The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-01-07

The total cost of roads constructed IN
der the State aid law since its passage
in 1893 has been 1855, S26. Not one cent of
this has gone to Bergen, Cape May, Cum
berland, Hudson, Hunterdon, Ocean, Sus-
sex, Union or Warren counties. The roads
now petitioned for have a mileage of 426.
and it is estimated that it will cost to
construct them $1,472, 429.1 The States
share of this cost would be $500, 600, SO
tina under the annual appropriation of
s1O0, 900, it would take five years before all
these roads could be built.
Mr.. Budds in his report, says
s'There is a rapidly growing demand all
over the State for the maeadamizing of
roads, especially in those counties where
this form of Improvement has been start
ed. There are now fourteen counties that
have heartily entered into the contest,
having already petitioned for future con-
struction of over 400 miles, and four more
you'd gladly embrace the opportunity of
receiving State aid if the governing bodies
would only take note of Individual petit
lions.
ION the, other hand, there does not
seem to be any necessity for stimulating
this desire unless the State appropria-
U Ii " tttSAS ~
money now available from present an
nual donations to build one-ffth of the
roads that are being applied for in coun-
ties most enthusiastic for their co%nstruc-
ton. If the appropriation is to remain
at the present figure, we would like to
see the construction confined to the coun-
ties now earnestly building, so that their
leading ines might be speedily complet-
ed. By concentration in these counties,
we would be able to quickly complete
lines already started.
with a large donation from the State,
say $500, 900, we would be able, with the
$500, 900 added by individuals and coun-
ties. to quickly complete the work in the
progressive counties. The popularity
and stimulus of State aid is so great in
many portions of our State that a can
didate could not be elected to a State
office If he were to announce his antag-
onism to the same. The use of those
roads already finished is creating such a
desire for more hat many counties are
building. without State aid, stone and
gravel ways to connect with the great
state stone tho~roughfares. In one coun-
tv alone this year eighteen miles were
buiIt. besides all it was entitled to under
State aid. Another county built ten
miles and another six.
1--WE have adopted a system of continu-
Gus avenues so we have now nearly COM
pleted a line which runs all the way from
Atlantic City, in the southern portion Of
the State, to Jersey City, and from Jer-
sey City to the extreme western bounda
ries of Morris and Passaic counties,
while many lateral roads leading to these
and to the different county seats and i'm
portant towns have been improved. In
the western sections of the State we are
building our systems, crossing at Trenton
which are almost parallel with the first,
SO that In a few years we shall have
several continuous lines north n south
through the State. We have started
three continuous lines from the city of
Trenton, portions Of which are already
built. These lines, with laterals. will
supply a large area with hard roads, lead
ing from Trenton through good farming
districts to the most important cities of
the State. From the city of Camden
there are seven continuous lines, mostly
built, leading southwest, south, southeast,
east, north and northeast, through high
ly cultivated farming districts lying
south and southeast ofsthe city Of Tren-
ton. Several lines are completed. and.
Others nearly So, leading from Paterson,
Newark, west through Essex, Passaie.
Morris Il Somerset counties. In Nor
rIs county many lines have been built.