Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-12-19
FOR OUR ROADS.

Now that the winter is upon us
and our roads are getting into that
impossible condition that affiicts us
about one-half of our year the ques-
ton of better roads is becoming a
mooted subject. In this article we
have no comment to make on any
particular road or roads, for there
has been some road work done in
Lancaster, though in our Judgment
rather too late in the season. We
wish to speak on the road subject in
general terms and offer some sueges.
tions that may be for the future
good of our county.
1t is well established truth that
road beds should not be turned IN
after the middle of August, and any
work done after that date should be
only. in the nature of such patch
ing as the exigencies of the case
may demand. In our section every
effort should be strained between the
hrst OF June and the middle of
August to put our roads in thorough
repair, and if done there would be
no reasonable ground for complaint
before June would again come around.
and with it the season of reworking
them. The county of Lancaster
raises road fund sufficient to keep
In good repair roads under ordinary
conditions. The question is being
agltated how best to appropriate this
money to derive the greatest results.
We now make a proposition to our
people which is not altogether an
original one, but having the hearty
endorsement of number of the
leading citizens and largest tax pay
ers of the county.
1t is proposed to ask the Legisla-
ture for permission to bond our
county for the purpose of building
roads. We could issue $4,000 in
So-year bonds at an interest possibly
below five per cent. Our county has
no debt upon it, but every year its
citizens are losing many thousands
or dollars because of miserable roads.
Ihere are few prosperous counties,
and practically no business men,
that are rot carrying a debt of some
nature, and it has often been asserted
that no man or county meets with
the highest success until saddled
with a debt. Whether this state
ment be true or not there is hardly a
man within our county of any bust
ness sagacity who will not see the
adVisability of bonding the county
Tor the purpose of building good
roads.
Ten thousand dollars is a very
small debt for county such as Ian
caster to have upon it, but we are
OF the opinion that that amount will |
put our roads in thorough condition. |
The tax rate of ten cents on the one
hundred dollars (about the same as
we are now paying) will not only
pay the interest on the debt, but will
annually put aside several hundred
dollars as a sinking fund, and, in
addition, provide sufficient revenue
with which to keep the roads, once
we'll made, in thorough repair. In
other words the road tax of ten
cents will pay $500 interest, put
aside $500 for sinking fund and
leave several hundred dollars with
which to do the little work necessary
TO keep the improved roads in repair.
Three hundred dollars per year
as sinking fund will wipe out our
$4,000 Indebtedness in less than
thirty years (the time of maturity of
the bonds). Tax payers will not
have to be assessed any additional.
good roads will be secured and the
debt Cancelled. These are cold facts
and figures, and We do not believe
they can be combatted. The COL
umns of the CITIZEN are open to
discussion of this subject, and we
hope our people will take the matter [
up.