The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-06-10
ROAD IMPROVEMENT

Several interesting articles have appeared
in the Southern Planter on the genera q"e'-
ton of improving our roads. subJec, oe-
handing even more earnest and inteiiGo"'
attention than it has received Whatever
throws light on the subject Is always accept
able. In the article in tho June NUMBER Oh
the Planter il is suggested that the nio"oy
needed for putting our roads in condition Vi
nermanent good order shall be raised ID the
form, Of loans guaranteed by the State gov
eminent and secured by the taxes ana inc
local property of the sections TO whlch these
loans have been granted and where the I'M
provements have been made.
This is the method which has been adopted
in England. The details Of this method VIII
be found TO he interesting and valuable.
local authority" says tho Planter. desiring
10 execute works Of n permanent nature,
directs engineers to make the necessary sur
veys. plans, and estimates of the cost OF exc
cutting the proposed work. After these have
been completed and approved by the board
application is made TO the local government
department Of the national govern
ment for loan 10 enable the works
TO be executed. On receipt Of this
the local government department gives public
notice that one of its inspectors Ga civil en-
gineer) will attend at the place where the
work is proposed to be donea hold public
inquiry as 10 the need of the proposed work,
the best method of doing it and the cost of 1t,
and will also hear all objections which may
be urged against it. After this inquiry
has been held the inspector reports
10 the local government department his
opinion upon the case and facts presented be-
fore him at the inquiry, and the result OF his
personal inspection of the locality and Its
needs. II this report be favorable to the
doing of the work, the local government
board sanctions it and agrees TO make loan
of the necessary amount of money required to
complete it, These loans are provided for by
the finance minister of England, who annu-
ally makes q statement TO Parliament Of the
money required for these local works. and
which lie borrows in the open market
upon the national security. The loans for
these purposes are taken up with great
eagerness by investors at 3 per cent. interest,
and their repayment is provided for by a sink
ing fund The annual interest and sinking
fund is obtained from the local authorities TO
whom the loans are made, on security OF the
works to be executed and the taxes of the dis
trict in which the work is done. In order to
provide for all the costs of the national gov
eminent in thus assisting local authorities
with cheap loans and for the management OF
the loan funds. the local authorities are
charged from quarter to half per cent. more
for the money than the national government
paws for it, and in addition an annual sinking
fund is required to be paid, which will extin-
guish the loan in certain fixed number of
years. The time within which this repay
ment must be made is determined by the
local government board after consideration
of the nature Of the work proposed TO be ex-
ecuted If this work is of such q character
as will provide in all probability for
the needs Of the district for long period
of time. then long period is gwen for
repayment, but if otherwise, then a shorter
time is fixed Usually the time for works
such as roads is a lengthy one, as the utility
and permanence of such works is practically
unlimited This time varies from thirty to
seventy-fve years. In this way the local au-
thorities are enabled TO execute works Of per-
manent benefit to their sections at Il low cost
compared with what would be the expense if
each county or township had to borrow the
necessary money in the open market just for
its own requirements"