The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1911-03-04
A REPLY TO "A DOUBTFUL TAXPAYER"

Under the law the county road com
missioners can raise but 4 per ceni
county road tax each year. For the
past decade they have been raising the
limit so that il the bonds are voted M
more taxes can possibly be raised anc
the statement that il will increase the
taxes is utterly without foundation.
Should these bonds be voted the roads
can be built at once and the farmer:
who are tributary TO them will have the
use OF them in hauling their products,
wood. etc to town. think that Doubt
ful Taxpayer will agree with me. that
the farmer will be able TO haul twice
as much of a load over good road
with a 6-per cent grade as he can over
the present dirt roads with steep
grades. am informed by farmers
living ia the vicinity Of Fortune lake
that since the county Iroad has been
improved that they can haul nearly
twice as much stuff as before.
The plan - to have q main trunk
line from the Saogla line to the Go
gebic line with a branch line 10
Amasa The intention ID to have
cross roads. built by the townships.
cut off from these trunk lines at in
tervals 80 as to get the farmers onto the
county road in short way as pos
sible.
You say, What benefit do the people
living in the back woods get from the
roads the county builtg'
have already CITED the benefit that
the Fortune lake farmers are getting
from the roads rebuilt last summer
but have only TO call the attention
OF Doubtful Taxpayer to the Amass
roads before the county took hold OF IL.
when il was impossible TO haul over
il any kind of respectable load. IL
is not in extra shape now but had the
county not taken it and improved 1t
IL would not be i'm half az good
shape as IL is. Look at the Iron River
road as il was the first time | passed
over il in 1891 and then at it today.
In 1891 il was in such shape that
actually got out OF the rig and walk
ed over nearly half of the way. 1t
remained that way until the county
took hold of IT, Your argument that
the farmers have received no benefit
from the roads the county built falls
of it's own weight
You further say. "Thoy merely ex
pect the highway will be cross county
race course for autos.
/ don't own an auto. liz did /
would like to have a good road to run
Il over. No doubt the auto owners are
interested in this road proposition and
would like to have them for their own
use lust as the farmer would like to
have them for his use. The man who
ia able TO own an auto either large
taxpayer or represents large.taXpayer /
and is paying dearly for the privilege
Of operating his auto on a good road.
Does Doubtful Taxpayer" stop to
consider that 80 per cent Of the taxes OF
this county are paid by non-residents
whose only return for the money they
pay TO these highways is the occasional
ride they get when they come here In
their autos to look over their property
or ride about in the autos OF their EN-
ployesY Doubtful Taxpayer must not
be selfish
But, 10 continue on this auto ques'
ton. II IL the advent of the auto that
has brought the revolution to the far
ming industry OF the country. IL is
the magnet that is keeping the boy on
the farm in the country further south
and IL is the agency that ID going tn
play great part in the development OF
his section. What we need here more
han farmers IL capital to enable the
farmers to operate. II man wants TO
buy n farm here today he cant borrow