The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-10-21
Reasons for Caution in
County Road Bond Issues

Extracts from an address by W.
G. Reid Of Albuquerque before the
convention of state highway officials
at santa Fe.J
In the first place. | want II DIS
tlnctly understood that ! arm not now,
nor at any time. opposing the con.
struction Of good roads In New Mex
leo. | am. In fact. a real good roads
booster. and ! am not at all unappre-
ciative OF the efforts made by the
county commissioners, the county
road boards and the state road board
within the past few years. | think
very good results have been con
plished In the main. While II Is true
that some mistakes nave been made.
! think that. on the whole. fewer err
rors have been made than might be
expected.
Those Of you who rave lived in
New Mexico for any number Of years
will agree with me hat the art Of
road building is n comparatively new
art In this state. Untl the advent Of
the automobile, II there were any
good roads in New Mexico. I failed to
see them or to even hear OF them. I
know OF some roads in New Mexico
over which az many as perhaps a
hundred teams passed every day. and
which. Il seemed To- me. did not re-
ceiyc 500 worth OF work per hundred
miles a year. and while there was
considerable dissatisfaction expressed
as to the condition OF these roads
there seemed 10 be no one willing TO
take the initiative 20 better them.
But. with the coming ~ the automo-
bile. came also the desire for good
roads In fact there arose an impcra-
tive demand for good roads. and when
n reflects what has been accom-
plishcd IN the building 80 good bridges
and fair roads. " not good roads. one
Is rather surprised that 80 much has
been done along this line.
New Mexico. of course. In not alone
In the making Of new experiments
with road building only a few states
prior To 1900 had given state aid to
public roads. and there are still a few
states that do not aid In the construc-
ton OF public roads. but allow tho
work TO be done as u formerly was
In Ncw Mexico. either by Road dis
tricts. precincts or counties.
Hero in New Mexico We have very
difficult problems to solve We have
a state OF q great area and a sparse
population, with mountains, valleys,
sands and trcachcrous streams, so
that not only must We have q great
many miles OF public road. pa we
must solve great physical problems
in the building OF the same Perhaps
there are more OF these difficulties
300 New Mexico han confront the dN-
craze state, although IN q large por-
tlun ~ Sew Mexico the natural ma
trriHl convenient Co the highways n
good. Moreover. thos, are mattcrr
that are to be- discussed az this meet
ing hN others than myself 7 am not
an engineer or a practical road
builder I know "a good road when
? pass over It, and that is the extent
of my knowledge relative To- such
matters
What ! particularly desire 20 rJll
your attention Co is the cost Of good
roads In Ncw Mexico from the taxa
ton point 81 view Good roads and
good schuuis are causing the hcay est
burden Co tho taxpayer boo this state.
hut these are burdens that are cheer
iully borne by our citizens u they
have the assurance that the money
o. wen spent ana that We are not
attempting more han our financial
capacity warrants. ana the fact that
there is universal approval of good
roads n good schools and that there
are hut few citizens opposing either
Of them, b., IN itself, u reason that the
taxpayer should make diligcnt inquiry
into both the necessity OF their cteu-
aud the economy Of their con-
struriiun ana maintenance Who're
there O. such q universal demand ON
the part of the public that q thing
shall hc done, the OVERRIDING Of n is
liable to result This is especially true
with regard 20 public funds and pub
lie taxation.
About q generation ago the demand