The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-06-20
DR. r. H. Lewis Speaks.

DSSIiiiiS VI iOdO WOrk IN Wake in
1889 and how the road tax for Ra-
leigh township had grown from eight
cents to twenty-five that With S6O.p00 a
year now raised in Wake for road
WOrk the new assessment is expected
to bring the total to from ST. OOo
TO $4,000. He spoke of the
for a bond issue of $500, 900 for roads
in Wake and that this would nor in
crease taxes one cent, that the inter-
est and the sinking fund for retiring
bonds would be paid out of the regu-
lar taxes. He told of the value of the
work and emphasized that the need
would be to maintain roads, that this
was the "A. Il. {. of common sense.
that good roads without their main
tenance meant nothing. He declared
ms hearty sympathy with the Central
Highway movement and declared that
the work would prove an example
and an incentive throughout the State
IN the building Of good roads. He
expressed the pleasure of the people
OF Raleigh and having as their guests
the trustees of the Central Highway.
The State GeOlogist speaks.
DR.. Joseph Hyde Pratt spoke next.
and he began his remarks with tell
ing OF the arrival in Raleigh from
the west of the Central Highway par
ty, thus marking the completion of
the trip over the 46O miles Of the
route from the mountain to the sea.
He told Of enthusiasm in Madison
county, which because of its lack of
good roads was termed the ''roadless
county and that at a mass meeting
in the county of over 200 people
there were only eight who voted
against a proposition to levy a tax Of
so cents on the 500 of property for
roads. The people Of the State are
being for good roads and the
Central Highway is proving the en-
tering wedge in some of the countless;
its example will be productive, the
plans for it are all perfected and it
VIII be built, as the trustees are in it
to make it succeed. The small sum
to be voted by the county commits
sioners will be Of avail for mainten-
ance of roads.
Dr. Pratt emphasized the need of
maintaining the roads, of keeping
them In repair. that unless this was
done the work would soon prove Of lit
tie value. He declared that Wake coun-
ty should vote the $3OO,O 900 bond is
sue, that this would require no extra
taxes, that it would be cared for out
Of the regular "a tax. Expert road
engineers should be secured no mat
ter what the cost, as they would save
their salary man times. He declared
that the people of the State looked
60 Raleigh and Wake county to go for
ward, to prove an example in good
roads building, and cited what had
been done in voting bonds in Iredell.
He emphasized the fact that the peo-
pie Of Raleigh, on whose streets none
Of the money would be spent, would
pay 60 per CEN Of the taxes, and
that Raleigh could afford this. as it
would help commercially as well as
being a philanthrOpic work.
Urges on to Action.
Chairman Fl. B. Warner, of the Cen
trail Highway Trustees. spoke of Gull
tod as an example Of Ogr in gOoG
roads, in having an ~all-the-year
round health officer. and a cache O.
domestic cience He declared tina
Wake county should do all thes,
expected this county to be a leader
that it should be a light for the State
Durham had better roads than Wake
and other counties were moving. H.
tolG of what was being done in thu
State and hat While Madison ha6
roads that were very poor, and Orange
bad roads, that in places the Wake
roads were as bad as Orange count.
roads. He urged that there be no
no doubtful talk as to carrying the
bond issue, that the advocates Of j
should say that they intended to wiz
and they would win. He told of en-
thusiasm over the Central Highway
that the trustees were working with
out any pay, and that the people were
giving encouragement. The State l.
being organized, the plan is sweeping
the State. Good roads are the worl
IF the day and even in the conserva
tive United States Senate the matter
OF national aid to roads. at first laugh
ed at, is now occupying attention. h
spoke enthusiastically for the Contra
Highway and told Of the strenuou.
work, paying high compliment to DR.
Joseph Hyde Pratt, Mr.. William Dunn
of New Bern, and Mr.. James A. Wei
Ions, of Smithfield, who a beer
over the entire route, Mr.. Dunn fur
nishing his own automobile ant
chauffeur, the Case Threshing Ma
chine Company one also, these maklns
the trip possible. He urged that ever.
county on the route keep at work OF
the project and push it to success.
Advice is "Get to Work.