Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-06-21
MEREDITH on ROADS
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su1snmg, ylv,uuU TOR repairs ana arrsr
paying Ill interest, at the end Of 1918
when the work 10 all done be obliged
70 borrow 100000 to pay what was
\ not paid out Of income. Considering
their income will remain the same 40
at present with no allowance for In
creased revenue from automobile tax,
increased levy or increasing values.
setting aside $4,000 per year tor
maintenance, they can pay all inter-
ct and principal at the end Of the
seventh year. They can travel the
travelled roads all the time they are
building and paying for them and then
have them forever for maintenance
alone with no increase in their taxes
IN the meantime. Does that not look
like good business?
Buena Vista has 372 temporary
bridges in the county. It will cost
them $4,000 to replace them with
permanent structulss. II these bridges
are built While they are building
their roads, they will have $4,000
to apply from their bridge fund lsay-
ING $4,000 to pay. II they borrow
this, the entire debt and interest can
\ be paid from their present bridge
fund in II years after they are finish
Cd and they cut out repairs not only
for the IA years but for tho future.
Can you ind any burden in this and
does It not appeal to you a. good
business?
rama County.
Tama County is county not 30
fortunately situated. They estimate
their grading at an average Of $3.50
per mile for 210 miles in their coun.
q system, or a total OF $255.000 for
grading. They estimate graveling to
cost $500 per mile or $645,000. . total
Of 100000. In Tama County, valuar
lions have increased 80 per year for
the past twenty years and their coun-
q engineer In making UP his esti-
mates has allowed the same rate Of
increase in values for the next twen-
" years. He has also allowed .
twenty per cent increase in automo-
bile money for the next five years.
The proposal Of their engineer Is to
bring Ill county roads to permanent
grade IN three years and gravel four.
teen miles each year 90 the graveling
would all be completed In 1880. Al
fast as the roads are graveled an ex.
pense Of 800 per mile Is deducted
from revenue for maintenance. Now
on this basis they will take care OF
this whole 100000 improvement from
revenues as previously explained and
discharge all interest and pay on the
entire debt at the end Of 1888 or in q
years from now.
It will cost Tama County $1.4S0,000
to build permanent bridges for their
entire county and township systems.
estimating 80 increase In revenues
from increased valuations and build.
ing bridges at the rate Of $4,000 In
1916 and $4,000 every year for the
next Is years, they will find in 1881
or Is years from now they are COM
pletely bridged and In debt $751;
900. Allowing maintenance Of -
sSeo per year every year they will dis
charge al interest and debt IN 1910
| Or 4. the end Of the 10th year from
now and without any increase in the
rate Of assessment. This also takes
into consideration an allowance Of
$4,000 per year for maintenance on
bridges while the permanent struc-
lures are being put In. Would 1t not
look as though Tama County tax pay.
ers would be big money ahead by
such program instead OF going
along % many counties have, putting
all their money into repairs on roads
and temporary bridges to be con.
slant burden Of expense for repairs
not only for the Is years contemplated
In their estimate but for all time?
Under this program they get perman.
ent grades in three years. all roads
graveled in fifteen years, permanent
bridges in fifteen years and the whole
bill, grade, gravel and bridges, paid
for In full including interest in Is
years.
Tama County with 210 miles Of
county road, $205,0OO for grading,
y645.O00 for crawling and $1.430,000
for bridges has big problem, very
much larger than the average county
but you can see how It works out when
business methods are applied. Did
you ever hear Of . big insurance com.
pany building . large building, pay.
ing all interest from revenue, estab-
fishing sinking fund to pay their
money back and eventually have all
their money back and still own the
building? Good scheme. Our people
can anticipate taxes the same as the
owner Of the building anticipates
rents, build roads, apply the money
they pay as taxes each year to the
debt and In I short time have the
roads all paid for and still own tho
roads.
The same method would be pursued
IN the matter OF crawling roads that
d considered for permanent bridges,
and the sum total OF the whole propo-
sition 10 that during period of years
during al of which time you would
DO using this graveled road, instead 1
Of dragging yourself and your family
through the mud, you would be pay
ing q little each year on these roads
and an amount no greater than you
are going to pay into the road fund
anyway. Counties with large amount