The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1901-05-29
STONE ROADS.

If it was not SO serious a matter one
would smile at the jubilant manner il
which the appropriation of 5000 by
our Board of Freeholders for stone
roads is received. While the loca
press are throwing their caps in the
air they do not seem to realize that VIC
are embarking on a perilous journey,
the outcome of which no man can
foretell.
On an annual appropriation of from
$50, 600 to $780, 600 the county debt has
been gradually reduced until it is
practically wiped out. Much more
grumbling is heard at tax paying time
about the heavy county tax, but the
Pay as you so policy, which has pre-
vailed for the past 10 years, gives the
/ people to know what they are doing
and tends to keep the expenses down.
With the issuing of bonds probably n
period of lavish expenditure will be
inaugurated and for time taxes may
not be materially increased, but pay
day will come and then the farmers
will wish they had not listened 70 the
enticing voice of the stone road ad-
voeate. Many farmers sign for these
roads who have always opposed their
building on the ground that we could
not afford them. What has caused the
change of heart is known only to them
| selves.
! An examination of the reports of
of Hunterdon and Mercer counties will
show that on an appropriation of
500, 900, Hunterdon is practically ont
of debt, while Mercer county il
bordering closely on 81 900, 600 of in
debtedness. OF course this is not all
due to stone roads, but the issuing of
$780, 600 of bonds yearly will soon
make debt that will stagger even the
most enthusiastic tax payer.
1t should be remembered that there
is vast difference between the TO
sources of Mercer and Hunterdon
counties. In Mercer there are cities
don the bulk of the tax must come
from the farmers. and an increase of
$50, 900 to the county tax will bear
heavily on them Many think that if
they can live through the first cost of
the roads TINT there will be an end of
the road tax, but such is not the case.
The writer does not know the number
of miles of completed roads in Mercer
county, but $7,4i5.36 was expended
for repairs ON said roads during the
past year, which at 800 per mile (the
roads can be maintained per year,
there should he some "a miles of road.
So it will be seen that the rond tax
will not be diminished, but as the
mileage increases the tax will increase
four fold from Whit IT now is.
For building roads $l23, ell .C9 wns
expended during the past year, which
with the 81, 4i5 &c spent for repairs,
the roads alone cost $3.50, csc 81, which
is once and two-thirds more the Hun
terdon raises for all purposes except
schools.
There is another thing 10 be con
| sidered IN this connection, that of
bonds which ure issued. The amount
of the bonds will he withdrawn from
the taxable property of the county, as
county bonds are not taxable. These
bonds will make nice Investment
for our moncyed men, and some claim
that this is one of the prime causes of
the stone road movement.
As Hunterdon is county Of long
distances it will take manY years to
stone even its main roads, and IT il
important that careful men be put to
the fore in this business, in order that
the best possible results may be OBJ
tanned for the money expended.
The above is not written to throw
cold water on the stone road scheme,
which probably has come to stay, but
to give over enthusiastic people a
word of caution, and show what the
tax payers must expect in the years
to come, and to induce the tax payers
to look we'll to the men who have
charge of the work, ms few reckless
| or liberal mined men often work sore
trouble for those whom they rep
resent. -