The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1912-06-20
HOW TO OBTAIN
GOOD Highways
Bond Issue Plan For Counties
a Remedy For Present Evils.
QUICKER AND BETTER ROADS.
Direct Tax Method Might Do For the
Time Being, but the Issuing OF
Bonds Will Insure Good Thorough
fares For GENERATIONS to Come.
Many Southern Counties Using Plan

MANY Southern Counties Using Plan
A study of the problems connected
with the development OF our nation
has shown that we. take first rank ID
civil government. manufactures. com
MERGE and In the worlds affairs gen
orally, yet improved public road CON
struction. the one phase OF our Ameri-
can life upon which depend more
than any other the certain prosner1ty
and social comfort of large majority
of our citizens. has been neglected 20
degree that is almost beyond the
power of conception. says DIR. }. T..
Pratt. state geologist OF North Caro-
lima
The old method of obtaining revenue
for the construction OF roads was by
levying Il labor tax. which required
all ablebodied male residents OF
state between certain ages to work on
the public highways within their re-
sDective townships for a certain num-
Der OF days per annum. but in lieu OF
this labor they could pay certain
amount for each day that they were
required to work. While thousands
of miles of public roads have been
built by this means, there are but
few miles of graded or improved roads
constructed, and it is practically i'm
tnp flfU
roads in this way. Ii it does not give
good improved roads how can they be
obtained:
Public roads are public necessities.
and the benefits to be derived from
their construction In the various cOun
ties composing the state are not only
of great value to each county. but also
to the state Public roads are ready to
serve all classes. they are common
property OF all the people. and ali the
people have the right and privilege
to use them. Therefore why should
not all the people bear some OF the
expense?
To carry out this work to the quick
est and to the best advantage the
county should issue bonds in order to
secure the necessary funds.
1t is a fair and equitable arrangement
that future generations should pay for
a portion of the improvements of our
public roads. as they derive as great
benefit as the present generation Too
many have an idea that to bond their
county will mean d very large increase
in their taxes without their deriving
any material benefits from their ex
penditures. not realizing that the in
crease in the value of property and the
decrease in the cost of the maintenance
of the roads and the wear and tear
on horses. wagons and harness is So
much money saved.
The issuing of bonds makes avail
able funds in sufficient quantity to
render possible the accomplishment of
definite and desirable results
They give almost Immediately the
benefit of good roads. while the pay
ment for them is deferred for many
years until the county has progressed
in material wealth to enable it to pay
the bonds without unnecessary incon
venience.
They Obviate the necessity for high
road tax while accomplishing the re-
suits for which such a tax would be
levied
Let us consider briefly what a 500.
COO bond issue would cost county:
In the first place. | believe the bonds
could be sold as bearing ~ per cent in
terest. This will mean thst the interest
on the issue of 100000 will be s4.5OO per
annum 1t will also be necessary to put
by sinking fund to take care of these
bonds on maturity Such sum as is nee
essary can be put by each year at s per
cent interest and at the end of forty years
will cover the bond issue The amount
that 1t will be necessary to put aside each
year for this purpose will be 1898 This
makes a total Of 5.433 that county will
have to raise each year to take care of
this bond issue. This amount will not be
as much as 1t would be necessary to, raise
by high tax. IS cents to 80 cents, which
some counties have levied in providing
the money for road construction Sup
pose the assessed property valuation is
$S.0OOOO0. tax of only 20 cents on the
800 would yield $4,000 annually which
would be sufficient to pay the interest on
l
the bonds. create sinking fund and
leave enough money. s10.50O for the main
tenance OF the improved road and to keep
In repair the roads in the county that are
not being permanently improved
This twenty cent tax is a small tax
FOR good roads work and if this tax
was levied without bond issue it would
usually all be spent in maintenance
or the roads without permanently i'm
proving any of them
If county or a township decides to
try and raise the necessary revenue
for good roads construction by direct
Tax on the 500 worth of property 1t
would require an exceedingly high tax
" accomplish the desired result. unless
there was situated in the county a
large city whose accumulated wealth
could be taxed for good road work in
the county. Counties situated in this
way could probably raise revenue
sufficient to construct improved roads
throughout the county with a tax not
running over so cents on the 500
worm or property The counties how