Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-07-02
A VITAL QUESTION

A timely suggestion from l.. E.
Connell as to a possible answer to
the question, How Shall We Build
and Maintain Our Public Highways
The condition Of the roads over
which the Motor Truck has been and
ia being ne iridiscreetly used, is con-
elusive evidence that 0er system of
road hufldlna is inadequate. That
our EP1trzn pf taxation for building
and npeintaining our roads is unjust
and Whqlly Npwarranted That our
traffic laws are Of little, II any pro-
tectSon to our roads.
Steam and Electric Rail road
coufphffs& build and maintain rheirl
owft roads besides paying into thel
State ma c0f1unity treasures Jnou-
sands Of dollars annually; part Of
which Is used in building roads over
which the motor truck is being
driven at practically no expense TO
I believe the Truck is here to stay
but II can in 50 small way take
the place Of cur rail roads, that we
can not afford to favor its use at
the expense. nor to the disadvantage
of TIE rail roads. It would be inn
possible fbr the truck to move the
live stock, hay, grain, coal and a
thoushnd and one other things that
are bruught IN large quantities and
necessarily must be hauled long dis
taners. This being true, can the
tarpsyere afford to build and main
tain roads for the truck owner who
In required TO pay license which
would not Of itself repair the
damars he would do to the roads on
a Eve mile haul at certain times Of
the yeRri Can we gratuitously
make Ne possible for the truck owner
60 draw the local freight that right
fully belongs to the rail roads
Can Tie Merchants and others along
the Mne Of an Electric or Steam
road afford to give this work to the
truck owner. thereby lessening the
earning cap&city Of the railroad ant
at the same time increase his owr
taxes Tor the building and upkeer
OF the roads over which the truck
is usedf
I believe the load and speed o.
the truck should be limited. Thal
license should be imposed which
n infeudei to fully compensate fol
the mae 0f the roads over which thel
travel and that such license or Ia,
hs used exclusively for the building
and maintenance of Inter-Countl
and Main Market roads. That rigis
laws Be- enacted and enforced fol
their protection.
I would rec0mnfend that the own
err Of Motor truck that is used b,
him Ia the conduct Of his own busi
ness Be required to pay on eacl
IA ton truck, s25 annually.
2ik truck $50 annually.
That zach truck Of greater capa
daty than the above be known ant
clnssed as Common carrier" ant
pay accofdingly.
Each / " ton truck, $100.
Each 2M ton truck, 5000.
Emch 4 ton truck $3.50.
Each ton truck 5000.
Each ton truck, $500.
Such restrfftions would doubtless
keep many from buying a truck
which would be and would have beel
a mighty good thing for 75 per cen
Of those who now own and those VIII
would Buy one The only man VIII
makes money with a truck is tn
one who figures on the upkeep an
depreciation and charges for his ser
vices on that basis and then sell
Il lust before he has to invest abou
half the first cost for repairs. Hi
buver n generally some fellow VIII
is looking for an easy job but feel
that he can not afford a new true
when m would be cheaper by hal
even tho he gave his note for tn
old one and never paid it.
A license or what would be NOR
properly termed a road tax. sirnila
to that above mentioned added t
the necessary expense Of opperatin
the truck. world place the true
owner and rail road companies MOI
nearly on the same basis from whic
20 compete. It would also be a RI
lief 10 the general public who is b
ing taxed TO the linfit for the pul
pose of building good roads that al
being worn out by the heavy true
faster than they can be built.
Our roads were not built for tt
heavy traffic we are subjecting thel
to. The scarcity and high cost {
labor and the soaring prices for roa
building material will practical
prohibit this work for a while. Tn,
the necessity for immediate actic
70 secure legislation that will M
only protect the roads we now ha,
but provide ways and means wher
by, the cost Of building and maintail
ing roads win be more equitably ar
Justly apportionedl
believe 1t is the duty of evel
Board Of County Commissioner
Township Trustees and every Con
munity organisation to get busy al
put this matter before the people
such a way that they win demar
legislation for the purpose ha'
mentioned. There is not a mome
TO spare II we get anything tn
will do any good before our roa'
are practically ruined Does this i
terest you brother taxpayer? If
suggestions are in order.
L. =. C0NNELL
Fayette, Oh