The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-01-31
COUNTY ROADS.
The Second Able Letter on Their
Improvement.

AUSTIN, Tex, January %.
To the Editor of the Statesman.
The Importance of good roads, and the
need of their immediate construction, is
admitted by all. A diversity of opinion,
however, exists regarding both the mode
of construction and the manner of rails
ing the necessary funds to meet their
cost. AS to the mode of construction,
have in my letter in The STATESMAN of
the 4th inst. described how macadamized
roads are made in British India and
Burmah. The very cheapness of the
method (the result of the experience of
100 years., appears to startle many, who
think good road cannot De made without
piling layer upon layer of rock, broken
stone, gravel, etc. l have constructed
hundreds of miles of first-class road in
the manner mentioned in every variety of
soil and plenitude of rainfall; from the
monsoon of central India with rainfall
of Sc inches in three months to that of
Burmah with $50 inches in
the same time. 1t is here
where efficient drainage proves its value.
A method of road making efficient in Bur-
nah will not fail in Texas. do not say it
will hurt road to properly pile layers of
rock, broken stone, etc.,one upon another.
1t may, however, hurt the taxpayer.
What 1 say is, that anything beyond that
specified by me is a needless extrava-
gance.
Now, with regard to the mode of raising
funds to defraysthe cost of the proposed
macadamized roads. The point in dis
pute is, whether the many miles of road
Oh loa tod % ~,
the issue of bonds, payable in 20
or more years; or, whether
the requirements of the country
should be met by the construction of only
as many miles yearly as could be betrayed
by an additional road tax of from 10 to
15 cents per 800 on the assessed value of
the county. The former, the bond sys-
tenn, may be called the immediate general
benefit plan; the latter, the piecemeal, or
lnstallment, or as 1 heard it called, wait
until-you-get-it plan. Singular to state,
the latter has met the general approval of
the various branches of the Farmers Ali
ance throughout the state, and has also
found favor with lAge number of other
citizens.
Let us analyze the resultant effect of
these two systems on the road require
ments of the state; and first, let us take
the lnstallment plan, because it is en-
dorsed by the farmers Alliances, the rep
resentatives of those most interested in
good roads. By this method it is proposed
to construct yearly only as many miles of
road as can be paid for by an additional
direct tax of say 10 cents on the 800.
This in the Weather counties would per-
NIT the construction of from eight to ten
miles OF road yearly. The road tax now
levied would 60 as usual to the repairs of
the present roads until replaced by better,
when it would be expended in keeping
these latter in order. 1t would not be
prudent or practical to neglect the pres
emit roads until replaced by Others. The
question now comes, how and where these
eight or ten miles of new road shall be
made? l say eight or ten miles yearly, if
built as prescribed by me, and but three to
five if made by the methods alluded to in
my previous letter. Now, would these
eight to ten miles be in one continuous
line from the chief city of the county, or
mile each in eight different directions?
Most likely the latter, as each commits
sioner would have to contend for the in
terests of his own precinct, and the COM
promise of mile lengths everywhere would
be the most agreeable and peaceRble
solution between the various conflicting
interests. However, whether the yearly
installment was in one continuous line of
ten miles or fragmentary divisions among
all the precincts, there would be mani
fest injustice to those who, equally paying
taxes, we're obliged to wait ten or fifteen
years before the benefit of the system
reached them. Also, under this mode of
action, no comprehensive scheme or
project embracing the requirements of
the whole county could be devised or
carried out, as, under the frequent
changes of commissioners that would oc-
cur every two or more years, the new
officials would alter or entirely revise the
proposals and intentions of their pred
ecessors in office. To sum up, the
money would be FILTERED away as at pres
emit. Each commissioner would naturally
strive to obtain yearly all he could for
his own constituents, and a piece-meal
com promise between them all would be
the only amicsble solution of the diff
Guilty.
On. the other hand, the bond system of
raising money would permit an organized
and comprehensive scheme 10 be prepared
to meet the urgent needs of each and
every precinct, and the internal trade and
commerce of the whole county would col
lectively and simultaneously benefit by
the outlay. 1t is true the bond system OF
raising money is in the total amount to
lie paid the more costly of the two, as the