The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-01-27
+. p. SMITH.
County Bonds for Road Improvement


For the -Egis and lntelligencer.
NV interest in the all-absorbinp subject of
good roads induces me to submit my views to
the public through the medium of The EJiS
especially the economic side of the question
We all agree upon the desirability and even
necessity Of better roads, and more Judi
ciOus expenditure Of the moneys levied for
this purpose. We also agree that it will re-
qure money, and even more money than has
been available III the past, To consumn ate this
end devoutly wished for; and vet very many
of us are strongly opposed to an increased rate
or amount of taxes. Now the issue is present
ell, can We macadamiZc our principal roads
and at the same time relieve our taX-burdeu-
ed farmers. In nv humble opinion no fund
! returns a larger dividend than judiciuuslv cx-
pended taxes On this. the et ,nOmic side Of
this perplexing problem. | submit the follow
ing and ask the farmers of Hartford to give it
| the consideration that any reasonable PROPOSE
tion deserves having for its end hcttermcut
| OF the public highways:
In 1892 $50. PIG were levied for road pur-
| poses This sum occasoned much discomfort
| among the TAXPAYERS We will admit the
| sum too large to he levied annually and will
| reduce il 50 PIG. making $50 600 Is this latter
| sum too large to be levied annually for the
end in view ! think not
Well Of the $50 600 let {:!0. coo be set apart
! to be expended on those portions of the roads
! not regarded as principal thoroughfares. to
maintain them in good condition as dirt roads
| The remaining SO, 900 can he divided in two
sums, Els. 900 and $l2, 900 and utilized to pro
, ducc a sum sufficient to give us good roads
SlS, 900 capitalized at 1 per cent. yields 1870
| 900 Hence if We issue bonds to the extent of
! $40 600 the SIS coo will paw the interest on
| Them at / per cent. OF course these bonds
must he paid somedav Well we have SD TOO
| :n,uaIly for this prlrnose which w: accom-
D ish the REDEMPTION in }15 wears if converted
1Ito u jrkiuy fund and earlier if invested in
| securities bearing interest which Of course
| should be done
How many miles Of pike will this sum of
! ~. 800 per mile will cover the cost of pikiny
! in Hartford county, Therefore the 1850 OOD
will give us on this basis $50 miles OF better
| roads than any now existing in the county,
| for apprehend that this sum if raised will
! be extended under competent superyisiou.
! If we enter unOn an ENTERPRISE of this maeui-
| tude we can offer Inducements to contractors
! who have or will procure the proper machiu-
cry for road building
| In the past few wears we have been cxpend
! ing large sums of money with poor and UNI
satisfactory results, with no prospect of any
| material decrease in the annual levy On the
/ plan proposed here We Immediately decrease
/ The levy and have at the same time a sum
| available to secure us what We have been 50
! earnestly clamoring fcy We will also he in
| position to ask for the WooSev fund, a con
! siderable item in the account.
Some NAV say. ..Oh, that is a very pretty
! scheme on PAPER but il will not work =