The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-12-04
THOUSAND NILES
or GOOD ROADS
Aautomobile Association Form
ulates Ambitious Program
for Highways.
ALL COUNTY SEATS TO
BE LINKED UP THEY SAY

Bond Issue Of s25, 900, 900 Pro
posed to Be Based Upon Auto
License Tax Which VIII Be
Increased.
Columbia, Dec. Ito construc:
1000 miles of hard surface highways
through South Carolina;
TO connect. every county seat not
en- the main arteries of the high
ways with these roads;
no make efforts to secure the issu-
ance Of 20 year bonds. to the amount
of SIS, ,G00, 900 for the construction ef
these highways.
And ito increase the tax or motor
driven cars practically fourfo.d, is IN
brief the plan for better roads which
Will be submitted to the good roais
meeting to be held in Columbia De-
cemper 10-11.
This plan was adopted at the meet
ing Yesterday of delegates Of the
State Automobile Association who
had been appointed to draw up def
ute proposition to bring before the
good roads meeting in December.
The pia., was finally adopted after
much ccnsid Grafton and discussion. It
was outlined by r. G. Rhett OF Char
feston, and its various features We're
thoroughly discussed by the delegates
present.
One fetaure of the plan which met
with instant favor was that which
has to do with increasing the tax en-
automobiles. At the present tine
there are $1,000 automobiles licensed
IN this State. The average. license
paid per car is about $500. Under
the, plan suggested the average tax
Der car will be s20.S0, which is about
the cost OF one Ford car tire.
BY increasing the car license, 1t IS
figured that the expense Of construct
ing the highways viii be borne en-
tirely by car owners, who viii De
greatly benefited by the highways
was peinted out that when taxpayers
realize that he money Will come u!ti-=
mataly from the car owners who WITH
u.,e the roads more than any other
group Of c:tizeps, the taxpayers VII,
not object g voting the bond issue.
Mr.. Rhett, in figuring out the prop
osition said that at the present time
there are about $4,000 automobiles IN
the State, and that they would hkeiS
Increase IL number steadily, so ina
i,v tie END Of three years there woaie
be approximately SG.0G0 cars and
trucks in the State. A. s23 tax per
car. a.revenue of sf,34e,00 would he
derived from the taxes. The bond IS
sue of S25,0G0,0 geo to be retired IN ~
wears would require about S1.75e.cpV
ner wear. IF the issue runs for q
Years, about 81, 100000 would be re
auired per year. From these figures
st was set forth that practically the
whole expense of the undertaking
would be borne by car owners. fea-
ture OF the plan to which few drivers
of carts and buggies would object
If the plan as adopted yesterday
meets with the approval OF the dele
gates to the meeting December 10.
the legislature is to be DetItioned to
submit the proposed bond issue to q
vote Of the people.
according to the plan. every cas
equipped with inflated tires is to pay
. tax of 81 for eac', horse power. Cars
equipped with hard tires are 70 he
taxed $50 FOR eacI, horse power
no definite routes for the main ar
terfes of the proposed highway have
yet been decided upon. According to
the plans discussed yesterday there
would be three main highways run
ming north and south through the
State and virtually three running
east and west across the State. Every
county seat not on the main high
ways would be connected with these
roads, and thus the entire State would
be bound together by a network OF
roads negot;a BILE in all sorts OF wealth
er by vehicles laden with light and
heavy loads.
Since every county would be bene-
flied. the promoters yesterday were OF
the opinion that the plan would meet
with favor
The whole project will be under
the direction and supervision Of the
State highway commission.
Every effort to secure the attend
ance of men from every county in the
State at the meeting December 10-]l
is, to be made. and it is thought that
measures will be adopted which will
mean a tremendous step forward for
the development Of South Carolina.
The meeting December 16 is to be
held at the State House, and the pro-
gram committee IS arranging to have
addresses delivered by Acknowledged
experts in road making. The meeting
Yesterday was presided over by c. w
cofeld, secretary of the association..