The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1913-11-08
THE NORTHERN ROUTE

complete system. Now ] want to
talk about the road itself and to say
that it should be built, and to suggest
how it should be built. We must have
good road through northern Nevada,
irrespective of whether the Southern,
the Central or this Northern route is
chosen for the Lincoln Highway. The
Northern road must be built. Now,
the question is, how shall it be built.
We have had too much to do with
patch work building in this state. Ev-
cry state has had the same experience
for years. California has started the
good roads movement by bonding itself
for eighteen million dollars. The coun-
ties have the sale of the bonds. Now
our state can invest its school moneys
in countv bonds, and there is no bet
ter investment than bonds in our
cunties. In this state the bonds
pay high rate of interest. But
there are some other facts thae you
should know and that want to talk
about. The question is how to raise
money for these good roads. The state
cannot afford to do it. The state s
borrowing capacity is limited by the
constitution to 100000. 1t has
borrowed this aomunt from its school
funds and cannot borrow another nick
ell. The general fund has been running
behind for about four years. We are
now working en- improving the states
finances. 1t is pretty hard work but
will be satisfactorily adjusted. All we
want is for the revenue to equal the
expenses. We don I want any sur
plus. As the state cannot borrow
dollar, it cannot afford to do this work
now; it has not the none in the gen
eral fund. Ii the state should ap-
propriate a small sum for roads you
might patch up few miles here and
there, but when distributed among the
different counties, it would amount to
only temporary work. There has been
too much patchwork done in road
building This road building is
science, Engineers all over the eoun-
try are MAKING a scientific study of it
like electrical and other branches of
engineering. They are after good,
permanent results, roads that VII
last. Good roads must have good
drainage; they must have ample eul-
verts. You will remember last sum
mer there were great sections of the
little gully brought down a volume of
water, and left a great hole in the
road. We want the roads built perma-
nently and well, good for all time, so
as to avoid such disasters in the fu-
ture. You know what the Roman
roads have done for Europe. We want
roads as good as these; we can t do
it all ourselves, the state has too small
population in proportion to the
mileage of its roads. We must have
outside help, Supposing this state
were to raise a half million dollars
for good roads, which would be little
enough. million would be better, and
II it were paid in one year it would
raise the state tax rate 40 cents. Sup
pose 45 cents were added to the state
tax rate, you know what a complaint
there would be from the taxpayers. BY
the counties bonding themselves the
problem can ne solved right.
These counties have the right under
the law to bond themselves. Churchill
county is seriously in need of good
roads. 1t has taken the first step
towards bonding itself for fifty thous-
and dollars, The assessaple value of
the property in Churchill county is
about five million dollars. This means
a bond Issue of l per cent of the as
sessable value of the county. If man
is assessed at thousand dollars he
will pay 30 cents. year interest on
this basis. In he is assessed for ten
thousand dollars, he will pay So
year for interest, and the future will
take care OF these bonds. The taxable
property in this state for long time
has doubled about every ten years.
We hope it will keep on dong so. 1t
is therefore safe to say that the tax
rate Will be lower in the future The
future generation can therefore retire
these bonds easier than this genera
tion can and in the meantime both this
and the future generation will receive
the benefits. If farmers property is
assessed as $4,000, in hauling his pro
duec to town he will save that $5
year in one or two trips if he has good
roads. You know the great cost of
bad roads to farmers, the great wear
and tear on rolnng stock and on his
horses. With good roads, heavy load
can be hauled with half the motive
power than on bad ones. Good roads
increase the value OF property along
their lines This is an elementary
question The counties can raise this
money by bonding themselves, and it
is the only logical solution. There is
u great deal to talk about on this road
question and as TO the state 5 finances.
| am in pretty good position 10
know about it as ! am studying il all
the time. ! might talk to you direct
ly on certain facts not clearly under
stood in this state by the average peo-
pie, as they have too much business on
hand to occupy their MINDS and eonse-
quently do not study the actual con
ditions in the state carefully. They
employ state omeers 10 look after these
things, and | am doing my best to
help you work out these problems.
would just like to say that personally
have been interested in good roads
for long time, and have spent my
own money in building good roads in