The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-05-11
BETTER ROADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM.

SCI ER hOADS ANU fOW ~ MANI ITEM
Let us consider all the plans as we go along says
the Dallas News in discussing the good roads ques
tion. The Virginia plan is one that is said TO have
worked well thus far. In 1904 there we're 51s12
miles Of public road in the state Of Virginia OF this
mileage, 72O miles were surfaced with gravel. 755
miles with stone 100 miles with shells, and % miles
with Stag, making in all 1000 miles Of improved
road. 1t will be from these figures that about
3 per cent Of the roads has been improved BY com
pairing the total road mileage with the area of the
state it appears that there 129 miles Of public
road per square mile of area. comparison OF
mileage With population shows that there l mile
of road to every 35 inhabitants but only 1 mile Of
improved road to every 1888 inhabitants.
How is the money raised? The funds used in the
construction and repair of roads are derived prno.
pally from two sources-a county road tax aud a
district road tax l. The county road tax is levied
annually by the board of supervisors upon all the
assessed real and personal property in the county
This tax must not exceed 40c upon every 800 worth
OF property. 9 The district road tax IS levied
annually by the board of supervisors upon all the
assessed real and personal property in the several
maglsterial districts of the county aud must not
exceed 4Oc upon every 500 worth OF property The
levy may vary however in different districts of the
same county. Any county In the state may issue
bonds for the purpose II matchmaking or otherwise
permanently improving the public roads The qees'
ton OF Issuing bonds decided by the people at the
polls The interest and principal OF the bonds are
paid out of a special fund derived from annual
tax OF not to exceed 20c on each 500 worth of prop
erty within the county. There only enc county
in the state which expended any money under the
provisions Of this law in 1904. The statute labor
system which required all ableboded mao residents
Of the state between Is and 651 years of living
outside the limits OF city to work two days
annually on the public roads was abolished in 1904
In Oregon in 1904 there were 34,25s miles Of
public road in the state OF which 2.235 miles were
surfaced with gravel 200 miles with stone and las
miles with plank making total Of 2,59S miles Of
improved road. It viii be seen from these figures
that about ~ per cent OF the roads has been Inn
proved BY comparing the total road mileage with
the area OF the It appears thstthere was about
thirtysix hundredths OF a mile Of public r19d per
square mile OF area. A comparison OF mileage with
population shows that there was 1 mile of road TO
every u nhabitants but only mile OF improved
road to every l59 nhsbsnts
In Oregon the funds used IN the construction and
repair Il roads are derived from two soarcesa prop
erty tax and poll tax The rate OF taxation on
property icg road purposes must not exceed 10 mills
on the dollar though road distriets may levy an ad
dtioual 10 mills for the purpose OF making special
Improvements. The levy for each county Is made by
its "Copnty Court Commissioners Court and the
rate Of taxaon varies in the different counties from
I to 10 mills Every male inhabitant between the
ages of 2 aad so (unless by law exempt is required
TO pay an annual poll of s. for road purposes As
a matter OF fact the poll tax operates to a large
extent as a statute labor law, since in many In
stances the tax appears 70 have been paid in labor
performed en the road instead Of IN cash,