The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-05-23

Total oi5. 90
iol2-Roads and brldsos-iaoor .l,.... .slo2 40. 81
Maintenance .............,.......,.,... 3s 90
Total N:7o2s. as
1t will be seen by the above table that
the amount OF money necessary for the
construction and maintenance OF county
roads Is gradually increasing and will
probably reach the sum of $3.50, 900 dur
ing the present year
Your committee believes that this money
is being expended wisely by the County
Commissioners under existing conditions
but the fact that so large an amount is
required for maintenance Convinces us Of
the necessity OF the construction of per-
manent highways without further delay.
Salt Lake county has authority under
the law to issue bonds up TO s1,720. 600,
A preliminary estimate made for the
benefit OF your committee by a compc
tent authority leads to the conclusion that
the sum OF s1o00.0o0 would construct
complete system of tirst-class highways
vIding for the widening and Improvement
of all canyon roads.
The reports of insurance companies car
rgnS securities similar 1ns TO Salt Lake
paper, paying IL per cent interest. Is now
quoted at par. Four per cent bonds of
the same class are slightly below par
and . per cent bonds, slightly above
par. The interest upon bond issue Of
81, 00o. 900 at 4, per cent would amount
TO $B5, 900 per year. A sinking fund 10
provide for the retirement of the entire
setting aside Of $50, 600 per year; and de-
ductne this total OF $4,000 from the pres
ent expenditure upon roads. We would
still have left from $4,000 TO S55, 900 for
maintenance of highways.
It Will be seen from the above that the
county could raise 81, 1000, 900 on bond
issue for the construction OF complete
system Of highways. and could pay the
interest upon the bonds, set aside enough
money TO retire the issue In twenty years
and provide for the maintenance Of the
highways without increasing the present
expenditure which goes to maintaining
an antiquated system OF roadways. IT
follows, therefore. that such bond Issue
would be no burden upon the taxpayer
In taxes,
In view Of this showing your commit
tee recommends that all the power of the
Commercial club be put behind move
ment TO create public sentiment In favor
of bond issue OF sl,000,000 TO be used
as explained above and that In due course
the County Commission be asked TO sub
mlt this question to vote of the people.
Your committee further suggests tina
n sub committee OF the Good Roads Com
mittee be appointed by the chairman II.
suggestions to successful issue. Re-
spectfullv submitted,
(SignedD
JOSEPH Il. CAME.
JOB P LYON.
ALEX. Il. CARR.
AS we look al this proposition, it is
chiefly a question Of whether we will
in fact get good roads by voting the
million dollars. If we could be as
sured of this, there would be no doubt
Of the force of the presentation made
by the sub; committee. That, in our
Judgment. is the crucial point in the
whole business, whether we would get
good roads by voting the million dol
lars. If we would get the good roads,
it certainly would pay the people of
this county to vote the bonds,
But how shall we be assured that the
voting of the bonds would give us good
roads, There is one way whereby we
would be fully assured OF it, ard that is
il we could get, say, from the Depart
ment Of Agriculture one Of the Depart.
ment's approved road experts, give him
supervision over the work, with the di.
rection of how that work should be
done. what material should be used, and
he say-so as to the proper foundations
for the roads in the different localities.
we would in that case consider that
the good-roads work would be well
done. But in order to have the Ger.
tainty that the work would be well
done, We must have expert advice and
supervision,
The idea at present is to create
public sentiment that would support
the issue of the bonds, and that would
| cause the taxpayers to vote them if
| (or when) the election is called The
report, therefore, brings the matter
prominently before the public as some.
! thing for immediate and earnest discus.
sion. We recommend that this discus
| siou be had and that it turn straightly
and absolutely upon the question Of the
certainty of getting good roads through
| the expenditure Of the money.