The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-04-07
T Good Roads,. r
~@
Effect on Tax Rates.

seem to imagine that it would be abb
to $4,000 per mile to make roads
dry and hard and durable could re-
duce the rate of taxation, even n
tricky peeled districts.
AS a single fact is very often more
convincing, to some people, than any
amount of reasoning from theory,
we cite the case Of Mercer County.
New Jersey, pioneer in road improve
ment in the State, which was first to
use State funds to pay part of the
cost of 4 thorough betterment of its
public highways. This use of public
moneys vas earnestly opposed by
many who, arguing from theory
alone, without doubt quite honestly
believed that farmers along the roads
so improved would have to mortgage
their lands to get money to pay their
increased road taxes.
Such fears were expressed in one
small township OF Mercer County two
or three years ago. The annual road
IdA VI IudI tolip uoo bCSll p1ooN
and it's roads on which that sum was
spent for yearly repairs were sadly in
need of improvement. Since a num-
Der Of miles in that township were
improved properly its yearly appro.
priation for road repairs has been
only $500. Here is an apparent re.
duction Of 66.67 per cent. in road
taxes.
This is a direct and clear result of
making good county roads. A like
result, with other benefits, has been
seen in other States; as where in one
case betterment of a road leading to
a county seat brought new manufac-
tories and people to work III them.
Others came to serve these, mer-
chants increased their orders to meet
the larger demand, new dwellings
were put up to shelter the additional
population, and property rose in rent.
ing and in selling values, and conse.
quently in assessment value also. Az
there were more people to share the
taxation the part each had to pay was
less than it was under the old condi-
tions. In effect there was a reduction
Of the rate OF taxation, accompanying
all the other benefits that came from
the improvement Of the highways.
In the report of the Commissioner
of Public Roads Of New Jersey, for
1904, it is said that the population
of New Jersey has grown more rap.
idly in the last three census periods
than had that Of any State east OF
the Mississippi. Its increase between
1890 and 1900 was, in round num-
bers, over thirty per cent, or $4,000.
which exceeded that Of most Of the
Western States.
It's valuation Of taxable property
increased s55,502,072.70 in the year
1903. and ~s47,1S6,SS1 in 1904, not
including the valuation of railroad
and OF canal properties. Much of
this increase in population and in
wealth is justly ascribed TO- the i'm
provement of hundreds Of miles OF
her public roads. Many persons, at.
tracted by our improved highways
says the report, land by the pleasure
OF travelling over them in automobiles
and other vehicles, are transformed
from visitors into home seekers and
buyers, thus adding to our wealth
and population
Aside from all the gains the farmer
gets from the cutting down of steep
grades, the filling of hollows, the pre-
vention of mud and the heavy. losses
resulting from hauling his products
through or owe these, there comes an
actual increase in the price for which
he can sell these products on the
farm, and the land itself, should he
wish to sell. Inquiries made in States
along the line OF the Southern Rail.
way are said to have elected state
ments Of such rise equal to SIS to SIS
per acre. Practically a like increase
was observed in Wisconsin, where.
Professor w. o. Hotchkiss, State
Geologist, has Sid: THE average
value of this time saved was esti-
mated by the farmers at $40 for the
heavy teams and S36 for light driv-
ing-a total of SIS for each farmer
At six per cent. per annum this SIS
would pay interest on $500, and
that would equal Sill per acre for
1T acres, which the census of 1900
gave as the average acreage Of Wis
consin farms.
These deductions are from known
facts, and do not rest on hypothetical
bases. nor are they unreasonable in
any way. No harm may come from
quoting Professor Hotchkiss further
on the subject. He said:
When you remember that Wiscon.,
sin has 10000 farms, you can ap.
p~reeiate that this loss each year, &C.
cording to the estimates Of the farm.
ers themselves, totals the enormous
sum Of 5000, 000-oVer 5000 for
every mile of road in the State.
When, in addition to this, it is re-
memberGd that half the present road
tax Of $4,000 00 is wasted-again
on the estimates Of the farmers--a
fairly correct idea is obtained Of what
Wisconsin's poor roads are costing
the people in cash. 4 e The
question was asked as to what the
increas. in value per acre of their
farms would be if they had good
roads to town. The average of the
replies was IS per acre This esti-
mate seems to be a very reasonable
one. Good Roads Magazine.