Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1905-07-01


swcr to the question depends on the
size OF the farm, its value. the assessed
value of the township. and the county.
and its location. no answer can be
given that viii fit every case. The
following example. which Is based on
conditions that represent the average
situation in Illinois. as stated. will fur
nish an approximate answer: Let US
assume that John Jones owns a quar-
ter section in a township I'm Central II
linOiS. where the county is made up OF
sixteen townships. The records OF the
State Board OF Equalization show shat
$500 is an average assessed valua-
ton OF such farm. The assessed
valuation OF n farming township Is
100000 or over. but we take $500. 900
as the basis. Then the assessed valu-
alton OF the county would be St.S0O.OOO.
and under u State AMI county aid road
law (which seems to be most cQuita-
blel. the cost OF hard roads is divided
IN three parts charging same to State.
county and township
The States portion OF the cost would
be paid in cash from the one mill tax
levy. The county and township paid
10y issuing bonds. payable in twenty
annual instruments. with three anu a
half or four per cent. interest
To meet these bonds with the inter
est the county and township must
raise. upon an average, $1,000 a year
Tor twenty years.
The township tax must be spread
over 100000 valuation. which wiz
make the rate four mills. The county
tax must be spread over S4SOOOOO
valuation. which makes the county tax
one fourth OF a mill. So. upon the
farm ia question the annual tax bill
will ne:
County tax. oneQuarter mill. IA
Township tax. four mills....... 40
NAt'' 20 d. O. q . s - s - -. ~
The sievc is based upon only one OF
'he sixteen townships I'M the county
building hard roads; for every other
township where SCo 900 Is expended
Tor hard roads the county tax viii be
increased ouo-Quarter OF a mill equal
a. foriv-fivc cents quarter section.
which would have go De added to the
above. lf every township iu the coun-
Is should undertake nc once the build
ing OF similar system OF hard roads.
the county tax on Che farm would b.
four mills. or ST-20. which. with 500
township and ST ~ for State tax.
would brin- the total nap 90 SlG.20
suppose the farm in question is
question b. planted in corn and yields
an average of forty bushels to the
Hfr.rn ta.-t
fourth of Sd cent q bu~hcl on the crop.
Experience shows. ami 1 believe every
one viii admit. that wideawakc FARM
cr. having at an seasons OF the year
good. hard roads can. 10y watching thc
market aul selling his corn undcr tle
most favorable conditions. get sd least
one cent. and often i've cents. "a bushcl
more thau he can under present condi-
tons With hard roads hc cam take
advantage of the market. with mud
roads The markets often take advan-
tage OF him. And if our friend GA the
farm VIII sit down. take his pencil and
figure ouf the saving he can make by
hauling twice the load in half the time
hv reason OF the hard roads. and the
saving of wear and tear upon his
teams. ne viii see that. in fact. 90 mat
ter how ne figure he can save tho
cost Of hard roads many times over
every year.
The building OF hard roads on the
main thorOugbfarcs VII reduce the
present road and bridge tax at least
oEc-half: so the cost OF hard roads is
50 evenly distributed that 10 does not
become G burden
Usually fifteen. or NJ most. eighteen.
miles Will cover the main roads IN any
( township; these can be macadamized
I or graycllcd. making permanent hard
road at cost Lot exceeding Sij0.OoO IN
any uart OF the State and usually for
/ $4,000. In localities having material
i close ut hand the expense can be cut
+ 10 $4,000 or $4,000. With modern
road machinery the remaining dirt
roads can be graced. crowned and
drained, greatly improving the same.
and the whole cost viii not increase
the present road tax over ten cents an
acre Il year. The whole question is:
Are hard roads and good roads worth
4 $16 n year for a quarter section?
Generally the cheapest and most ac-
cessl5le material should be used. In
about half OF the State gravel can be
had: IN the southern part OF the State
a very good material. known as Nova
cutie is found; in the vicinity of Joi4et
and Chicago there Is an abundance OF
all road materials. gravel. limestone
and furnace Stag. while Chicago's
great drainage canal has upon its
banks millions of cubic yards OF good
road material, anu at the south end of
this stone pile is the Joliet peniten-