The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1914-04-03
CARROLL COUNTY
ROADS.
SENATOR SNADER RECEIVES LETTER OF
INFORMATION FROM CHAIRMAN
OF STATE ROADS COMMISSION

r.. . Snader we have received copy
of the Preliminary Report of the
Maryland State Roads Commission
for the years 1912 and 1913. We
are requested by Senator Snader to
publish the following letter received
by him from Chairman Weller Of the
Commission:
.Iarch p, 1914.
Hon. Richard S. Snader,
Annapolis, Maryland.
My dear Sir:
In reply to your request for infor-
nation as to the article which ap-
peared in The Democratic Advocate
of Westminster on the goth instant,
in which it is claimed that Carroll
county has been unjustly treated on
State road appropriations. l would
say:
O By the Act of 1908, which
created the State Roads Commission,
it was provided that the appropria-
tions for State roads should be allot-
ted to the several counties on the
basis of county road mileage, without
reference to the population, or to the
taxable basis, or to the State road
mileage, of the county. This method
of apportionment is mandatory upon
the State Roads Commission, and
leaves it no discretion in making the
allotments. By it. some counties re-
ceive more, and others less, than they
need for their State road mileage.
The writer agrees with the article in
question that this method OF appor-
tionment il unfair and inequitable,
but we have no way of avoiding IL.
~ The county road mileage of
the State, which totals 16,400 miles,
of which Carroll is credited with IT'S
miles (including 35 miles of turn
pikes), was fixed by the former Com
mission in 1908, and was based on
surveys made by the Maryland Geo
logical and Economic Survey in CO.
operation with the United States Geo
logical Survey The present State
Roads Commission has had nothing
to do with fixing these figures.
(3) The special appropriation of
100000 for the three Southern Mary
land counties of Calvert, Charles and
st. Mary's, was made by the Legis-
lature Of 1912, and the State Roads
Commission had nothing to do with
making this appropriation.
(4) The statement that Carroll
county has not received all that l.
coming to III from the previous loans,
ID incorrect. Up to January i, 1914,
according to our books, which were
examined and attested as correct as
Of that date by Messrs. Haskins and
Sells, expert accountants, Carroll
county had been credited with an al
lotment of $275,545.56 from previous
loans, and had expended $251 ,996.O8,
leaving an unexpended balance Of
$23,5494S. 1T il estimated that it
would require a further sum OF $32,-
271.38 to complete the outstanding con
tracts, which would make a debit
against the county Of $8,721.90 more
than is coming to it.
90 The $251, ,996.OS was expended
as follows:
Preliminary surveys, and
other expenses in ad-
vance of construction IS 2.145.73
Contracts and construction
expenses, including bridg-
Cd, etc. .212, All 89
Cost OF Frederick Turnpike
in Carroll County. ....-. 2,269.16
Cost Of Fenby Turnpike. 9,O91.55
Maintenance charges ...... 15,72S.74
Overhead expenses .... 9,920.01
Total. S25L, 1896. .0S
(6) Carroll county has 1884 miles
of State roads completed, besides 80
miles under construction and pro-
vided for herein, making total of
20.04 miles, which compares very
favorably with the mileage OF other
counties i'm the State. The expense
of building these roads i'm Carroll
e. nf
the heavy amount Of grading to be
done, the cost OF suitable stone, etc.
An example of this is the road from
Cranberry Station, near Westminster,
to Myers entrance, on the route to
Manchester, this section being LOS
miles long. The estimate of our en-
gfneers Of the approximate cost Of
this section was ST., 5,17S-76, and it was
advertised three times before W. Sc
cured the bid Of $16,027.40 on which
the contract was finally let. Messrs.
Thomas, Poole and Hunter, contract
ors, Of Westminster, bid on this work,
which they were anxious to secure.
Their bid was SIC, ,49S.75, and they re-
fused to take the work for any small
er sum than SIG. .050.00, which price
they later submitted by letter.
CD Carroll county has received
about 1855 per mile for each mile Of
her county road mileage, this being
the same amount a. received by rs
OF the % counties, and being exceeded
only by $490 in Baltimore county
(Which pays times as much in taxes
for State roads as Carroll county,,
and $47S in Cecil county (Which, on
account of it's geographical Location,
has an abnormally large mileage of
State roads,, and $565 each in Calvert,
st. Mary's and Charles counties
(which II the result or the extra ap-
preparation OF 100000 made for these
three counties by the Legislature of
1929
Enclosed herewith please find copy
Of the preliminary report OF our Com
mission for the years 1912 and 1913,
on pages 16, II, IS, 10 and 20 of which
you will find the recommendations Oh
the Commission as to the money need
ed in each Of the several counties for
1914 and 1915.
Trusting that this - tn informa-
ton you desire, I IN,
Very truly yours,
o. T.. WELLER. Chairman.