Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1915-12-02
BETTER ROADS FOR
WILLIAMS COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS PROPOSE, SYS-
TEN OF TRUNK ROADS-OUT-
LINE OF PLANS

At the session Of the Board of coun-
ty Commissioners which was adjourn
ed November 29 the most important
subject considered was Better Roads
For Williams County and ways and
means to realize them.
The commissioners feel that the
regular levy for road fund is en-
tirely Inadequate to the needs of the
county at the present stage OF de-
velopment. The immense tonnage of
farm products has to be hauled to
market and where distance is great
and roads bad so large part OF the
profit has to be sacrificed that it
amounts to tax for bad roads. The
road levy for the year 1915 will pro-
duce about $4,000. This amount dis
tributed annually over rolling coun-
ty 35 by IS miles in extent proves
almost insignificant. Much of the
work that is done cannot be finished
or maintained in state of repair.
The commissioners call attention to
the fact that the road fund has all to
be raised on rural property, the in
corporated cities and villages being
exempt by law on the theory that they
have their own streets to maintain.
The efforts of the towns to improve
their tributary roads are spasmodlc
and inefficient for the same reason
that is responsible for the weakness
of the townships efforts, lack of
funds.
Trunk Roads Needed
A great need is apparent for sys-
tenn of properly constructed highways
connecting the different parts of the
county and leading to the towns. Com
missioner M. J. Borden broached the
expedient of sinking fund, large
enough to cope with the situation, to
be created by bond issue. The to-
tai assessed valuation of Williams
county, including cities and villages,
is about $S,00O,O00. Under the state
law road bonds to the amount Of five
per cent of this can be issued bv a
vote of the county, and the state, it is
believed, is obligated to lend its aid
by taking considerable part of the
bonds with school lands money at 4
per cent. The legal status Of this
phase of the matter will be deter
mined. An issue Of the whole five per
cent of the assessed valuation would
not necessarily be proposed.
Paid by Whole County
Such bonds would be retired dur
ing a term of years by annual levys
on all the property in the county and
the towns, which receive as much
benefit from good roads as the county,
would help foot the bill. After year
or two the county would have the
benefit of the trung line highways
which would he kent in repair out of
the sinking fund and the regular road
tax levy could go to make and main
tain the cross roads leading to the
trunk lines.
Will Confer With Townships
Such bond issue must be voted on
at special election which must be
called by petition. The commission
ers intend to take up the matter with
the township officers Of the county by
personal conferences and by circular
letters. If the project meets with
favor it is pointed out that much OF
the cost of a special election might be
saved by calling it for the same date
as the June primaries in 1916. A full
and fair consideration and discussion
of the big proposition by the officials,
the newspapers and taxpayers in gen.
eral is desired by the board. The
Fundamental argument is that it is
vastly better economy for the whole
county to pay for good roads and get
the benefits in better trade conditions
and more rapid development than for
the farmers to put up with poor roads
and paw ANYWAY in Increased cost OF
marketing, loss Of time and retarded