The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1889-06-22
MR. VAN REUTH's FREE ROAD PLAN.
Extracts from a Paper Read at the Last
Meeting of the Baltimore
County Grange.

The paper on free roads, read by Mr.. Edward
Van Reuth, of Lauraville, at the late meeting OF
the County Grange, first recltes all the known
evils of the present road system; its Costumes
as far as toll roads, proving that for the least
freebooter running one-horse team three
times a week, it exceeds twenty dollars year,
hence more than his county tax bill and that
for many more taxpayers except those of East
ern Shore and Southern Maryland, the yearly
toll charges run up in the hundreds.
The remedy proposed is as follows: 1t taxes
about 1900 miles of road length to spin net
work of free highways over the State of Mary
land. Through such a network, as SHOWN py d
map made and approximately measured for that
purpose, all the county centres in the state are
crossed and CONNECTED This l;50O mile total
allots 900 miles to Northern and western Mary
land, $50 miles to Southern Maryland and 3W
miles, or one-ifth of total, to the Eastern Shore:
Now estimating the average o6 cost OF n, mile OF
1500 miles, at 49, 900 per mile, is equal to S45OO,
600, by which sum all the roads needed for the
system, say 1500 miles, if existing as toll roads,
can be redeemed, if existing as county roads can
be improved, and if not existing can be built
within the price named. Allowing further a
lish the system is $5,000,000 1t does not follow,
however, that all this sum has to be spent. This
depends on what has to De eXRendeeGq on each
allowance of $1,000 per mile for standard road.
To meet the expense it is proposed to raise
road fund by public loan. issued in sums as to
cover the current expense. 1t ought tObe easily
placed in the form OF Maryland State road bonds
at 3 per cent-may be at * per cent No doubt
The paper next recommends careful survey
by the State engineer and the accurate mapping
out of needed roads and the adoption of well
dgested system by legal authority vested in the
Legislature in order to redeem the toll roads, OF
which there are by approximate measurement
about 81, say 600 miles and to have built or inn
proved by award of contract to the lowest bid
der, etc, all the other or new roads as devised
and intended by the scheme.
Mr.. Van Reuth insists that If politics have to
enter into anything of so general interest and
usefulness it is far better that it be never under
taken. To avoid this he recommends one head
or chief superintendent of roads, nominated
by the Governor and approved by the LegiSla-
ture. with steady tenure for the good of the
service. Also that administrative and financial
matters be kept apart and that strict accounta-
blity as regards expenses and honest perform
ance of duties or hired and contract labor be
provided for. Granting this, a road chief de-
pendent on the law and independent of political
influence or power and removable only for just
cause at law, the personnel of Il state road adj
mnistration as proposed and the expenses at
tendant thereon for Il free road system of LOU
miles would be
Chief superintendent of roads ...........S 5000
Assist. superintendent or inspector...... 5000
Civil engineer or State silryeyor....... 5000
Assists. to surveyor and draughtsmcn... 4.0W
Three or four assistant clerks ............ 1000
Messenger Recommendations. 800
miles lsalary 500 and allowance for
horse and buggy, $500; total salary,
Labor squads for repair of roads g men,
cart and horse. or IS daily to each
miles, which is $500 year to each sec
ton of niles Isl sections ........... 2SO,OO0
Total of salaries and wages. ... ssasst,5OO
Add to this:
Stone crushers, etc........... ............ n,lWO
Material yearly needed for repair, say
$500 per section (lS7 sectionS). .......... T,4W
Estimated total cost of free system. 100000
These are the permanent yearly charges for
the administration of the system. Having shown
the need practicability and working plan it is
now in order to prove its economy, its compara-
tive cheapness, no matter in what part of the
State the subject be considered. The whole of
assessed value of property i'll Maryland for 1885
is $490,0l6,lS3 For easy figuring say O0,00OOOO,
and it will exceed that sum for next years taxes.
With levy at the rate OF cents on each 500
the taxable amount of $500, 100000 would yield
permanent expenses of administration. labor
and material for repair. This tax of S4OOOOO
would remain fixed charge. like to but a great
deal less than that for schools. and its levy of
course would diminish with the increase of the
taxable basis. This would affect the yearly tax
bill as follows: Property assessed s., 2OOor 81 800,
90 cents and 120 cents year respectively. Not
One-twentieth of the smallest yearly toll rate
for one horse and wagon three times week.
Property assessed $1,000 or 600, 240 cents or 320
cents respectively. Property assessed $1,000
and $4,000, whose toll charges run up in the
hundreds, the tax would be no higher than So for
the first and Sl2 for the last. Temporarily, how
ever, the counties having no improved free
roads whose toll roads have to be redeemed.
would have to pay additional until the extlnct
and sinking fund charge of cents on the 500.
And in return for such small outlay every in
habitant of the State and those in and around
Baltimore most would be benefited and forever
after blessed with fine, well-kept roads,
Here we conclude with last remark. A road
tax, whether in the shape of toll charges or tax
levy, is paid with few exceptions by all property
owners, small and large alike. But to all who
run teams for business or pleasure, to all who
hold property in the counties and to the largest
property owners most the dearest tax of all is
bad roads. This hard truth wants no better
illustration than the yearly bills of the wheel
wright and blacksmith or the deprecated value
and undesirable character of fine estates along
badly kept roads. Surveyor Simon j. Martenet,
who better than any one is able to judge in these
matters and who knows every good and bad road
in the State, says that the finest sections of land
in Maryland, those Astounding in rich clay soils,
are for that very reason the worst provided with
means of communication during five months of
the year. Any assured Improvement to their
roads would enhance the value of property i'm
mediately. Judging by the number and charac-
ter of complaints road neglect is steadily on the
increase. Now and then we notice a spasmodic
but barren trial at repair as is the case at our
own door, but real and just redress is not given.
The long suffering public can remedy, this
promptly with their votes at the polling places.
Let them find and clearly point out the means
for vast and stable improvement, and that i'm
provement is bound to be made for the reason
that Maryland has enough of acute politicians
who will take care of the means quite willingly
as members of the Legislature. Those means
can be had only in the light that springs from
agitation and discussion, by study of the subject
here there and everywhere. As kindling
match for that light present the thoughts eX-
pressed in this paper and submit them for ex-