The Colorado statesman., 1917-12-08
.S1,SOO,OOO FOR ROADS
AZ COUNTIES TO SPEND SUM FOR
BETTER HIGHWAYS.
Farmers Are Prosperous and Amounts
Appropriated for improvements
Above Last Year.

Denver.-Although the war has SER
iously affected most county improve
ments, state highway construction
and county road building will be con-
tinued through 1918 without abate-
ment, according to proposed improve
ments contained in the county bud
gets now being filed with the Colo
RADIO Highway Commission.
To date forty-seven of the sixty
three counties have signified the in
tention of expending $1,S00,O00 for
state highways alone. They propose
to furnish 100000, leaving $1,100,000
to be paid out of the state highway
fund.
The half-mill state tax for highway
purposes will total in the sixty-three
counties about 100000, according to
an estimate given by James Z. Ma
loney, secretary of the commission.
This means that considerable pairing
must be done to bring the total of
proposed improvements within the
tax returns.
On the basis of proposed improve
ments in the forty-seven counties, the
'ilipieiNth "a ApthhibhiN III eAAi eAAN
counties will exceed the available
funds in 1918 by more than 100000,
it is estimated.
Unusual prosperity marks the ad-
vancement of the farming counties,
for in every instance last years tax
levy for county road purposes has
been increased, indicating that the
communities are able and ready to
forge ahead.
Another indication of the prosperity
is seen in the increased valuation of
land and property. Weld county, for
example, gives a valuation of SS3,G00,-
900, as against $7G000,000 in 1915. 1t
is next to Denver county in valuation,
and proposes to levy total tax of 80
mills to raise S2GG,0O0. The county
asks for $50, 900 from state funds. and
agrees to raise $4,000 of that amount
There is proposed also a concrete
bridge across the South Platte, be-
tween Greeley and Kersey, at an ex-
pense of $4,000, to replace a wooden
structure. Weld county has 5000
miles of county roads and 2G9 miles
of state highways.
Washington county's valuation is
placed at $17,S0O,0Oo as against S10,-
100000 for 1914, an increase of $1,000
900. The county commissioners ask
for budget allowance of S22,4O0 for
state roads, agreeing to put up $500.
Logan county has proposed a total
tax levy of Az mills. The valuation
is given at $27, 100000 as against $751;
f,, inn of Dh
$4,000, 900.
Yuma countys valuation has in
creased from $9,9OO,OO0 in 1914 to
$l5,700, 900 in 1917. The proposed eX-
penditures for state highways
amounts to si4,7OO, county commits
sioners pledge themselves to raise
$4,000.
Cheyenne county has valuation of
s10,70O,O00 as against $7,7OO,000 in
1914. improvements to state high
ways as proposed amount to $17,S00,
of which the county will raise $4,000
Prowers county will levy 21&-mill
tax to collect a total of $4,000 for i'm
provements.
In the mountain districts, San Juan
county will assess a 5-mill levy, Min
eral county a 51a-mill levy. Gilpin
county a 4-mill levy, Costilla county
4-mill levy, Ouray county a 4-mill
levy, Hinsdale county 411s-mill levy
and Summit and Eagle counties each
3-mill levy.
The counties still to send in their
budget for 1918 road work, with Den
yer excluded, are Phillips, Kiowa,
Bent, Custer, Fremont, Clear Creek,
Boulder, Grande, Routt, Garfield, Rio
Blanco, Conejos, Rio Grande, Chaffee
and Arapahoe.
El Paso county has asked for S97,-
600 for state roads and road building
machinery, and proposes to raise $4S,-
900 for this purpose, while Pueblo
county asks for S77,700 and agrees to
put up $3S,S00.