Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-09
COST WILL
SURPASS CANAL s
Latter VIII Look Like ''Piker's
Stake" Col. Stevens Tells
Highway Builders.
rspeeisI to the Newark st-r.I

Especial TO the Newark staT.I
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 9.-Colonel
Edwin A. Stevens. head of the New
Jersey road department, spoke this
afternoon here before the convention
OF the American Road Builders Asso-
citation in the Fifth Avenue Armory.
Colonel Stevens discussed the road
building problem in many OF its
phases. THE problem Is no trifiing
matter" he said. "The amounts to
be spent on roads in these United
States within the next forty years
will make the cost Of the Panama
Canal look like piker's stake"
Mr.. Stevens said, in part:
I'm some communities, where ade-
quate study has not been given to the
policy and economical results of road
improvement, 1t may still be necessary
to argue the cause OF good roads.
The condition of the public roads,
however, today Is generally admitted
as a good measure of a community's
advance In civilization. This condi-
ton depends upon two factors-first,
correct planning, design and construc-
ton. and second, proper upkeep. both
of these, N turn, dependent on effi-
Client administration. In the latter
term are to be included all Of the
numerous details OF management, ex-
elusive of the technical engineering
work. Without proper administration
no extensive system of good roads Is
possible or even conceivable It is In
this very aspect of the road question
that we are most backward.
Paying for Roads.
"For any public body the choice of
the bond issue to provide for original
Improvement or of the 'pay-as-you-
go method or some combination must
be made. The elements in this choice
are the comparative cost to the tax
payer and the return to the public
in read service. My own experience
is that these are seldom considered
The decision is usually based on the
desire OF finding the easiest way out
of difficult dilemma, satisfying the
demand for good roads and keeping
down next years tax levy. The trou-
hles of the officials in charge thirty
years hence rarely worry one very
much.
1T have worked out an example as
follows: 70
take a case involving $4,000 900
in bonds, issued at the rate of $1,000
900 year for ten years, bearing per
cent interest and due thirty years
from date of issue, with a sinking
fund charge of 1.7S3 per cent, assume
that 100 miles OF road will be built
each year. that the contractor will
keep the road in repair for one year
utter acceptance and that the cost
of repair thereafter is $500 mile. the
last bonds will be paid in forty years.
The cost to the community will be:
For sinking fund (contruc-
tion) ,.............. $o.o2I.3 oO
For interest. ...........sss.... IL. 1000
For upkeep. ..........s........ 16,750OOO
Total 1874. 677. 300
or nearly $4,000 a year as an aver
age The yearly charge varies from
s57, $3.50 in the first year to $1,073. 800 for
the thirteenth year, at which maxi
mum it remains to the thirtieth year
after which 1t decreases, to the fortieth
year, where 1t becomes 100000, the
repair charge
eff, on the other hand, fund of
sS60.000 be set aside each year to keep
roads built in repair and the balance
used to build roads the 1.000-mile sys-
tenn would be finished in less THAI
seventeen years. The cost of the sys
tenn with its maintenance to the end
of the forty-year period would be
s25 10000 There is saving of al
most $1,000. 900, against which the COM
munity has enjoyed the use of the
Wnole sysetm ior ABOUT nine years
iho ..r,s, tiine.
ne tholey spont "'h haVe peeh
uispuieeu as .oiio"e' -
ror construction. - -. .slV'ouV,Ooo w
ror upheep uorty-year
periou) ''.'..'...'...''... o'1S,VoO w
49, 80 o..-1
Iotai ................. ....; $40 ffs.ooo .,
LII tne average yearly charge OF
Ss6n.ooo be kept up TOT, tne wnoie period
or forty years. II would De possio.e TO
increase sne totai mIeage 10 apou
1,525. but from that date on the upkeep
charge would be s76S,OOO. instead or
s500,0
Looks 10 Hnhironds.
"Our highways are a part of the