The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-21
GOOD ROADS
County Commissioners and Citizens
Confer with state GeoiOgfst Holmes
About tho Proposition TO Build Roads
From Wilmington Into the Country

Conner WIN Statc UCOlOshSt ~
About tho Proposition TO Build Roads
From Wilmington Into the Country
The Messenger on Sunday stated that
State G~eologist j. A. Holmes, Of the
North Carolina state university, arriv-
ed here ON Saturday evening to ascer-
in what our people intend to do
iabout the proposition to build good
roads from Wilmington into the coun-
try and to offer his assistance in the
way Of making suggestions as to the
fitness of material ~hereabouts for road
building. Professor Holmes yesterday
went into the country and examined
the shell rock formations from a mile
to three miles east of the city, and
yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock he
conferred with a number OF our c1tl-
Zens about the matter.
The conference was held at the rooms
of the Produce Exchange and there
were present Colonel Roger Moore,
chairman of the board of county COM
m~issioners, County Commissioners
d. McEachern n Gabe Homles, Rep
res~entative NJ. S. Willard and Messrs.
J. c.. Stevenson, Walker Taylor, w. E..
Worth, G.. J. Boney, S. p. McNair and
Others.
The conference was an informal dis
cussion of the matter under considera-
ton. All our citizens agreed with Pro-
feSSor Holmes as to the Importance
of the good roads movement. Professor
Holmes stated that from his investiga-
tions we have right around us an album
dance Of good material for road build
ing. He referred to the hard shell rock
which crops out east of the city n
in various parts of New Hanover oun
ty. He estimated that we could build
good macadam roads at a cost not ex-
ceeding 81, 200 per mile, whereas the
cost of building roads in Mecklenburg
county averaged about 81, 300 per mile.
The excess in the cost Of building roads
around Charlotte was that the grading
costs more than it YOU in a level
country like this where comparatively
little grading has to be done.
The question of voting on the propo-
sition to issue $50, 900 in bonds to build
roads here was discussed, and the sit
uation "a extensively gone over.
While all agreed that we must go for
ward, it was the concenSuS of opinion
that it would be more practical not to
hold the election on Tuesday, May End,
to vote on the bond question, but to
follow out the provisions of the gen.
eral road law. The bond act requires
a majority Of the qualified voters in
the county to vote in favor of the bond
issue, and under the conditions here
since the election in November, with
a large proportion of cOlored voters on
the registration books, it is not be-
lieved that an election on the road
question would give a majority of the
qualified voters. The legal aspect of
the bond issue was one into and
Chairman Moore, of the board of cOun-
ty commissioners, explained it's status
In view of the cost of the election and
the probability that the necessary vote
annot be had, it was agreed that it
would be better to call off the election
Inc fall back on the general road law.
The general road law provides that in
order to provide for the proper con-
Struction, improvement and ain
nance of the public roads of the coun-
ty, at their regular meeting in June,
1899, and at each annual meeting there
after, it shall be the duty Of the board
of county commissioners to levy a Spe-
cia1 tax on all property subject to tax
alton under the state law of not less
than 5 cents nor more than % cents on
the $500 worth of property and not less
than Is cents nor greater than rs cents
on the poll. On a basis of $7,S75,7 1856 val
uation of property in New hanover
county, it is estimated that a levy of
10 cents will produce more than $1,000
and on 1871 polls a levy Of Is cents on
the poll will give enough more to bring
UP the total road tax to some 500 0
PROFESSOR Holmes stated That the ma
chinery for road building will cost
about SIS, 900, but that it could be pur-
chased on two years time, so that most
of the tax raised could be expended in
road building until the people could
have an opportunity to vote on the
question of issuing bonds. He said the
building of roads and the benefit to be
derived from them would impress the
people continually more with the i'm
portance of the matter and they would
thus be brought about to heartily ia
vor this progressive movement. This
has been the case in Charlotte and
Mecklenburg county where a good sys-
tenn Of macadam roads is being built
The more the people see their value the
more satisfied they are to submit to
the rOad tax.
We understand that the county au-
thorities will consider the matter OF
calling off the election, and will prob
ably talk action in the next few days