to the county as a
whole, and the balance by that particular
road district, this question being left to a
majority vote of the property holders OF
the county seat and road district. This
plan is strictly within the "local option"
feature of our laws, and the burden is car
ried by those who receive the benefit and
sectional difficulties overcome, while the
votes of the central district will prevent
useless or unnecessary roads being under
taken.
A fixed and definite income being pro-
vided either by bonds or direct tax, the
latter being preferable, private enterprise
and capital can step in, profitable to it
self and more profitable to the taxpayer,
for the roads are built before being paid
for.
The right of way of road being second,
and a map of same with its natural pro-
file and statement of soil being furnished,
let bids be invited with ample bond ac-
compsnying, for the construction and
maintenance of such road for stated
term of years; such construction to be of
specified grade, width and metaling under
direct supervision and approval of some
competent engineer selected by the COM
missioners' court
Allow such successful bidder and asso
ciates to incorporate under charter as a
road construction company, when the cash
capital is all subscribed and 10 per cent
paid in and remainder of sub
scriptions subject to call as the work
progresses. Such company to re-
ceive tolls on such constructed
roads until paid for on rates to be
fixed by the commissioners court, to
cover expenses of repairs and supervision,
and the net amounts derived from district
tax to be applied to the original contract
price of construction, with legal interest,
until it's full payment, when the road
shall become free and the charter null and
void, or if found desirable by the districts
they should be enabled to issue bonds and
take up their obligation to the company
at any time.
No plan can be perfect, and it is nat
ural to suppose that many objec-
tions can be found to this one;
but, if carried out, it is certain that roads
will not be paid for unless well built, and
if they are constructed at slightly in
creased cost, (which will not admit,) the
tax payers do not pay anything for ex-
perimenting.
My Alliance and farming friends may
object to the Company and Toll features
these words are inserted with capital @
and T-but they must confess that the COM
pany is for definite and useful end, and
not perpetual, and in regard to the toll, if
the roads are not kept in proper order let
it be within the powers of the commission
ers' court to rescind them until such time
as proper repairs are made. j. V. B.