The Delta independent., 1917-11-30
1,8oo,ooo FOR ROADS
~ COUNTIES TO SPEND SUM FoR
BETTER HIGHWAYS.
Farmers Are Prosperous and Amounts
Appropriated for Improvements
Above Last Year.

Western Newspaper Union News Service
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
nents contained in the county bud
gets now being filed with the Colo
rado Highway Commission.
To date forty-seven of the sixty
three counties have signified the in
tention of expending $1,SOO,000 for
state highways alone. They propose
to furnish 100000. leaving $1,10O.O00
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 E. 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
contemplated expenditures in all the
counties will exceed the available
funds In 1918 by more than $5OO,OOO,
II 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
rnnnttiaG ahla ready
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 $S3 60O.-
900, as against S76 900. 900 in 1915 1t
is next to Denver county in valuation.
and proposes to levy total tax of 80
mills to raise 100000 The county
asks for 5000 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 wooden
structure. Weld county has 5000
miles of county roads and 2G9 miles
Of state highways.
Washington county's valuation Is
placed at $17.800. 900 as against $780,
S0O. 1000 for 1914. an increase Of $1,000
900. The county commissioners ask
for Q budget allowance of $22. 400 for
state roads, agreeing to put up $500.
Logan county has proposed total
tax levy Of AZ mills. The valuation
u given at s27 500 900 as against s1S..
nm In Of OH
100000
Yuma county's valuation has in
creased from $9.9OO.OOO in 1914 to
e1s.700.OOO in 1917. The proposed ex-
penditures for state highways
amounts to $14,7OO. county commits
sioners pledge themselves to raise
eA.SO0.
Cheyenne county has valuation of
e10. 100000 as against $7,700.0O0 in
1914. improvements to state high
ways as proposed amount to $17,800.
Of which the county will raise $4,000.
Prowers county will levy 2h-mill
tax to collect total of $46,3OO for i'm
provements
In the mountain districts, San Juan
county will assess a 5-mill levy, Min
eral county 5h-mill levy Gilpin
county a 4-mill levy. Costilla county
4-mill levy. Ouray county a 4-mill
levy. Hinsdale county 4k-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.
Ell Paso county has asked for $97.-
900 for state roads and road building
machinery. and proposes to raise $48.-
600 for this purpose. while Pueblo
county asks for $77,7OO and agrees to