The Mena weekly star., 1919-07-03
HOW ONE STATE GOT ROADS.
w. S. Ray Writes of Experience in
Several States-A Suggestion.

OcfEEHi g1t4tCc-tA jus > ~'~@-
To The Mena Star:
Having been solicited by one Of the
Stars correspondents to give my ideas
of the good roads movement to The
Star, and having had no little expert
ence with bad roads in Virginia, North
Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkan-
sas and the black mud of Texas and
Oklahoma, think | am in position
to speak with some knowledge of the
benefits Of good roads. read Mr..
Lewis communication in The Star and
congratulate Mr.. Lewis in his change
of opinion and will say to Mr.. Lewis
erring friends, that while the lamp
hold out to burn, etc In order to be
better understood about the Dement'S
to be derived from good roads | VIII
have to introduce another subject for
eign to the question of good roads,
and if my article appears too long you
can boil it down, cut it in two, or cut
it out altogether.
In the year 1873 my native state,
North Carolina, left it to vote of the
people whether or not they would add
an amendment to the constitution Il
the state allowing all manufacturing
concerns of whatever kind of $1,000
or more capital, to be exempted from
taxation for a period of twenty years.
North Carolina has never had such a
fight at the ballot box as this question
brought about, but the pros won.
was not living in the state at that
time, but felt like l would be willing
to join in another rebellion. Soon
capital was pouring into the state by
the millions and factories were
springing up everywhere and OF rnost
every kind, cotton mills predominant
ing, and the laboring class of the state
found employment at advanced wages
Women who had been used to working
for their board and keep were now in
demand at $1.50 to $3.50 per day, and
the farmer had home market for all
the provisions he could raise.
In the early COS the twenty years
exemption had expired and millions of
dollars worth of factory property pc
came taxable and soon the factories
were more than paying the running
expenses of. the state, but not that
of the counties. The surplus state
tax then became a road tax, and a
law was passed that gave any road
district the right to vote any amount
of road bonds they chose, running for
40 years, and bearing per cent. IN
terest. Those bonds were sold at par
in New York When a district had
procured the amount Of money voted
it would get a like amount from the
state road fund. The consequence is
that North Carolina now has the best
roads of any state in the south, il
not in the Union, and is still build
ing them, and on roads that once took
four horses to haul common load OF
wood to town, two little rabbit mules
van pull twenty-five crossties with
ease.
The man with the auto, the wagon
the buggy and the footman are all
alike benefited, and the farmers wife
living twenty miles away can take her
produce, get in her auto, deliver it at
her market town and be at home and
have her Johns dinner ready for him
at the usual hour. Why should ths
tar-heel not refer to his good roads
with prideg
4 Now what about the roads in Poll
county? | think if Mr.. Lewis would
take his anti-good road friends over
some of Sewers good roads, he viii
convert them all to the cause of goor
roads, but please be careful, Mr.
Lewis, and don't get over in Okla
homa with your auto, not till tn,
roads dry out at least.
w. S. Ray.