The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-09-14

1925. Forty thousand dollars was at
once spent for mules and road-bulld-
ing machinery and work was started.
With the sum remaining, 1l8 miles
Of the finest sand-clay roads in the
South had 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
were so pleased that they stood ready
to take up the remaining issue Of
$4,000 and eNpend it in the same
way.
1t is the belief Of the Director Of
the Office Of Public Roads that such
facts should be impressed upon the
people Of all counties desirous Of ex-
tending and improving their high
ways 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 imposes, viz: that all
moneys 50 raised shall be spent un-
der the watchful supervision of a
State Highway Commissioner, be-
cause otherwise the money may be
wasted.
Many farmers fear bond issue as
they do the visit Of the chinch bug
or the Kansas grasshopper, but the
benefits they derive from that meth
cd of raising money for road improve
ment are far-reaching and immediate,
while the individual tax on each is
so small that it is scarcely noticeable.
In reality, borrowing money through
the sale of bonds is like buying a
house. a farm, or business on the in
stallment plan. The purchaser re-
ceives the object at once and derives
the benefits from it while paving for
it. As the benefits derived from per-
fected highways cover long periods
of time, fairness and equity demand
that the rising generation should bear
a portion Of the cost and that the IN
creased citizenship, always attracted
to the locality by a system Of good
roads, should also aid in paying for
the added benefits.
Besides that, there is a financial
wisdom in floating county bonds for
road Improvement. In many cases
those bonds sell at a premium, and
everybody interested gains a bene-
fit. 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. In Bradley County, len
nessee. but few years ago the SUI
pervisors voted a bond issue OF $780,
600. Those bonds bore interest at the
rate Of five per cent. So enthusiastic
were the citizens forroad Improvement
and 50 much confidence did they have
in the locality in which they lived,
that the premium was $4,000: the
cash sales placing in the county treas
ury $4,000.
It has been ascertained by the Office
of Public Roads, the Bureau OF the
Federal Census, and the land and IN
dustrial divisions Of twelve great
railroads, that the building OF modern
highways Immediately enhances the
value of the property through which
they run to a marked extent. This
increase is estimated by the most con-
servatiye at So an acre, and by the
more enthusiastic at SO. All concede,
however, that the increase is immed1-
ate and inevitable. Place the acreage
of the rural portion Of county,
therefore, at 100000 acres and the IN
creased valuation due to the conStruc-
ton of better highways at but S4oo
"a acre. and it will be seen that the
property holders whose land IS to be.
thus benefited would gain not less
than 100000. So great an increase
in the assessed valuation OF coun-
tv would certainly seem to constitute
a powerful argument in favor OF a
liberal first expenditure.