The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-03-15
200 ATTEND ROAD MEETING
Continued from Page one)
,eption of New York and California,
and the reason for this is due to the

| TACT that lOWHS system Is wrong.
Iowa." said the speaker, sis follow
ing the system OF living from hand to
mouth, and the officials are allowed
to spend each years taxes for that year
alone while other states realize that
good roads go on forever and they are
not afraid to let the future generations
help pay for the use of the improve
ments that are made for them"
In his opinion the only equitable way
Of paying for such Improvements is
to issue bonds for the first cost of the
| roads and bridges and each year ap-
ply the tax money on these bonds and
let those who use the roads pay for
them. Anticipating fixed revenues for
a few years ahead does not increase
taxes, but makes the money available
| for permanent work which would have
to be spent on temporary work each
year. Paying for roads on the install
ment plan instead of building them
that way gets the roads sooner and
people enjoy them longer.
"A hill cut to grade stays cut for
ever" repeated Mr.. Norris. of people
are to pay for it who use it, bonds
must be issued at first and the small
amount taken from each years tax
money be applied upon the debt. A
bridge of masonry will last for 100 to
500 years and should not be paid for
out of one years tax money!
J Mr. Norris then explained that the
Crawford county board had planned
to bond for $l5O.000 for permanent
bridges and if the entire county road
,varo NIT to parn,apont opn1o
within four years there might have to
be another 100000 of bonds issued
for roads, but that the county was
taking in $4,000 per annum for
bridges and $4,000 per annum for
county roads and the bonds could be
paid out in three. or four years or, il
the bonds were allowed to run for
longer periods, the rest of the perma'
nent bridge work could he kept UP out
Of current revenues, and if the road
bonds were issued for longer periods
mere township roads could be taken
into the county road system. He said
that Clay, Hardin and CerrO GOrdO had
already started to permanently grade
and gravel their county systems with
in three years and that four other
counties would hold mass meetings
within the next few weeks for pub.
lie endorsement of the same plan. He
outlined what Improvements in the
Iowa road laws were needed to permit
townships to bond for township roads
and districts to bond for road work in
special districts, and hoped that the
people OF Iowa would soon be permit
ted to vote road and bridge bonds just
as they do school house and court
house bonds. just as the people in Al
per cent of all the counties in the
United States have already done.
Mr. Norris is forceful speaker and
he held the attention of his large
audience from start to finish. 1t was
evident that he presented the matter
in such a way that those who have
been bitterly opposing the bonding
proposition were, won over and were
made to see that it was the only plan
bv which the people of Iowa could en-
Joy improvements such as other states
have already made. Mr.. Norris is one
of few men being sent out over the
state by Governor Clarke to talk good
roads and their making. and. as re-
suit Of the good roads propaganda
county after county is taking up the
bonding proposition and it will only
be few years before Iowa will be OIL
a par with some Of the surrounding
states as far as permanent roads and
bridges are concerned.
AT the present rate it would take
Crawford county twelve years to cont
plcte the road and bridge work in the
county road system. and it must be
that until tho present
county road system is 2ut down 10
Grade none of the rest of the reads IN
the county can be Improved out Of
the county road funds. The board o.
irtend to 60 ahead with
Tie work aaa complete it within the
n,xt :our ya,.:; and after he work
he; been flashed bonds will be issued
t, ray for the Improvement!
At the close of Mr.. Norris address.
Mr.. Fishel continued with his talk on
the roads in Crawford county, after
which the meeting adjourned
Below we print the names Of the
township road officials who were in
at the meeting.
Nishnubotny: August I4oewc. Frftzl
a. l.. l;reckenri.tsess:st. NJ.
Goddard. Homer Baker, George Burke.
Washington: J. II. Slater, John KEEP
ford, Lee VIM. Otto Matte.
Ah:irt, l.. l.. Mcintosh. Charley Butler.
III % 7