The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-03-19
GOOD g
@ r 0 Y D S.

Road Making in New York.


as soon rs possible the legislation
2accssary to accomplish this end. the
roOd reads advocates who assembled
to- their fourth annual convention at
Albany have reason 10 be satisfied
with their work Through intelligent
discussion, based on experience and
observation, and perseverance. along
practical and common sense lines, they
have succeeded il gaining the supper;
of we'll nign all good and influential
citizens IL this State.
The Gaie%ates 10 this years conNen-
ton lost no time in formulating their
views and putting them in the shape of
request to the Legislature. The ma
ture of this request. as it appears III
the resolutions passed by the conven-
lion. will be rs follows: First, that the
State shall appropriate S2,0G0,000 as its
share OF the cost OF constructing roads
this year. toward which the various
counties have already appropriated
similar amount: and, secondly. that the
Legislature shall take the necessary
steps to create bond issue OF S1loOo.-
coo. TO he devoted to road building
within this State. 1t is proposed that
the responsibility for the payment OF
these bonds, if issued. shall be divided
thus. Fifty per cert. shall be paid by
the State, thirty-fve per cent. by the
counties benefited and fifteen per cent.
by the towns. us provided by the iiS-
bie-ArmStrong act.
The convention also recommends that
State -'wide-tirc law" be passed to
protect roads generally from the IN
Jury done by narrow-tired vehicles,
and also that the erection Of sisnboards
where they are needed shall be made
compulsory by law.
The good roads men point out that
with the 100000 asked for from the
State for immediate use. together with
the S2,0c0.O 600 appropriated by the coun-
ties. the work oc building approximate
" 500 miles of highways, for which su-
pervisoIs IN the State have pctitioned.
NAV be begun at once. 1t is urged that
this amount IS absolutely necessary in
order to carry ont the present plans OF
construction. and. furthermore, it is
believed to be fairly commensurate
with The annual increase ii the States
appropriations for road making which
has taken place since 1899.
The efforts of New York's highway
advocates have been greatly stimu-
lated during the past few months by
the enthusiasm manifested and the
progress made by their contemporaries
elsewhere i'll the United States. The
activity referred to has not been con-
fined to any one section Of the country;
1t has been general. The Eastern
States wherein Il has been most notice.
able. however. are Massachusetts.
Rhode Island. Connecticut, Pennsylva.
MIA and New Jersey. 1t was shown
only a short time ago that since the
good roads movement was started in
earnest in New Jersey the value OF
that States taxable property has in
creased S27,000.000, and this increase
has been found to be due largely to
improved highway facilities. Instances
were cited where new roads had been
the means of attracting wealth to the
extent of many millions Of dollars
What is true OF New Jersey is un.
doubtedly true, also, of other States
which have spent money judicicusiy
for highway Improvements.
The thanks of the public for the eH.
celleut results which have been
achieved along the line indicated are
due. primarily. to the large number OF
good roads organizations in this coun'
try which have labored industriously
to further their purpose. Among them
must be counted the various automo.
bile clubs, whose members have spared
neither money nor influence in seeking
to expedite this important work. The
Automobile Club Of America and the
American Automobile Association have
been especially jealous in their endeav.
ors to secure first-class and permanent
highways, not only in the East, but
throughout the Union. At the annual
meeting the other day Of the last
named body its retiring President, Mr.
w. E. Scarritt, emphasized the need,
on the part Of the association, OF con-
tinuing these efforts. He said:
1--WE should see to it that the shame
full waste of the public moneys in
building our so-cailed Highways should
cease. The United States Government
has shown by carefully prepared sta
tistics that the loss on account of ou1
poor roads would within three years
rebuild in the most substantial man.
ner every highway in the United
States. Surely, here Is field of en-.
deavor full Of promise Most of the
highways in orr country to-day are dis
graceful to our boasted civilization
The bicycle has done much for good
roads: tie automobile should do vastly
more
Heretofore the most serious obstacle