The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1917-01-08
VOL XLVII
.$5OO,OOO BOND issue
QUESTION OF GOOD ROADS
TO BE DECIDED AT POLLS
UP TO PEOPLE OF robson

New Road Bill Depends Upon Result
of Bond Issue Election-No Relief
in Sight Without Bonds-Rural
Police AbOlished-County Funds.
to be Handled by a Bank-COunty
Divided Into Districts for Elec-
tiOn of Commissioners In Re
County AuditOr-Other Legisla-
tiOn of Prime Interest to Robson
ians
Editorial Correspondence.
Raleigh, Dec. 5-A bill providing
for bond issue of S500,000 for the
purpose of building and maintaining
good roads which the sovereigns Of
Robeson shall vote upon on the frs.
of May next; road bill dividing the
county into five districts, with road
commissioners from each district and
providing ample machinery for get
ting a dollars worth of work for
every dollar expended on roads, this
bill depending upon the fate of the
bond issue; bill abolshing the rur-
al police and providing other means
of police protection whereby some
payers annually; a bill to make the
handling of county funds a source
of revenue instead of a dead ex
pense; and lots of other bills here
matter to be mentioned along with
explanation of those glanced at above
these are the fruits of the labors
of Robeson's members of the Leg
islature of 1917 thus early in the
session. They are enough to make
the people of Robson sit up and
take notice. And there are other
things to be done, as yet darkly
limited at, which will cause some to
rejoice and other some (only a few,
perhaps) to mourn.
Be it known that so far as this
Legislature is concerned it was writ
ten, when the constitutional amend
ments were passed, that first things
should be last and last things first,
in a manner of speaking. That is to
say, legislation Of a purely local ma
ture must be considered during the
first seven days, instead of choking
up the mill at the last, wherefore 1T
came to pass that the solons plunged
into their work first off at a fast
and furious pace; and from the above
YOU will know that the members from
RobesenS have been as busy as the
busiest.
Indeed, having seen Senator Frank
Cough and Representatives g.. =.
Sellers and ]. S. Oliver up to. their
eyes in work same as if they had
been there a month instead of only
three days, this looker-on at the leg
islative mill, now busy as busy, is
impressed with the fact that Robe
son county has a trio OF laborlne
men in the Legislature, men who are
tremendously in earnest and determ
ined to give the county the best leg
81. hot oafh
standing of ard concern for the bes
interests of the masses of the peo
pie of the county can frame and yea
can accomplish.
With these few general remark
by way of introduction, take look
in now at legislation in which Rob
eson county folks are tremendousl.
interested. First in interest and i'm
portance is the
Good Roads Bond Issue Of S5OO,o0
This bill, introduced by Cough
has passed the Senate and befor
this gets in print will have passe'
the House. It is entitled can Ac
to Authorize the Board of Roa
Commissioners Of Robson County t
Issue Bonds in the sum of S5OO,O0
for Building and Improving Road
and Bridges" 1t provides that tn
county commissioners shall call a
lection to be held on the first Nor
day in May, 1917, to determln
whether or not bonds in the sum c
$5OO,OOO shall be issued for goo
roads and bridges. Interest on tines
bonds, in the event they are vote,
shall not exceed 5 per cent, payab
semi-annually, and the principal sha
be paid at such term OF years
not exceeding 40 years. TO provo
interest and sinking fund for the:
bonds, the tax levy shall not excee
il cents on the $1OO valuation
property and As cents on the po
The road tax is now Fl cents al
the people of the county are n
getting any appreciable return Il
their money.
1t is provided that the road cor
mission shall use on the roads al
bridges of each districts such pr
rata mart of proceeds of bonds as tt
aggregate taxable value Of the pro
erty in each district bears to the ia
able value of the property of t
county. The road commission sh;
determine the amount needed I
periods of about months and t
bonds shall be issued in series
$4,000.
Minute and ample safeguards abo
spending the money are provide
There is ample provision for kee
ing up roads after they are bui
and this important matter, on whi
so many counties that have issu
road bonds have failed, is made ma
datory, so that there is no gettl
around it.
1t is provided that it shall be I
lawful for any member Of the re
board, or any employe, to be int
ested directly or indirectly in a
contract, or for supplies to be p1
chased from a firm with which a
member of the board is connected