Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-04-08
MOTOR CLUB TAKES INTEREST
IN THE COUNTY ROAD SYSTEM


neer, before the automobile clui
last night in the Commercial clul
rooms. T. H. Easter was elected
secretary to succeed w. T.. Triplett
resigned. Mr.. Riddle said:
"There has no doubt been some
Misunderstanding as to the method
of expanding the county's money on
its roads and bridges and to whom
the administrative charge should be
given.
The county roads are those main
ltained at the expense OF the county
from a fund known as the county
road fund which is raised by 4-10
mill levy on the valuation Of the
county, (s44,S5S.222.OO), which
creates $17.740. The automobile
tax should also be given to the
county road fund, which adds $4,000.
From these two amounts the over
draft at the time of settlement in
October, 1914, should be deducted.
which leaves $17,447.41 available
for county roads for the season Of
1915, and there are I'll miles Of
county road to which the $17,447.-
Al is to be applied.
The road and bridge fund is also
county general tax fund and with
its $40 mill levy will raise $751;
307 to which the balance from last
year of $13,030.21 should be added,
making the total sum available for
the season of 1915 from this fund
$26,337.21. The money from this
fund is used to aid the townships on
their roads and for the bridges CT
the county.
Therefore, in all the county's
fund available for 1915 and Great
ed by a general tax is $43,7S4.62.
OF the total assessed valuation
of Dickinson county SO per cent of
the whole is the assessed valuation
of the incorporated cities and the
corporations (railroads, telephone
and telegraph companies). Abilene's
valuation is 10 per cent of the
whole valuation of the county.
Therefore the cities and corpora
lions pay SO per cent of the general
tax and Abilene alone pays 10 per
cent of the tax in addition to its
$1,000 automobile tax.
There are in all 1880 miles of
open road in the county, of which
I'll miles are county roads; which
shows that about 10 per cent Of the
roads are county roads, all of which
are of course outside of the limits
of any incorporated city.
In the settlement of October for
the season of 1914 the total paid
out for that year from the roads
and bridge fund was $25,714.47|
The total paid out of the county
road fund, which was started Jan.
8, 1914, was $9772.S4, to which the
automobile tax should be added,
making $14,253.09, or grand to-
,al expended for roads and bridges
oy the county for 1914 amounting
% $39,967.56. This expense is OF
course outside of that spent from
Zach township road fund.
The system of road building rec G
by the Abilene Automo-
,ile club is wholly in compliance
With Oh. 248 of the session laws Of L
oil and provides that the county
Dads should be under the control a
# the county commissioners and e
he county engineer. u
1t is expected that the farmers
Who have had charge of all of the Il
Dads in the past will be glad to be t
elieved from at least 10 per cent p
+ the open roads now in their "
barge so that they may go on with t.
heir own work which has been de- T.
ayed by the long, wet winter and c
might be added that they no t.
oubt see what this winter did with h
he condition of the roads. OF q
curse the township boards with c.
1eir road overseers will still have o.
barge of 80 per cent Of the open 81
pads"
A fair crowd was in attendance IL
nd the discussion which followed ,el
If. Riddles report showed the de- o.
re OF the motorists for the best y
,sults from the expenditure Of the u
lad funds. y
The club adopted q resolution
lvoring the working Of county -,
,ads under plans made by the =,
,unty engineer and the paying of =,
lis only on his approval after the - :,
ork is done. The present plan of =.
lowing each road overseer to do -