The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1916-05-09

ever reqretted the ImproHe-
ment Of it's roads,"
This statement is quoted from bull
letin of the office of public roads, dis
GUESSING the increase of land values
that results from highway improve
ment.
In Il previous article this newspaper
brought out the general advantages of
having well paved streets and more
and more of them.
This week we present evidence that
no one can controvert to prove that
good streets increase property values
TO an extent vastly in excess of the
cost of pavements.
In general way everybody knows
that this is so. but we are not salts
fed with general impressions. What
the taxpayer wants are facts. Here
sources
After reading this evidence any rea-
sonable man will be convinced-if he
needs onvincing-that the public i'm
provement that counts most toward
making city life comfortable, healthy
and attractive is also the one that
pays the biggest dividend in dollars
and cents.
Paving Brings 20 Per Cent Increase.
An inquiry on this point-the in
crease in property values that results
from good pavements-was addressed
10 Erie. Pa. from which this reply
comes: THE real estate men of this
city when u street is paved with as
phalt Immediately add 100 per cent of
the cost Of the pavement per foot front
to the selling price of the property. If.
for instance. the cost of the pavement
in front of q certain piece of property
figures $3.50 for each foot Of frontage.
they would add So per foot to the val
lie of the property, or 5000 for forty
foot lot. After the first year values
increase as high as 20 per cent of the
price of the property before any paw.
ing was DONE"
Instances of this kind could be null
tiplied almost indefinitely. AS a result
of inquiries sent to forty or fifty city
officials these responses can he authori
tatively given. 1t Is to be noted that
this information comes from small and
large communities. The rule holds
good everywhere. Read these replies
carefully II at all skeptical as to the
efficiency of good, smooth pavements
in boosting the value Of your property:
Our estimate is that a piece of prop
erty ON a paved street Is l3 to 10 per
cent more valuable than on an unpav-
ed street.-Fred r. Drake, Member Of
Board of Assessors. Auburn. n. Y.
Figures relating to this matter vary,
but In one instance where Il street was
improved in 1896 the valuation in
creased from co to rs cents per foot
John j. O'Gallaghan, Street Commits
sioner's Office. Boston.
Property Owners Are Pleased.
Referring to the extension Of paw,
cd street, John Il. Mahoney, secretary
board of assessors of Buffalo, says;
The actual immediate enhancement OF
value by this Improvement is difficult
TO determine. but II Is safe to say that
as Il whole. II would mean an advance
OF so per cent"
Considerable paving has been done
here during the last three years, and
property owners are well pleased from
the point of view of increase of val
Ues.-City Treasurer. Chester. IA.
Paving very materially increases ouI
valuations. - Commissioner Of Ac
counts. Knoxville, Tenn.
ii. N. Lamberton. district assessor
Lima. o.. says that the increase in val
nations OF abutting property as re
suit Of street paving Is 20 per cent
The increased sales at increased
prices of property on newly pavet
streets are the best evidence Of the re
suit OF such mproyements.-John Blu
chel. City Assessor. Louisville. Ky.
All property increases in value wheI
paving Is done. especially the AUDITING
property.-B. L. Hendricks. Assessor
Macon. Ga.
As result OF paving property 4
general Is worth more. Our gain ha