The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-01-18
J GOOD ROADS NOTES. /
Cost OF Highways.

With all the advance of thought in
the direction of better highways, there
are still many who believe that their
cost must necessarily fall upon the
agriculturist. Just as the farmer Was
thu pioneer settler in most Of the
States, so he has been the pioneer road
builder. At his town meetings he has
deter mined where new roads should
be laid out, which of them should be
'sworked" and improved, and how
much of a tax should be expended
upon each improvement. As it was
left to him to plan this important
work, SO its expense has rested almost
entirely upon his shoulders. Now,
that the cry for macadamized high
ways is to be heard in this city and
country alike, farmers believe. as
rule, that they are to be called upon
to build them.
This is wrong. Farmers have
enough in the way of taxes to pay,
without undertaking the building of
elaborate gravel and stone roads. 1t
is unfair that such burden should be
added to their already heavy load.
way OF constructing permanent high
ways, should be done at the expense
Of those who are to reap its benefits.
True it is that the savings in the cost
Of hauling crops would be con sidera-
BILE, aud that this saving would result
almost entirely to the farmer. But
that is no reason for asking him to
pay the cost of building such roads.
He is not the only one to use them.
They serve to bring city people and
city products into the country, as
much as they serve to bring country
people and country products into the
city. The merchant who has business
with the farmer is as much benefited
through a good road to travel over, as
is the farmer who comes to town on
business Of any kind. Neither is the
use of roads limited to those living in
the vicinity, and travellers from dis
/ lance share the benefits resulting from
their improvement. It would be the
height of injustice, therefore, to ask
the farmer alone to stand the cost of
good roads.
The proper division of the cost of
! good roads has been accomplished
through State aid. This is the system
by which the stone roads of New Jer-
sey have been built. The farmers in
that State are so enthusiastically
favorable to the extension of the State
aid system, that it deserves to be de-
scribed. In the first place, under
the working of the State aid system,
no improvement is undertaken except
upon the petition Of those residing
upon the road to be improved. When
such petition has been duly signed
it is presented to the County Board
who proceed to have the necessary
drawings and specifications made.
These are then presented to the State
Highway Commissioner for approval.
Upon their return by the State Com
missioner to the county officers, they
proceed to advertise for proposals to
build the road. When the contracts
are let. a copy Of each contract mus
be filed with the State Commissioner
who thereupon appoints Supervise,
Of Construction, upon the recon-
mendation Of the property holder
who have petitioned for the improve
ment. This Supervisor must give hi
whole time to the work, and see tina
the conditions OF the specification
and contract are carried out.
Under this State aid system, the
cost of improvements is divided be
tween the State, the county and th
adjoining property, the State payin
one-third, the owners of the propert
adjoining the Improvement payin
cne-tenth, and the county paying sth
remainder.
!. This system Of building improve
, roads is highly popular, because II
, work is undertaken except upon til
, petition Of those to be benefited.