The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-06-05
WHY HARD-SURfACE ROADS?
The Query Thoroughly Thre.hed Out by
Resident of New District.

The Query thoroughly ihreshcd Out by
Resident of New District.
Editor Bcssier Banner.
Dear Sir: Inasmuch rs your valuable
paper has taken leading position in
the movement for good roads in Bossier
Parish, I beg leave to give in its col
umns expression to some views regard
ing the recent activity in road matters
in Wards One and Two, which l think
my interest in and study of the subject
will warrant.
That this district, comprising all of
the alluvial section Of Bossier, is much |
in need of roads is not denied even BY
those who are most opposed to the
movement. The main argument put
forward by the opponents of the move
ment is that the district is not able
financially to build and maintain the
roads. Let US examine this statement
as to its correctness. Based on the pres
ent assessment, the largest tax that will |
be necessary in any one year to take care
of the interest on and provide for the re-
tirement of bond issue of $4,000 will |
be 5a4 mills, or about one half of | per
cent on the assessment OF the district
as it now stands. This means that man
assessed for $1,000 would have to pay
S. for the privilege of using a model
road for a period of twelve months. This
does not seem to be exhorbitant. Taking
into consideration the increase in assess
ments that will come, the rate OF taxa
ton will come nearer averaging 8 mills
than 5. Certainly the people of the dis
trict will not be bankrupt by SO low a
rate Of taxation for thing which will
bring so much profit.
Let US next look at some Of the bene-
fits to be derived from the construction
OF hard roads in the proposed district.
The first consideration is the enhance
ment OF values OF real estate. We do
not have to go to distant states for object
lessons as to what the building of roads
will do in this respect (although in every
country where roads have been built
their influence is reflected in property
values) but only to our adjoining parish
on the west. We find that the poor hill
lands along the gravel roads in Caddo
are worth more money per acre than the
river lands in tBossier the same distance
from Shreveport, Let him who doubts
this try to purchase some of these Caddo
lands. We are told by the unthinking
opponent that although the roads may
make the land more valuable, he does
not desire to sell his land and that,
therefore, he is not interested in it's en-
haneement. He also argues that it will
not make the land any more productive
to build roads through it. What about
these two arguments? Let us look into
the first. River land in Bossier Parish
is worth at present from $50 to $50 per
acre. Although the owner may not care
to sell his land, he may desire to borrow
money on it at times. The small borrow
ing capacity is serious handicap on the
man who would get the most out Of h 8
property by placing upon it the equip
ment necessary for the best results. AS
values now staLd the land owner has to
pay high rates of interest for money
secured by mortgages on his property
for less than half its value. Suppose
this property were doubled in value. As
collateral it would produce twice the
money at a much reduced rate Of inter-
est, making the needed improvements
come at greatly diminished figure.
Suppose the plantation owner is now
paying interest at the rate of s per cent,
based on a mortgage covering his prop
erty. Then suppose that property were
enhanced in value to twice its present
value. In the latter case the owner
could borrow the same money on hall
his land at per cent. In other words
il the building of good roads will double
the value OF property, and this has
actually been done in our sister parish
we are now paying road tax Of 2 pc
cent on the money that we must borrow
without having anything in return.
Will not the building of roads MAKE
the land more productive? Land onl!
produces in proportion to the intelli
gence and thrift OF the labor upon it
At present all the land in the proposed
road district-Wards One and Two
cultivated by negro labor. To be sure
this labor is, in most cases, SUPERVISE
by intelligent white overseers, but tn
laborer himself is neither intelligent no
industrious and does no more work tina
he is compelled to do to keep soul an
, body together. | do not propose to sa
: that strip OF gravel through this dis
trict will of itself make two blades {
grass grow where only one grew before
!, but the advantages offered in the way {
) getting to and from market, reachin
schools and churches and the possibili
ties for social intercourse generally thu
it will offer will attract the thrifty whit
:. farmer to our soil. Then land that
! now producing from S25 to $50 worth {
. produce per acre will yield double thes
S figures, and more. Where now thel
8 are crossroads stores we will see thirty
ing villages and towns, filled with happ,
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES