The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-17
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AS TO COUNTY ROADS.
A warm Enforcement OF Jndge Nas-
,ucr's Plan.

Houston, Texas. April i5.-Some ha'e
the impression that the numerous eon'
yentlons held at Houston have only lne
effect OF giving few theorists an "
portunity to evolve their schemes sNe
vent to pent up oratory, pass iSsolu-
lions and with becoming gravity aa!ou
Possibly so. Yet We have an entireS vi
ferent result just evolved from tne ooSu
Roads and Drainage convention leSsnt'
held here. All sides Of this most I'M
portant question, for the coast eoIntls
were discussed, reasons given why aua
objections, constitutional ana otherWise,
placed before the convention 50 Sieas
that quick remedy was not discoVe.ed'
put a suggestion was thrown out, now
about 10 be acted upon in Harris county
that IL successfully carried out VIII so1Ve
both these important questions ana piAee
Harris county first in drainage ana so~u
roads OF any county in the state
AT the convention referred to MAJOR
Peck was called upon for his views
and pleasantly remarked that MAJOR Cave,
who was well posted Oh the sub.et
would deliver his speech for him. III
the course of his remarks Major cave
| proposed the Issuance OF S7oO,Ou0 OF coun-
| ty bonds, which could be placed a.
| low rate, taking the tax now levied 10
pay for keeping the roads in repair to
| pay the interest and create a sakiing
| fund. This sentiment was enthusiast
ticaly received by the large convection
| Of earnest men there assembled ana 50
| the matter rested. But the seed had
been sown Fortunately for Harris coun-
| ty practical business man has been
| placed at the head OF our county affairs
as county Judge. Judge Vasmer became
much interested in the good roads
movement and was properly elected presi-
dert OF this coast country district He
| favored tho county making reas1nab e
appropriation with the city to make the
experiment of good road, showing cost
and best material to use. and it was
made Since then Judge VdSl1er has
been making a practical study OF the
question aud in Saturdays Post Laid be-
fore the people OF Harris county a plan
so reasonable ana practical that without
| adding n dollar Of taxation to the people
Harris county can, n the shor; space o.
eighteen months or two years, nave 20
miles more of paved streets extern ling II
every direction from iHo.ston to the
county lines, making. with the torty-five
miles now constructed. 1865 miles Of
paved roads, more thsa any other four
counties IN the State.
AS stated by Judge Vasmer the con-
stitutlon allows Is cents on tie 800 10
be levied and this sum is levied every
| year for road purposes. amounting u
$4,000. We all know how little this
does toward keeping graded dirt road:
in repair or rather how utterly 1t fails
in wet weather to make suitable high
way for our farmers to reach Houstol
with their produce. What is this p.opo.
sitlon that will he sub nit,e1 TO the lc-
ton OF the county board at its May SEES
sion? This only; Submit to a vote o
the people the proposition to Issue $780,
600 Of county bonds, and il carried L
sell them at 3 per cent interest. which
can be done readily. and the 10 cantt
on the 800 now leview Will pay tn;
interest on the bonds and also create
sinking fund to pay them off at maturity
The steadily increasing valuation OF on
county assessments would. in two o
three years, add $4,000 to $4,000 more
collected from the same 10 cents asses
ment--more than enough to keep the Is
miles Of paved roads in repair. built
new bridges and keep Harris county, a
1t now is in the lead of Texas courlies.
What are some Of the benefits?
l. 1t would. not entirely but largely
drain Harris county, furnish 4 good dit,I
on either side of los miles OF paye
roads in this county for formers to dfall
into as well as Nrst-class roads for til
same farmers to come TO Houston as tn
growing market for the coast country.
?. 1T would raise the price OF yacan
lands In Harre county from 95 per cen
TO 90 per cent and induce immigrato
as nothing else would, because, in thi
Nat country nothing would indu,e
homeseeker from the North to purahas
at a good price our vacant lands pro
vided you could sell him 100 acres front
ing on paved road ,sading into Hous
ton.
g. 1t would double the retail trade .
Houston merchants as soon as these l6
miles Of roads are completed to the count
line, and draw new and large trad
from counties outside Of Harris that NO,
goes elsewhere. Here Is an example Be
fore the shelled road was built TO Hsr
risburg the land along the dirt road wa
worth $50 to $50 an acre. For the la,
thres years building sites have sofa an
are selling from $500 to S95OO an acre
lots.
4. We never had and never will bav
as good an argument to place before i'm
migrants in the North in order ia In
duce them to settle with us as tn
would be. Give us this as fact ths
Harris count yhas paved streets leadin
clear across the county from Houston. an
paved street FOR wagons, buggies an
bicycles 10 the city. Here is a pracues
sensible argument 10 induce immigratio
TO the coast country Of Texas and
make. as a consequence, city here
10000 people.
5, Why should present residents ,
Harris county plod along in thu raud {
cheap. undesirable lands. when. with |
additional cost. we can advance our yalu,
90 per cent, live in comfort instead
discomfort, grow instead Of standing still
To the writer, who has studied this SUI
ject for years, no sensible. reasonab
reason can be urged against the ri.
proposed by Judge Vasmer and when SUI
mitted to a vote OF the people Il W
carry, almost unanimously. Let this
discussed freely, and the reasons pro a,
con presented TO our county commissi,
before the May meeting OF the boar
W.BS.