The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-06-24
Logan Waller Page of the Govern.
ment Road Department Makes
Interesting Suggestions
COUNTIES MAY ISSUE BONDS
Plan Followed in Other States Thrcagh-
out the Country Has Proven to be
Very Successful One
To Interest Farmers

Logan Waller Page, director of the
Office of public roads of the United
States department of agriculture, has
appeared before state legislatures and
County Boards in various sections of
the country during the last few months,
in response to invitations to tell what
methods are best for obtaining funds
for road construction, and how the
roads should be maintained after they
have been secured.
Director Page believes that, before
plans are set on foot for raising funds
it is of paramount Importance to ascer-
tain what class of roads should be con
structed. 1t should not be assumed
that. simply because a county owns
quarries from which trap or limestone
rock can be secured, that the expensive
macadam road must necessarily be
built. The qualifications of any rock
can not be definitely decided upon until
laboratory tests have been held. Much
money has been almost thrown away
in this country on the construction of
rock surfaced roads, those having the
construction in charge neglecting to call
in the services of expert chemists, and
using rock totally unsuited to their
traffic or climatic conditions. In many
cases the roads quickly went to pieces
because the cementing value was lack
ing.
A county which shows sufficient pro-
gress to bond itself in a liberal amount
for the purpose of securing improved
roads should keep its money intact until
its officers have learned exactly what
class of roads will best meet its require
ments; what type of road it is best
qualified to construct and what it can
best afford. These facts can be Sc
cured through the aid of the national
government, the Office of public roads
standing ready to give gratuitous ad-
vice and to supply skilled highway en-
gineers who are qualified to tell what
type of highway would best meet that
county's requirements, and 10 demon
strate it's decisions by supervising the
building of stretches of model high
ways, after which local officials may
take pattern.
Americans build as good roads as
Englishmen or Frenchmen, but having
done so, they rest contented with their
efforts and let each passing breath of
air, speeding automobile, or drenching
rain, blow or wash the road surface
away.
In the countries of Europe, where
the almost perfect roads are the pride
of the citizens jealous care is con-
stantly given. A slight depression is
quickly filed and all inequalities rolled
or tamped.
The director of the Office of public
roads is in favor of raising funds by
issuing county bonds with the restric-
tion that all moneys so raised shall be
spent under the supervision of state
highway commissioner.
Many farmers fear bond issue as
they do the visit of the cinch bug or
the Kansas grasshopper, but the bene-
fits they deprive from that method of
raising money for road improvement
are far-reaching and immediate, while
the individual tax on each is so small
that it is scarcely noticeable. Borrow
ing money through the sale Of road
bonds is like buying house, farm,
or a business on the installment plan.
The purchaser receives the object at
once and derives the benefits from it
while paying for it, AS the benefits
derived from perfected highways cover
long periods of time, fairness and
equity demand that the rising genera
ton should bear portion of the cost
and that the increased citizenship, al.
ways attracted to the locality by a
system of good roads, should also aid
in paying for the added benefits.
There is financial wisdom in float
ing county bonds for road improve
ment. In many cases those bonds sell
at premium, and everybody interest
ed gains benefit. In some southern
states good road bonds have brought a
price SO high that the premium has
wiped out two or three years interest
on the principal