The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-04-23
THE ROAD BILL.
Almost Ten Million Dollars to he
Spent i'm the Next Six Years.

oBSht WV ANSNt piA ~oh -
Outside the appropriations by
the State to aid in maintaining
the public schools, not any piece
of legislation has come from our
lawmakers in recent years, that
so directly interests the mass OF
the citizens of the State.
Year after year has an effort
been made to induce the State to
to assist in making and improv-
ing our public roads, and as stead
lily has this assistance been re-
| fused.
The statement is made in one
of the publications of the Federal
Bureau of Road Inquiry that the
loss by bad roads for the whole
farm area of the United States is
very close to $500,OO0,O0O annual
ly. Millions have been wasted in
Pennsylvania by faulty road ma.
king and repairing. John Hamil-
ton, State Secretary for Agricul.
ture, in a paper read before the
Good Road Congress IN 1901, es-
timated that we are spending IN
the country districts of Pennsyl-
vania about 100000 annually
for roads, and that we have alto
gether 100000 miles of roadway.
The amount carried by the new
road law is substantial. If judi
ciously spent, with proper local
corporations, it will prove to be
a paying investment. Good roads
have value which it is not easy
to express in terms of money
Persons who have given intelli-
gent consideration to the subject
know that good road has many
financial advantages. 1t increases
the market value of farms, re.
duces the wear and tear on hors-
es and vehicles, and saves time in
transportation.
The plan outlined by the bill is
about as follows:
The governor is to appoint a
commissioner who shall be a civil
engineer, and receive a salary of
So, 500 year. The com missioner
shall appoint one assistant at 81,
900 year, chief clerk at 81, SOC
and stenographer at$1, 900.
The state highway commission
er shall supervise the expendi
ture of the money appropriated
for good roads. The state is tc
bear two-thirds the expense OF
road building, the counties one
sixth and the townships one-sixth
The state aid is to be apportioned
among the counties according tc
the mileage of township roads in
each county, and county commits
sioners have the right to select
the kind of road to be built.
The Sc, 100000 appropriated is
to be spent as follows First and
second years, $500, 900 each; third
and fourth years, 81, 800, 900 each
The minimum length of road tc
be improved is a quarter of 8
mile. The right to determine
whether the improvements are
to be upon a continuous road il
conferred upon the county com
missioners, who are also to speci
fly the kind of road to be made
The New Jersey definition o.
good roads" is adopted. If ;
, township does not want its mon
ey share the first year it may
have two years share the secont
year.
1t is estimated that the Stat,
, has about 100000 miles of publ,
road, and Fulton county abou
1909. If that be correct, thel
Fulton will get 1-one.huudredtl
of the $6, 100000 or $65, 200, an,
: since to get that money the Cour
" must raise one half as muc
3 or S32, 800, it will be seen tina
l about one hundred thousand do
Y lars is likely to be spent on tn
I Improvement of Fulton count
t roads during the next six years
How much will this increas
: the County tax?
t If the county shall raise $16
800 in 6 years, the average pc
: year would be about 81, 700. whic
Q would add 81 cents to each dolla