Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-02-25

against your 81 30 in this county; thus
you have to pay 81 30 tax to go to bad
roads per mile per ton over France,
and 81 80 per ton per mile OYER Ger
many. In other words the loss to far
mers of this county per year over Ger
many is $lS0,564 and $l56,4S8 over
France, this amount you are contrib
uting TO bad roads each year. These fig
ures will practically when they count in
depreciation of produce and production,
damage to harness, vehicles, teams,
temper and time. You farmers are pay
ing IS. 90 per mile of road. in Wayne
county or 81 90 per farm per year.
That is you are paying Sl.52 per farm
per year for good roads while for bad
roads you are paying an annual tax of
$49.08 over France, and 5000 over
Germany per ton per year on a like
tonnage. Here is the high cost of
living. Your county has a population
of "a ,081, thus while you are paying a
per capita tax for good roads of Sill
you are paying $6.49 over France and
81 40 over Germany per capita for bad
roads
West Virginia has some of the great
est problems in highway engineering
that can be found, but there is none
that cannot be solved. This cannot be
accomplished by one man or by one
engineer, it will take every man in the
state to bring the results. These re-
suits will come very slow but once here
the change will be so great, our pros
perity so advanced, and our happiness
so increased that no one will regret the
cost or sacrifice.
The average value of land IN this
state is $20.65 per acre, while the aver
age value per acre in this county is
49,. IA In the county OF jefferson where
they have 1874 miles of road, 200 miles
OF which macadam, the average land
value is $53 % per acre, the highest aver
age value of land in any county i'll the
state except Ohio, which is practically
the city of Wheeling.
The question before us now is BET
TER ROADS-how are we to GET
THEME But to consiGer them we must
look at all sides of our states life be-
cause the roads lead to all homes and
effect every person. Listen to this, we
have, since the year, 1906, produced
l3S billion feet of gas. OF this amount
we have exported over 650l-2 billion
feet In 1912 we produced approx
mstely go billion ct and exported 40
billion feet. We produce IL million
barrels of oil annually, practically all of
which is going out of the state each
year, depicting our resources that much
During the year ending June 30, 1913 3,
we produced 6I,770,350 gross tons of
coal and shipped from the mines 3d.
494 ,321 gross ions values at 81 cents per
ton. You may ask what this has to do
with roads 1t has nothing direct, but
much indirect There are our re-
sources. The development puts use and
wear on our roads. Their expectations
decreases our tax unit. l just want to
call your attention to these and ask if
you do not think we should have a tax
on oil, gas, coal and lumber that goes
out of our state for highway purposes?
This tax would not effect the consumer
i'll West Virginia but very little, as 81
per cent. of our gas, nearly all the oil
coal and lumber now and more later
will go out of the state Think this
over when you go home Talk to your
family and neighbors and to the mem.
bers of your Legislature
We are behind in road development.
Engineers have paid but little attention
to the road problem in West Virginia
but now every one has awakened to
the fact of the need of good highways.
Our University has established course
i'll highwaJ engineering. Your state
road bureau is working hard on our
problem We will soon be making a
show if we all put our shoulders to the
wheel. The railroads are for better
roads. Our governor, and every well
thinking man in the state AT for better
roads. You are, or you would not be
here, and l want to enlist your con-
tinued support. / want to urge that
you organize good roads association in
Wayne county, and help to show the
world that West Virginia is the God
chosen spot for tourists, factories, farms
and homes.
1t is estimated that 200 600, 600 of
American money annually go to Eu-
rope by tourists. Switzerland spends
thousands of dollars each year keeping
up her roads, and constructing others in
order that the beauty Of its scenery may
leave its impression on tho tourists.
Is scenery, its hills, and its crags are
it's wealth. The same is true Of West
NirRlnia. bnt moro than SNRiizarInnd