The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-25

80 cent on the hundred dollars in
ia1n, but even with this additional
burden the tax rate for local pur
poses was only 10 cents higher In
1910 than in 1905. as there was a re
duction OF cents in the tax for gen
eral county purposes and a total
elimination OF the tax OF 8 cents for
district roads Thus the total tax
burdens were 81 80 in 1908 and $40
in 1910 In 1915. however. the tax
rate had risen very materially. as the
'otal tax averaged sl.65. in addition
10 which a district tax was levied in
Richmond and Gladesyille districts OF
20 and 25 cents, respectively. for
road bonds. go that in those two dis
riots taxpayers were paying a total
ate for all purposes. state, county.
and district. of $50 and $3.50, re-
spectively, OF which the road bonds.
he county roads. the district roads.
and the district road bonds taxes
formed 55.5 and SIS per cent, respec-
! lively II Is thus evident that the
good roads carried with them n ma
terial tax burden Although about
e5 per cent of the taxes are paid by
the public service and mining cor
porations. these organizations were,
IN favor OF the bond issues for road
Improvement It seems quite prob
able that the highest point Of taxa
ton has however, already been reach
ID and that a slight reduction may be
7xpected in the future. The 10 cent
special county road levy for 1918 was
20 apply to the payment OF an ex-
cess OF about s57o geo in tho cost OF
tho roads over and above the amount
obtained from the bond issue. A 90
cent tax was levied for this purpose
N 1914, and It is expected that this
1918 levy will he SUFFICIENT 10 retire
ioll OF tho floating debts. Averaging
the rates for all purposes over the
entire county II appears that while
The average rate increased 2b.T per
cent from 1910 10 1915 tho receipts
rom taxation increased 65.3 per cent.
or from a total OF about sl54s0o in
1910 TO n total OF about s24o. 90 in
1918. The road bonds required $50
or cent Of all the receipts for local
purposes In 1915.
Aid Granted by State
Under the Virginia law the sts.e
pays one-half OF the cost OF all state-
cid roads and provides that II the
! county issues bonds and pays more
than so per cent Of the cost 1t shall
he entitled TO. receive an annual ap-
I oriionment until the receipts from
, the state shall equal 50 per cent Of
county II. therefore entitled to re-
( ceive from the state one-half the
. money expended or this work, which
. half amounts to sb15.7s9 From
q | 1910 to 1915, inclusive the county
received from the state $4,000
= The state money aid ia derived from
c an annual appropriation made by the
4 general assembly Of Virginia and ap-
: ;,ortfoned among the various counties
- -
! counties OF the state The auto
Z mobile license money IL derived from
he state automobile-lieense fund and
Is apportioned among the various
. counties In the same manner as the
. state-aid money
;, Tho funds derived from these
, sources may he used toward paying
interest or retiring the bonds, for
4 maintenance or for construction oi
4 new roads. II ~ the present practice
{ 2nd intention OF the county authori-
!, Ties TO use II for the building of new
] roads and in the maintenance OF roads
y 1lrchdy constructed.
How the Work Was Managed.
e From July. 1911, when the first
r contracts were let, to September so
t '9l5, total OF 81 .o31, 57s.54 was OK
v ended In the construction OF the I'M
d proved roads. With this amount a.
u - miles or road were graded, OF
& which Ts.47 miles were macadamized
a OF the macadam roads, 24.34 miles
K we're surfaced with hituminous ma
@ teriai. There were also constructed
0 thirty steel bridges and ninety
e i've concrete culverts. or the
he first bond issue OF $500 900
ehout rs per cent was spent for
= Grading. 3 per cent for bridges, and
4 y per cent for macadamizinE Near
g lv all OF the two district bond issues
y Iaggresating $4,000. was spent for
r maca damizing roads previously grad
6 ed. The cost of surface treatment
0 of 2434 miles Of macadam roads
n amounted to ss.75s.S2. or $4o0.s3 per
= mile, The roads were graded to q
o width OF from sixteen to eighteen
0 feet. while the macadam surface
. varied from nine to twelve feet.
n It Is estimated that there are abou,
= 800 miles Of public road in the
e county. OF which sao7 miles, or 276
a per cent. have been macadamized
I This includes 46 miles OF state aid
Z nacadam. In addition TO this. 90. 05
8 miles have graded under the bond
, issue and la miles with local funds
5 making "A total OF 1902 miles, or
r AIS per cent OF the total, partially
or wholly improved.
|
nished plans. specifications. and es-
, +imates for the roads and supervised
; The actual construction but, as has
. been pointed out In connection with
? other county studies the state high
way department was not called In to
= make any examination and estimate
before the bonds were voted, and this
absence OF competent advice was de-
: cides;y injurious to the county The
3 Immediate supervision of the work
$ was intrusted TO a county engineer
, appointed by the board OF supervisors
? with the approval of the state high
I way department, His salary OF SIZE
10 5000 per month was paid by the
county out OF the bond Issue funds
The roads were built by contract
A.. awarded by the state highway COM
! mission and the county board or SUI
J ervisors under the unit-price system,
! with the exception OF some macadam
= Ifurfacing under the district bond
= issues where the work was done by
2 force account
7 The regular work OF the county In
g carried on by the district road super
- intendents under the general direc-
7 ton OF the county board of super
J v!sors. The board consist Of four
IN sm~FglA sFs,-,ANyAS. Sf,s, zach district ,>hav