Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-04-05
PAY THEIR OWN WAY.
Renefts Derived from Good Roads
Are Far I'm Excess OF the Cost
OF Construction

One paragraph in that part of the
governors message which relates to
good roads is of especial consideration
because of its very general interest
and application.
1t is estimated, he says, that in 10
counties in Indiana Ga good broad basis
Tor computation, as that is nearly the
whole number OF counties in South
Carolina) the average increase In the
selling price" of land, due to existing
improved reads, is almost $3.50 an acre
(S6.4s to be exact). The estimated av-
erage cost of converting common pub
tic roads into improved roads is 81 ,146
mile. The estimated average annual
loss hundred acres from poor roads
due to added expense of hauling only
half loads over them, breakage and
wear and tear of vehicles, loss of time,
etc.--is SIC, or 76 cents an acre. eft
1t seen that the loss from poor roads
would soon pay for the building of
good roads, and after replacing the
amount paid for their construction
the good roads will continue to pay"
The calculation may be varied lit
tie. good road will steadily and eff
fectively serve tract of country for a
mile on each side of it, and, as there
are GAO acres to the square mile, it fol-
lows that one mile of good road will
serve l.2So acres on each side, within
the mile limit. It follows. again, that
an expenditure of one dollar an acre
for each acre so to be benefited will
more than pay the cost Isl, 146l of i'm
proving a bad road into SO expensive
good one as the kind constructed in
Indiana. 1t is also to be noted that
rs cents of the dollar so expended is
offset by the saving of the "loss" for
one year on account of bad road condi-
tions, leaving the net cost Of the i'm
provement to the land owners only %
cents an acre in fact. This expeudi-
ture is practically made but once, the
actual cost of maintenance being rela-
lively very small. Wherefore, the i'm
proved road viii nearly pay the whole
cost OF its construction in one wear.
and thereafter will continue to return
IS cents an acre annually in the single
item of saving the loss resulting from
bad roads. To which gain is to be
added all the conveniences OF good
road service. and the increase of Sc. so in
the value of every acre tributary TO the
road, as determined by its Increased
selling price. Four per cent. interest
for one year on the Increased value"
alone of the two square miles, or one
per cent. a year for the four years,
would pay the whole cost Of the inn
provement.
The calculation is subject to some
notifications TO adapt II 10 this state,
and to different parts of the state. It
will apply closely in districts where
roads are improved on the system and
at the high rate. of cost observed in
Indiana; but maybe greatly changed
in the case of other districts, especial
iy, for example, those lying south and
east of Columbia.
Good roads equal to turnpikes have
been constructed in Darlington, Rich
land and 0rangeburg counties, by over
laying sand with clay at a cost ranging
down to $50 mile. and perhaps aver
aging less than $500 a mile. Darling
ton alone has constructed over 700
miles of such roads in the last five
years, and Richland several hundred
more at a cost, we believe, higher than
that average. Placing the average at
$500 a mile, however, for such con-
struction, it follows that every mile
of bad road in more than half the state
can be improved into q permanent
thoroughly good road at cost of $500
for the 1880 acres within a mile on
either side of it, OF of % cents an acre
against which single expenditure
would be charged nearly the whole an
nual saving of loss on account Of bad
road conditions and whatever increase
In land values would result from such
improvement. And even the whole %
cents an acre would represent tax
of only two and half cents per acre
for ten years-not very heavy bur-
den. Extending the area TO be taxed
would, of course, reduce the tax rate
proportionately.
1t really appears that landowners,
farmers and the public generally could
well afford to submit to such a tax
for the sake of the great and valuable
public benefits to be derived from 1t
at once and for all time to come
Charleston Is. c. News and Courier.