Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-05-11
GOOD ROADS HEAD
PRAISES CONTEST
PRESIDENT F. l.. WHITE, OF
GEORGIA GOOD ROADS CLUB.
SAYS, 81 CANNOT TOO HIGHLY
COMMEND JOURNAL-HERALD."

President Fred L. White. of the Good
Roads club of Georgia, writes an interest
ing letter praising the great national
highway projected by The Journal and
the New York Herald through the 1000
mile reliability run for automobiles this
fall. -..-..
The organization which President White
heads is growing to be one of the strong
est in Georgia. Formed less than two
years ago, it now has a membership Of
over 400, and is growing rapidly.
"The Good Roads club of Georgia ex-
poets to do great deal toward aiding
YOU" says President White. THE club
will hold its annual meeting on July o,
and action will be taken then.
President White cites a startling fact
that out of Georgia's 5000 miles or road,
only about miles in each 100 were i'm
proved in 1904.
President White favors a repeal of the
road labor law and the application of
direct tax for road improvement. Men
OF experience are needed to work the
roads," he says.
Following is his letter:
"BUCKHEAD, Ga, May 10, 1909.
Editor of The Atlanta Journal,
Atlanta. Ga.
Dear Sir:
II have been reading with considerable
interest the automobile and good roads
contest which you and the New York
Herald are promoting. 1 cannot too highly
commend you for undertaking such a
stupendous and far-reaching contest.
I'm 1904 Georgia had 81 ,2O3 miles of pub
lie roads with only 1874 miles improved
2S per cent.
"Only 1894. 1868 was expended for road
work As the state has a road labor law
which requires a citizen to perform not
over 10 days of labor each year on the
roads, by allowing 75c a day for this time,
the department of public roads of Wash
ington computes the labor tax at $1,185,-
1885, Therefore the cash and labor tax
aggregated 81, OSO. .3S for the year 1904.
1.-The labor tax has long ago proven
unsatisfactory, as men of experience are
needed TO work the roads and not men
who are required to work out road tax
in many cases against their will. Every
thinking citizen of the state will easily see
the disadvantage of the labor tax law
which ought to be repealed and a direct
tax levied for road work.
I'm 1888 the assessed valuation of taxa |
BILE property in Georgia amounted to SAIL
81, Gil: the tax value was 621 mills. In
1904 the assessed valuation was $5SO,S94, 1855; |
the tax rate was AS mills. In 1907 the as |
sessed valuation was $699, 5S6.S79, with a
tax rate of mills, which is now the |
limit allowed by the constitution.
I'm a decade the assessed valuation OF |
the state has increased S2S7, 722. 96S. which |
shows the great increase in the state 5 |
resources in ten years. However, with |
the increasing wealth of the state, the !
tax rate has decreased nthese ten years |
from 6H mills to 5 mills The people Of I
today are just as able, and much more |
so, to pay a higher. rate of tax than they |
were ten years ago.
Herein comes the significance of the |
good roads movement of today and its
possibilities.
with Georgia's 1908 miles of public
roads to macadamize at $1,000 per mile, /
/ would cost Sill, coz 900. With an in /
crease in the tax rate to 621 mills as in
1898, the increased revenue of 121 mills
would amount to $3.50, 439. 62. which If the
state wished to issue bonds for road build
ng purposes would pay 4 per cent inter
Est on 1896. 6O9 SO5, or $25,OOO9 sos more than
would be necessary to macadamize every
loot of road from Tybee's light to Ra
Dun's gap, to construct a network of i'm
proved roads which every lover and user
IF good roads could enjoy not only in this
generation. but for generations to come.
THE Journal-Herald contest will be a |
great factor toward inaugurating a great
good road building movement not only
rom New York to Atlanta, but all over
Georgia. and these leading papers are to
De most highly congratulated for under
aking such a magnanimous and worthy,
,ffort toward stimulating Improvement III
heir country's highways.
THE Good Roads Club of Georgia will
hold it's second annual meeting at Cor
iele July 5th. Every good roads enthu-
iiast in the state is cordially invited TO
attend. as it is there we can do and will