Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-20

January no levy has been provided TO
pay it, and so the levy for this bond
issue in the second year must be suf-
ficient to pay the interest for the year
passed as we'll as that for the year to
come. After the second year the levy
need be for one years interest only
until the bonds begin to mature. For
the next seven years being the years
from 1924 to 1880 inclusive. $4,000
will be required for the bonds and in
terest each year, and then $4,000 each
year until paid out Thus we find
that up to and including the year 1881
the total amount Of money required for
maintenance work and principal ana
interest on bonds, will not exceed $685.
Zoo in any one year. If the same
amount OF money is collected each
year as in 1916, S1o4,Ss0, there viii be
S41,sSo each year to carry on their
work.
We have an ambition in this county
to have 500 miles of good roads, with
the ia miles of county roads as man
arteries, graveled, and the balance OF
GsS miles taken over from the town
ship system. we'll graded and drained.
We can take on the job of grading anu
draining these 3sS miles of township
roads and complete the job in ten
years, and not spend more than SsS,-
coo in any one year. thus keeping
within the amount available as shown
above. provided the people should de-
eide that no more bonds are TO be is
sued.
We are using these roads ana
bridges while we are paying for theni'
The cost each year to the taxpayer IS
not any greater than it would nave
been had the work been done piece
meal. We are running no risk on ac-
count Of accidents on the old wooden
bridges that have been discarded for
the permanent ones. And above al
the cost of these roads has been
spread over sufficient number OF
years so that the present generation
will not bear the whole burden of the
cost, the coming generation VINO WIN
use the improvements will also help to
pay for them.
Another advantage which comes
from doing the work under this sys-
tenn which means large contracts, is
the decreased cost. We have an excel
lent example of this in Buena vista
county. In 1914 We graded fourteen
miles OF county roads which meant tne
moving OF about $4,000 yards OF dirt.
For this work we paid an average OF
s54 cents and the work was PAID ioE
from current funds. the 5onds Tor that
year being for bridge work. In 1919
we contracted about $4,000 yards a.
70 cents, and in 1916 we moved 2i5.
la4 yards at an average contract price
OF sa.l cents. The difference between
the 1915 and 1916 prices and the 1919
price on the yardagH moved, means "a
saving Of abUu[ s22,S00 which Wouid
be interest al ~. per cent Tor ten
years on nearly S6o,e00 in bonds. rms
s.s. 500 saved TO Buena Vista county
will more than pay The interest Tor ins
tuI time on the SiS.500 bond issue Of
September, 1914, and the $4,000 issue
of Jan. /. 1916. Thus we are getting
$4,000 in road work, having the use Of
It for between seven and eight years,
while We are paying for it. without IN
terest.
The figures given above are the par
ticuIar figures which apply TO this
county and to the work we are doing.
But | venture 10 say that in nearly
every county in the state, the sahie
results could be shown If the bond
sly stem, were applied TO the work. With
a LITTLE STUDY
The present system 81 issuing bone
has only one thing in its favor, and
that il that the board Issues the war
rants before the bonds are sold, SO
that no more bands can be sold that
are required 10 take ~ outstanding
warrants. II other words. no more
money is borrowed than is actually
needed 10 pay fGr work done. However
ii seems that the people ought 10 nave
a chance to say whether or not the
county should he bonded cor amy kinn
OF work, and we are III fayor Of pass
ing q Law which would require vote
Of the people before bonds can be IS
sued, with the provision that Ter war
rants now outstanding or warrants rs
sued to pay for work now under con-
tract the beard should have the right
TO issue bonds, the same as before
Some sort of a bond Law should be en-
acted tor the benefit Of the counties
THAI do want to get some WORK done.
49, commemorative for III as cOruDared