The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-03-21
IMPROVEMENTS
TO OHIO ROADS
EACH COUNTY WILL HAVE sso.oco
FROM the STATE FOR
the WORK
National Road In County 20 Nave
Work Costing az Least $4,000
Levy Has Been Apportioneo.

Much interest II being taken IN
Belmont county In the law enacted
ty the last General Assembly proyid-
ing for one-hah mill levy. on all tax
able property In the state, 20 be ex-
pended for the Improvement OF high
ways. II j. estimated that this levy
VIII give $4,000 to each county. %
per cent OF which Is to be expended
on main market roads. designated by
the State Highway Commissioner and
IS per cent on inter-county highways.
In order TO benefit the greatest num-
Der OF people in Belmont county. the
Highway Department selected the old
National Road. ns the main market
road TO be improved.
As a result OF this levy about $500.
600 will be raised In the state to be
expended for main market roads Bel
mont county was the FIRST county
awarded any Of this money and its
appropriation of $3.50. 900 is more than
one-sixth OF the entire amount. and
can be used only on market road: II
offer was refused there are fifty coun-
ties that would accept same and Bel
mont would Mt receive its portion for
many years.
IL would require twenty years for
the accumulation OF this amount by
the payment of the half levy. so
this gift from the State means that
have the use of the improvements.
years before they will have paid that
amount in taxes.
As to the division OF the cost OF
the Improvement the State will pay
$50 900.
The abutting property owners along
the road VIII pay 10 per cent OF the
entire cost
The Townships through which the
road passes will pay Is per cent OF
the entire cost.
The county will paw the balance.
Repair Bridges.
The county Will assume the cost OF
repairing the bridges and culverts
along the National road. These old
substantial bridges should have been
kept up but under the old law they
were neglected until now about S40,-
600 will be required 20 repair them.
which amount Is included in the final
estimate. and IS much cheaper than
new bridges would be. This Is neces-
sary in order TO keep the road open
to traffic.
When the legislature abolished the
use OF toll gates all over the state IT
| threw on Belmont county the main
tenance OF all toll roads. This meant
that twenty-four miles OF the National
road must be kept up by a levy on all
taxable property In the entire county.
| The road when taken over by the
| counly was III DAD cOnultlOn ana Is
gradually getting worse. To keep IL
IN repair would require an expend-
J iture of 1000 per mile or over s24 900
I per year. IN twenty years this would
\ amount to more for repairs than Is re-
Quired TO make a permanent roadway
The cost of maintaining this road
means a burden TO every taxing dis
trict In the county and II will mean
a continual burden unless a perma-
nent road is constructed.
Under the proposed Improvement.
repairs will be met by the state from
the good roads levy and the automo-
bile tax, and the county will be at no
i further expense.
/ The people who have studied the
/ matter are unanimous in the opinion
that IL is one OF the best business
propositions ever offered the tax pay
ers OF this county. as they will re
ceive the benefit at once. instead of
having TO wait until the money t. an
paid In. twenty years from now, and
will save all expense of repair to this
piece of road.
The cause OF good roads will be
greatly helped since this improvement
in no way conflicts with the improve
ment OF the inter-county highway, nor
will IL increase the county levy.