The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1909-07-01
GET ROAD FUNDS
BY COUNTY BONDS
Is Idea Advanced by Logan
Waller Page, Director
of Public Roads.

1
county boards in various sections of
the country during the last few
months in response to invitations to
tell what methods are best for obtain
Ing funds for road construction and
how the roads should be maintained
after they have once been secured.
AT the present time there are two
principal methods of raising funds for
these purposes, but Director Page be-
lieves that before plans are set on foot
for raising funds, much should be said
regarding the manner in which such
funds SHOULD be expended. II tho
voters OF a county show readiness
to spend generous sum In improving
their roads, 1t is of paramount Inn
portance to them to first ascertain
what class OF roads should be- con-
structed.
1t should not be assumed that sim
ply because county owns quarries
from which trap or limestone rock can
be secured that the expensive mac
adam road must necessarily be built.
The qualifications of any rock cannot
be definitely decided upon until labor
atory tests nave been held. Much
money has been almost thrown away
In this country. however, on the con
struction of rock-surfaced roads. those
having the construction In charge
negiecting to call in the services of
expert chemists, and using rock total
~ unsuted to their traffic or climatic
conditions. In many. many cases. the
results were disastrous. the roads
quickly raveiing and going to pieces
because the cementing value was
lacking.
A county which shows sufficient
progress to bond itself in a liberal
amount for the purpose OF acquiring
improved roads should keep its money
intact until its officers have learned
exactly what class of roads will best
meet its requirements; what type of
road 1t is best qualified ito construct
and what 1t can best afford. Those
facts can be secured through the aid
OF the national government, the Office
OF public roads standing ready TO give
sraf,itors advice and to supply skilled
highway engineers who are, qualified
to tell what type of highway would
best meet that county's requirements
and to demonstrate those decisions by
supervising the building OF stretches
of model highways. after which DO
cal officials may take pattern.
TUn rouututIn., oa.e.....
supervisors at the outset-flrst TO as
certain what roads would be most
suitable to that particular section. and
ito provide for funds to expend In
their maintenance after completion.
Those are vastly important and the
nations very small percentage of i'm
proved roads is due largely to a fail
ure TO give consideration to them.
Millions of money have been wasted
in building roads which local condi-
lions made impracticab,e and out of
all cost proportion to the county's
revenue.
There are exceptions to all rules.
however, and Pike county, Alabama.
stands as a ghttering exception TO the
usual construction blunder. There
the county officials had planned to ex-
pend a large sum in the building of
gravel roads.
w. l.. Spoon. United States super-
intendent of Road Construction. being
sent to make an inspection of the
county's road possibilities, learned
That 700 miles of important routes
needed Improvement. He figured that
the cost of gravel roads would be
$4,000 a mile-plainly a sum greater
than the county could be bonded for.
conditions. however. were Ideal for
sand-ciay construction and ne strong
~ urged its adoption. BY legal pro-
Niso the county could be bonded for
only 81 per centrum of the assessed
value OF the real and personal prop
erty. The plan was decided upon and
an issue of $143.000 was voted. One
hundred Thousand dollars worth of
the bonds were quickly sold. being
disposed of in $4,000 aIlotments.
The first allotment brought a pre-
'Intum OF s625 and the second one of
$3.50. Forty thousand dollars was Mt
once spent for mules and road build
ing machinery and work was started.
With the sum remaining. 11s miles
of the finest sand-clay roads In the
south have been built within two years
from the date of the bond issue: a
generous sum was still on hand; eight
gangs were at work. and the people
We're so pleased that they stood ready
to take up the remaining Issue OF
$4,000 and expend II In the same
way.
u rs the belief of the director of the
Office of public roads that such facts
should be impressed upon the people
of all counties DESTROYS of extending
and improving their Highways before
actual work is under way. When that
has been done. he Is warmly In favor,
of the raising of funds by issuing
county bonds with the restrictions
which, the Virginia highway law i'm