The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-04-06
Government Aid to County Roads.

In the current number of The
Progressive South (Richmond, Va. y
we find a forceful plea for Govern
ment aid for improving county
roads. Says the editor: In the i'm
portant matter of good roads the
whole country is much int crested,
as they will add materially to its
prosperity. The cost of farm pro-
duce, vegetables, fruits. and many
manufactured and crude articles is
enhanced by having bad roads.
Horses have frequently to stand in
the stable on their account, losing
their cost of maintenance; often
two horses, and sometimes three,
have to be employed to do the work
of one, and vehicles only last half
the time they should. The cost of
these extras is primarily paid by the
person using them, but ultimately
comes out of the many. Besides,
large number of farms, gardens and
manufacturing sites are often de-
barred from competing through the
extra expense of hauling; and last,
but not least, it would cause much
greater comfort, happiness and
prosperity to the rural homes if fla
cilities were afforded for good cheap
travel by having roads that could
be used at all seasons of the year.
Tile PTSyssSSice South then goes
on to formulate road Improvement
plan, which has these features, viz
l. That the United States Gov
eminent shall pass an act authoriz-
ing the Treasury Department to is
sue one, two and five dollar notes,
to be styled Omitted States Road
Improvement Notes. and to be
convertible into coin at the trea
sury or sub-treasuries of the United
States. These notes shall be issued
to the extent of 500, $4,000 per
year for four years, or, a total issue
Of two hundred and sixty-seven mil
lion five hundred thousand dollars,
which amount equals one hundred
thousand for each county in every
State in the Union which existed
on Januury /, 1893. Should any
territory be admitted into the Union
as a State after the date mentioned
(January /, 1898, the counties of
such State shall be likewise entitled
to receive one hundred thousand
dollars each in four years, or such
other sums as the Secretary of Ag-
riculture at Washington shall con-
slider their size and needs to war
rant.
2. There shall be in every State
a first-class road engineer appointed
by the Senate or Legislature, with
competent staff, to prepare plans
and have charge of the details of
road and bridge location, construc-
ton, sc.
3. The county supervisors shall
have authority to appoint a road en-
gineer or competent person to su-
perintend the improvement of all
roads and bridges in their respec
tive counties. They shall likewise
buy or order all material needed
and control labor, &C.. but shall be
under the general supervision of the
State Engineer.
4. That the notes authorized to
be issued by the Treasury in section
first shall be paid out in the follow
ing manner: The county supervis-
ors shall make out or cause to be
made out at the commencement of
each year two lists of the improve
ments contemplated to be made
during the year in their respective
counties with an estimate of the
cost. These they shall forward to
the State road engineer, who shall
endorse one "approved" and file
the other in his Office, without there
are Objectionable features in them
to which he demurs. This APP
proved list of improvements he shall
forward as soon as approved to the
county treasurer, who shall attach
his warrant for the amount of the
estimated improvements, which,
however. shall not exceed twenty
five thousand dollars per year for
four years. This he shall forward
to the United States treasurer, who
shall remit United States road i'm
provement notes for the amount of
the warrant to the respective county
treasurers, to be paid out by them
as per warrants issued by the super
visors for expenses incurred in inn
proving the roads.
This plan, apart from the bene-
fits which it would confer in i'm
proved public highways, would in
crease the note circulation Of the
country BY $267, 800, 900, and this
too in the rural sections, where not
only the labor directly employed
but the community at large would
be made more prosperous.
The government has aided COM