The Raymer enterprise., 1917-12-06
s1,soo,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 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 expanding sl.s00,0o0 for
state highways alone. They propose
to furnish 100000, leaving sl,loo,OOo
to be paid out of the state highway
| fund
The halfmill state tax for highway
purposes will total in the sixty-three
counties about 100000. according TO
an estimate given by James 4. 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-seyen counties. the
contemplated expenditures In all the
| counties will exceed the available
funds in 1918 by more than 100000.
1t 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
1 is seen In the increased valuation NJ
land and property. Weld county, for
example, gives valuation OF $780,
900, as against s7G.000.00O in 1915 1t
is next to Denver county in valuation.
| and proposes TO levy total tax of 81
mills TO raise $4,000 The county
asks for $4,000 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 1900. to replace a wooden
structure Weld county has 5000
! miles OF county roads and 2Gg miles
OF state highways.
Washington county's valuation is
placed at sl7,Se0, 900 as against $780,
100000 for 1914, an increase OF $1,000
900. The county commissioners ask
/ for a budget allowance OF $4,000 for
/ state roads, agreeing to put up $500.
Logan county has proposed total
tax levy of AZ mills. The valuation
is given at s27 100000 as against $751;
100000 in 1914, an increase OF about
| $4,000 900.
Yuma countys valuation has in
! creased from s9,900,000 in 1914 to
s15,700,s00 in 1917. The proposed ex-
| ptnullHItH lbl nthte iieHN a. .
amounts to sli,700, county commits
sioners pledge themselves to raise
$4,000.
Cheyenne county has valuation Of
sln.700,0o0 as against s7,70O,0o0 in
1914, improvements to state high
ways as proposed amount to sl7s0o,
of which the county will raise $500.
Prowers county will levy a 2i2-mill
tax to collect total of $4,000 for i'm
proyements.
In the mountain districts, San Juan
county will assess 5-mill levy, Min
eral county 5iamill levy. Gilpin
county 4-mill levy, Costilla county a
4-mill levy. Ouray county a i-mill
levy, Hinsdale county 4ls-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.
III Paso county has asked for s97.-
900 for state roads and road building
machinery, and proposes to raise sis.-
900 for this purpose, while Pueblo
county asks for s77,700 and agrees to
put up s3s.S0O.