West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-01-13
Clear and Impartial Statement Re
garding the Proposed Bond Issue
tor Improved Highways and II
Should be Read With Care by
Each Voter IN Kingwood District

Il
In the news columns OF The Argus
and other local papers there appear at
times certain statements concerning
the bond issue and the Improvement
OF our roads which reflect somewhat
upon the sincerity OF tho writer's for
they surely would not write before In
forming themselves fully on their sub
ject and having investigated carefully
could not make these statements.
Take the idea OF building roads for
the sporting fraternity for example.
Could anything be more foolish than
to overloko entirely the benefits 20 be
derived by the farmer from tho inn
provemont of the roads and herald tho
Improvement as a well-laid plan to de-
liver our community over I'm n neat
package TO those who travel for pleas-
ure7
We all know that the railroads are
essentially freight handling institu-
ions end derive all their profit from
that source and to follow out tho idea
expressed above we ought to prohibit
the running of passenger trains or
else prevent them from running faster
than ten miles per hour.
We may rightfully expect some
pleasure traffic and should Welcome
II. West Virginia has some OF the
most beautiful scenery I'm the world
ana with the Improvement of our
roads the tourist is going to find Il
and advertise IT, They will do us no
harm but good and our most progress
sive states are playing for their pat
ronage
New York State boasts that tourists
left S3,000,00O in the state last year
while Colorado says that every tourist
is worth $4,000 TO the state.
However, If there is real peril I'm
the excursions OF these rapaclous in
Vadcrs we can easily pass ordinances
restricting them to quiet. solemn.
iuhereal pace. in which they will muse
| upon their shortcomings and their sins
and VOW to return no more 20 our sac-
req precincts and thereby rid our
selves OF this desecrating rabbIe.
Now II It were proposed to spend
this $l64.OOO in improving all tho
roads OF the district equally, etc. etc.
DID, time-worn, threadbare, progress
paralyzing. procrastinating. sepul-
chral, argument Conceived I'm the
mind of the man who says "Now II
this road passed my farm I'd vote for
It," The placing OF self in the path
of our neighbor and binding our
serves to the demands of systematic
| planning
a basis accepted by engineers the
world over for the Improvement Of
roads Is that so per cent of all traffic
Is carried on 20 per cent OF the roads
end the mileage of Improvement pro-
posed comes within this figure and is
sound I'm It's distribution.
All counties and districts improv-
ing their roads must begin somewhere
ana that beginning is a central system
OF through roads connecting them with
the outside world, always contempIat-
ing the extension of the system with
crossroads and feeders.
One county which now has about
100 miles Of improved roads began 10
years ago with one road across the
county. Now the improved roads rad
late from the largest center like the
spokes OF a wheel each going TO the
county line and with other roads
crossing them all at miles, 4 miles.
z miles. etc, from the town.
The present road tax, used on the
roads not improved with the money
derived from the bond issue, will
make every one permanent road trib-
utary 20 the main roads.
And now we come 10 the consldera-
ton OF The man for whom the improy-
ed road will be as the steel rails OF the
railroad, a hard permanent surface
over which his crops may roll 10 mar
ket at any time without regard to the
weather Tho man who. carrying ON
business dependent as is all business
upon marketing facilities, pays on 81
per cent Of the bond issue and receives
88 per cent Of the benefit. What bus-
mess man Will turn down a proposi-
ton like thatl
And here again we meet with down
cast and guilty eyes that dear. down
trodden posterity. suffering long and
patiently with the presumption OF
their fathers. TO think that fbav
should be asked to help pay for any of
the benefits they will enjoy.
Between today and the time they
shoulder The responsibility OF their
own affairs we will have paid out
enough money on dirt roads 10 build
miles OF improved roads and they can
thon pay all of the cost Of their Inn
proved roads instead OF only part OF It.
and they will either build them or
move out Of the district for they will
be unable 70 compete with farmers on
improved roads.
There Is not . business institution
Of consequence On the country that
has rot az some time in its history
faced a crisis and borrowed money on
its holdings 70 expand its business.
and the money has boon paid hack enf
Of increased business Wilhoot a,mroi
81 Hondina poaf real ealea tnf Nor