The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1894-01-23


week, there was free discussion of the
subject which has agitated the State in
general and Burlington county in partic-
ular for the past year or two. Burling-
ton county citizens took an active part in
the debate, and their views were ably
seconded by representatives from Mon
mouth, who have recently protested
against stone roads on the present status
of the law. In fact that county was ready
to insist upon the total repeal of the
statute, but after the question was given
due consideration it was decided that GER
tain amendments could be benefcially
made.
Stone roads have certainly come to stay
and the one point to be seriously con
sidered is the question of cost. Built at
they now are there is no getting away
from the fact that the expense conn ected
with their construction is certainly Sc
rions problem One of the proposed
amendments seeks to divide this item &c
that the burden will not fall upon one
But. should the percentage of expense
be divided, it will not abolish the high
cost of these improvements, and THU
point should be considered by the stat,
authorities One speaker at the conven
ton suggested that the state should fur
nish the crushed stone and deliver it t
the townships, who should build thu
roads at their own expense for every
idea. 1t is said that the state is already
the owner of several stone quarriea
Whether the product of these posses
sions are suited for stone roads is not sure
but should they not be it would be al
easy matter for the state to procure othe
quarries Then convict labor could b.
utilized to prepare the stone. and thus thu
greatest expense would be overcome, TO
there is no doubt but that those TIVE
items are the greatest. The state coulC
certainly spend 100000 to better ad
vantage in this manner than by distribut
ing il in lots over the country.
Another suggestion was that the rail
roads be taxed for the purpose of paying
a portion of the cost of improved roads
This might be feasible, but perhaps SOM
other plan might work just as we'll. Thu
principal railroads might be compelled Il
deliver, free of charge, all of the msteria
to be used in the construction of roads
hauling it from the state quarries to th'
station nearest the point where needed
If necessary the state could own all th'
cars save the engine. If the railroad
objected to this plan then they could b.
given the other alternative of paying
special tax.
There are plenty of good argument
why these corporations should be con
sidered IN this connection. Nearly al
the railroads are benefited by the i'm
provement of roads, and they can wei
bear a share in the expense. On tn
other hand railroads have been an i'm
portant factor in causing the abandon
ment of many Of the toll roads and turn
pixies of the county, hence are RESPONSE
Bile for the condition of many highways
Both of these facts lend weight to tn
argument that they should in some wa
help build up the highways, at least thos
close to their lines. With the state pre-
pairing it's own stone and the railroads de
livering it, stone roads would go forwar
at rapid pace, and without many of tn
objections that have been offered, an
which are likely to grow more numerou
before they decrease.