The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-01-06
FRIDAY MORNING, JAN. 6, 1888
Il i'LIN FOR RO1D IMP: )I.i
MENT IN HiRTLIND.


Mr. Henry w. Williams. of Bali
more, in the Baltimore SIN of Dee
embcr 25th, makes valuable suggcs-
tons with regard L. roIl improve e.
ment in Mary land.
There are i'll Maryland, h says. be-
tween l0,0)J anllj.ODJ miles of rol |,
including crossroads and turnpikcs
of wh;ca probably 1000 mile; shDL i
be properly reconstruct |. He refers
to the importal ce of draining rOIHs
and estimates the cost of draining and
metaling Il road 80 feet wide at about
$1,000 mile, but says it is not neces-
sary to literally metal any but the
main arteries of travel. For ordinary
roads sixteen feet of metal is sufficient.
This would cost, perhaps, Il little over
$4,000 mile
Mr.. Williams admits that to accom-
plish the work would cost a great deal,
but he proposes plan of getting the
Il would suggest as feasible plan
that each county be authorised by
general law to issue three per cent.
tiftyyear bonds for road purposes,
such bonds to be Endorsed by the
State, to an amount not to exceed five
per cent. of the assessed value of the
real estate in the county. Provision
should be made for the creation of Il
sinking fund of one per cent per annum
for the ultimate redemption of the
hpnlS This Nunull fhn fiyaI
charges on the bonds four per cent.
per annum. OF this four per cent. it
would seem equitable that the State
should pay one per cent, the county
Issuing the bond two per cent, and
the various road districts in the coun-
try tie remaining one per cent, to
be apportioned according to the
amount spent in each district. This
division of the burden, although per
haps empirical, would be just
He thinks that as the city of Bait
more would derive great advantages
from the improvement it should pay
something for it and as the city pays
two-thirds of the State tax it would in
this way contribute its fair proportion.
Under his plan no county would be
responsible for any bonds except those
issued by it nor is under any obliga-
ton to issue asingle bond. Some ac-
ceptable plan, however, would have
to be devised for administering and
expanding the money to advantage
One plan proposed is the appoint
ment of commissions for the State and
for every county that might take adj
vantage of the act, the State commits
sion to consist of three mem bers with
nominal pay, one to be member of
the Johns Hopkins University and the
remaining Two of different political
parties, and such commission to have
power to appoint civil engineer, who
should also give counsel to the county
commissions. The commissions in the
various counties should likewise con
sist of three members, who should EN-
ploy an engineer.
As for the cost, if any county issues
bonds TO the full extent authorized,
the annual charge on such county
would be ? per cent. of ) per cent. of
the assessed value e;-i It's real proper
ty, which amoaiIts to exactly ten
cents on hundred dollars, the var
ious road districts contributing an
additional l per cent
''As to the advantage to farmers
individually, Mr.. Williams says:
According to the careful estimates
of experts the difference between the
cost of hauling over good and bad
roads actually averages 80 cents per
one hundred bushels of wheat mile
The figures need no comment. The
farmer would at least save the keep
of one horse. After all is said, how
ever, the entire question comes down
to one of administration. There may
be various ways of raising the neces-
sary monHy, diStrib Gting the fixed
charges and paying the debt, but I'M
less care is taken that such money is
properly expended all efforts would be
equally futile The one necessary
thing is that the work should be done
under the general charge of one of the
best engineers in the country, whose
sole purpose should be to do credit to
himself by giving the State of Mary
land the best possible system of roads
OOlllIl NC ODbelllltNl lOI Vic Il'DlltN
which would be easily the best system
of lads i'll this country"
Mr.. Williams suggestion is val
liable one and deserves careful consi-
deration. The assessable basis of
Hartford county is $4,000 900 so that
according to his calculations $50 miles
of road in our county could be turn
piked at cost per year TO the coun-
ty of less than one-half the amount
anDrOpriated for roads last year