Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-07-16
CHARLES P. LIGHT
TALKS ON ROADS
Discusses the New Road Laws and
Tells Of Conditions as He Finds
Them From a Tour of State.
rom the World OF Thursday:

Speaking this morning OF the new
road laws and of the work that Is be-
ing accomplished throughout the
State through the efforts of his de-
partment, State Road Commissioned.
Charles P Light made the remark
that one of the greatest benefits TO
be derived from the newly Inaugural
ted system, will be the uniformity of
the work and methods of CARRYING out
the Intention of the statutes regu-
lating road Improvements
The cause of any opposition to-
the Laws in some sections Of the
State. said Mr. Light" is due to the
fact that but little work OF improve
ment has been done in those sec
tons Failure TO accomplish more.
however. Is due to a good reason,
for it has been brought about by the
existing indebtednesses In some of
the counties.
"As everyone knows who Is ac-
.qua,n,ed with the road laws as pass
ed VI the last legislature, no expen-
ditlires can be made, except in the
case OF emergency, when the road
fund IS depleted. as is the case in
m3ny counties OF the State. In fact
in some counties the fund has been
overdrawn for years and In several
counties the majority OF the dis
tricts faced a shortage.
When the new laws went into eff
g - n 4,
one-half the amount raised for road
purposes. The amount raised for
such purposes last year. including
|cavitations, was about $840,00O
but more than one-half OF that was
ahRorbed by the existing deficits.
leasing only about 100000 TO be
expesJed during the year 1910
esss trlcts n pvoaa9ssh three,
~. Ngs 81 the Counties jssyskg state
- Il ogerdrawn as TO their road
Hein u, but the county courts are
snaE every possible effort to get
1she road question onto a sound and
proper working basis. That will re-
quire some time. but the Desired
conditions are being brought about
very satisfactorily.
Higher Leyies Needed.
Higher 1evies will be needed for
road purposes but / do not advocate
the calling OF special elections for
that purpose, but would rather have
the extra levies voted for at the gen
eral election this fall, permitting a
sufficient fund to be raised 10 last
Iuntil the next general election two
years hence.
The expense of holding special
elections can be prevented in that
way, and do not believe it will be
necessary, generally speaking, to call
any special elections at all for the
purpose OF raising the road levy.
I'm West Virginia five dollars Is
spent for schools to one dollar that
Is spent for road Improvements,
fact that few persons know.
The matter of submitting the
question of levy at the general cleo
tons is optional with the county
courts, and advise the tax payers
TO suggest to the courts in their re-
spectiye counties that they have the
matter settled at the general cleo
tons.
The road funds will go further
now that the work OF improvement in
the different counties is being car
red on under the direction OF eff
Gent road engineers.
Splendid preliminary work Is be-
ing done in most all of the counties,
and especially in jefferson, Grant,
Mercer, Monroe. Wetzel. Fayette,
Monongalla, Tyler, Tucker, Preston
and Taylor
The people are beginning 70 rec
ognTze the value of their Efforts as
to road Improvement and are learn
ing to work toward the desired end
in the right way, and at no time IN
the history OF the state has more
progress been made than Is being
made at this time Here tofore
much Of the fund intended for road
improvements never reached the
roads at all, but now under a uni-
form system and good engineers We
will accomplish much during the next
few years.
Il hope that our people will coa-
tinue to be patient with those in
charge Of this very important work,
and instead of unjdstly criticislng
our Road Laws. that they lend
helping hand and speak an encour-
aging word. | am confident that In
almost every instance the very best
that can be done under existing cir
! cumstances, is being done"