Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-07-03
o BUILD ROADS WITHOUT MONEY

10 BUILD HCAOS WITHOUT MONEr.
The Cost 20 Fall Equally Upon the Users.
the County and the State
In an address delivered before the
southern immigration and industrial
congress Roy Stone Of the Units1
States department of agriculture urged
the Importance Of good roads as a neces-
sity to prosperous farming. His remarks
apply with force to all sections of the
country. he said in part: The main
question is, How can people having no
surplus capital build good roads? For
IN answer. we must go where they have
done it successfully and study the
methods adopted. We can certainly fol-
low these methods; possibly we may
improve upon them. First, we must
study all the economies possible in CON-
struction; second, we must find out all
the parties to be benefited and see that
each bears his proper share Of the cost,
whether or not he belongs to the imme-
diate locality or even to the present
generation of men; third, we must look
into the local questions of road materials
and transportation, and into all the
latest improvements in road implements
and machinery.
But who is to do all this? And what
brings us to the first practical step in
general road improvement? Namely.
that every state should have n perma-
nent commission composed of citizens of
tho highest character to undertake this
investigation and recommend the neces-
sary measure to the legislature, to watch
the workings of those measures when
adopted and to secure any possible i'm
provement in them.
Taking it for granted, however, that
the best wisdom of the state will shape
its legislation for road Improvement,
and that science and skill, ingenuity and
business talent will all combine to pro.
duce the best results at the least outlay,
we must come to actual figures of cost
and definite plans for financing before
| the final answer to our question can b
given.
One serious hindrance to the extend
ed building of hard roads has been the
Costumes of some of those built anC
the general overestimate of the cost nee
essary. An expense of So, 900 per mile
is beyond the possible means of mos
country districts, but our inquiries hav,
developed many cases where good ston
roads are being built for one-fourth o
that sum. The stone roads of Canaan
daiga, N. Y, cost only 5000 per mile
They arc not wide roads. but are heav
lily stoned, and they are so good tina
when was there, in the midst of
January thaw, the farmers living Of
them were hauling two tons of hay ol
| a two horse wagon, while the neighbor
ing dirt roads We're practically impass
able.
Wide roads are not required in an OF
binary farming section. A single trac
of stone, with an earth track alongside
is in many respects better.
Without going into details 1 judg
that such a road can be built ON tn
, average in the southern states, wit
paid labor, for 81 per rod. Supposin
the road to be built with such labor an
, financed upon the state aid plan adop
ed in New Jersey, Us modified i'll an NJ
} lately passed by the assembly of Ne
York, the cost would fall equally upO
the benefit district, the county and IL
} state, the benefit district including ii
habitual users of the road and estimate
: to extend an average of one mile c
each side of it. The lands of the use
would be assessed in proportion to the
benefits for one-third Of the cost, pa,
able in 10 annual installments, with il
terest, beginning one year after the con
| pletion of the road, the county meal
while advancing the money, and haviT
authority to issue short bonds for tn
purpose aud long ones for its own shar
The cost would he 81 for each acre
the benefit districts, and the users ON
third, spread over 10 years, would
less than 4 cents per acre yearly, irclu
ing interest. The county would recOI
itself largely by the saving i'll cost
road repairs, and the state by the i
crease in taxable values.