Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1919-08-09
COMING BOND ISSUE
a Word to the Voters on the Coming
Bond Issue to be voted upon
August 18th.

This paper in common with ali fair
minded ciizens is heartily in favor Of
having good roads in Custer County,
Just how to obtain them at the lowest
cost commensurate with the best road
building is of equal interest to all. That
one Of the crying needs of Custer County
is good 70, DIS goes without mention. 1t
is one of The evils Of our County that we
have the worst road situation in the
Hills. There is a real reason why the
Northern Hills have better roads than
Custer County from the fact of the big
mines and larger cities as well as more
outside investments, all of which fur.
nish heavy taxes for these several coun-
ties. The income rom such sources in
Custer County is cOmparably small. In
fact the resources of this County for
road building has been so small and in
adequate that no real road building can
be attempted but so far about all that
can be done is 10 patch up road after a
rain aud wait until the next freshet to
repeat the operation. Lawrence has
had money to spend at the rate Of
$40, 900 per mlIe and 1t is not fair TO com
pare our hIle water drains with their
roads when they have had thousands to
onr hundreds to spend on such work
No difference what our Commission
ers may have thought, in the past no
real road buIding was possible with the
funds at hand Now that the Bond Is
sue is up, thoughtful citizens are asking
the question "lf this money is voted
how will it be spent to do the best road
building aud where ?" If people are to
vote the money which will increase the
taxes, this is legitimate question for
one OF the many evils of our times is the
misuse of public funds.
Now at the last meeting of the County
Commissioners this question was asked.
The Board of Commissioners pledge
themselves to use this money first Of all
in the roadbuilding for the entire coun-
ty, and that ss far as possible the roads
viii be built on the Contract plan. The
County Surveyor will lay out the grade
aud stake the road and the building will
be 10y contract with reliable parties OIL
course there ia always small bits OF re
pair work to be done that must be by a
different method, but the defnate policy
OF the Commissioners is to contract the
building OF the roads il the Issue goes
through.
Take the well known "Miler Hip on
Lame johnny creek. This hill has been
the bug bear" of the east part of the
County in getting TO Custer from the
impossibility of keeping it patched up
between showers. This road las la,yiy
been surveyed aud if the Bonds are vot-
ed this Hill will be a memory as to diff.
culties The new road will be slightly
longer but will be built in the side ofthe
mountain and will maintain a grade of
not above Al per cent at the greatest.
Enough money and work has been spent
on this hill in the past ten years TO build
the new road and it is worse now than
at any time the past five years. All be-
cause the limited funds compelled the
road to be built piecemeal. This road
is to be contracted and await the Bonds
Now it is not altogether fair to assume
that because the money spent in the
past has not brought us good roads that
this money may be spent without bet
ter results. This will give Custer Coun
ty for the first time money TO use in such
amounts that real system may be un
dertaken, aud it is fair to assume that
the present officers will keep their word
and do the work by Contract.
Should the Issue fail to carry it will
probably be a long time before another
attempt is undertaken and meanwhile
we will be compelled to 90 on patching
up the bad places while the road bed
gets deeper and more difficult to mend
as each rain washes it out. The taxes
necessary will be neglible when one
realizes that It's over long period Of
years and the benefit to the whole coun-
ty is incalcuabe. Not man who tra-
vels our roads but what will be sharer
of the benefits to be obtained as the roads
are made into permanent highways.
Once road is built in the right way the
future care of the road becomes less and
less problem and the real expense be-
comes less Of repair. Good students of
the road problem state that the costier
but permanent road of easy grades soon
catches up in economy with the perpetu-
ally patched road Of sleeper grades of
the old tune system.
Let as vote "Y ES" on the Bond Issue
and have Custer County take place be.
side the Counties of the Hills as Pro.
gressive in the building OF Highways
1t cap be done but never by limited re-
sources and the old system. Good roads
increases taxes TO start with but it in
creases something else. 1t increases the
load you can haul, the life of your
auto and vehicle, your pride in your
community and County and finally it
will benefit you financially in the in
crease Of your land and the values of all
things You have to sell. The man who
votes "NO" on this proposition is look
ing backward.