The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-10-17

construction of sand roads. In the
first place, the federal aid is given in
equal sums to that raised by the coun-
ties to be used in construction: there,
the responsibility of the federal au-
thorities ends, but the counties agree
to maintain those roads and their
chief responsibility only begins where
the federal authorities ends.
Also heavier tax on motor trucks
increasing with the tonnage of the
trucks. The bill would tax a one-ton
truck s12. and an eight-ton truck
$3.50. with the license on trucks Of
intermediate tonnage ranging between
these two figures. The purpose of the
bill, states members of the highway
commission. is to discourage the use
of heavier motor trucks, which are
destructive on roads. 1t is stated that
the legislature will also probably be
asked to provide for small tax levy
in the counties for the maintenance
of the state highway system"
The owners of motor vehicles in
the state will not object. or the objec-
tion will be negligible. to the tax on
passenger cars and trucks. provided
proper provision is made for the ex-
penditure of the money so collected.
The New believes the average owner
of a motor car in the state will will
lingly pay license tax of $1.OO per
horsepower if he has assurance that
the money is to be spent in the con-
struction of concrete highways, but
any other kind of road. except in the
case Of unimportant connecting links
upon which there is no heavy traffic
and little OF any kind, is waste of
money, and the people are beginning
10 ma III out.
A few years ago good sand CLAW
road would have served the purpose
between Lancaster and Columbia or
Lancaster and Charlotte. but today.
the traffic is too heavy for that kind
OF road and the maintenance cost too
great, in comparison with the service
rendered
The new highway bill" continues
one OF the Columbia papers. lit is stat,
ed by members of the highway com
mission, will provide an income for
the state highway system of nearly
two million dollars each year. The
bill would provide that seventy.five
per cent of this income revert to the
counties for the maintenance of the
roads in the various counties forming
a part of the state system. All the
money, in case there is no state high.
way in county, or the overplus in
case the state highways in county
40 not require the countys proper
| tionate share OF the money for main.
tenance, goes into the construction of
state highways in such counties. pro-
vided the county will match the mon.
ey dollar for dollar"
There is but one feasible plan for a
system of state highways and that is
to lay out the highways first: then
find the cost OF construction. and get
the none But before such "A plan
can be carried out, the people and the
Legislature will have to get awav
from county and township lines and
get their minds on something big.
The time of township roads is pass
ed; the time will come when we viii
have federal roads, from north TO
south and from east to west and there
will be state highways criss-cross of
every state in the union but the fed
eral government and the state will
be guilty Of woeful waste of money
to attempt such system with sand
clay and top soil. which is like unto
cloves in an aching tooth , tor,,o