Milford chronicle., 1922-02-10
RECONSTRUCTION OF
STATES SHORT ROADS.
BILL PROPOSING RECONSTRUCTION OF
SHORT ROADS is BEING PREPARED
FOR NEXT LEGISLATURE.
ITSAUTHOR OUTLINES PLAN
PURPOSE OF The PROPOSED ACT IS TO
IMPOSE A STATE TAX OF 2 CENTS
A GALLON ON GASOLINE.

Among the legislation that is being
prepared for the next session of the
General Assembly, a year hence, and
over which there is bound to be a
bitter fight, is bill that Josiah Mar
vel is drafting and wh:un has for its
object the building of less expensive
country roads, through sections not
much travelled, and which highways,
it is claimed, would be just as durable
for the amount they are travelled as
the expensive highways.
Mr. Marvel drew the State Highway
Commission bill and incorporated in
it provisions whereby no cheap high
ways could be constructed on the main
arteries of travel throughout the state.
But in the rural sections not much
travelled. to build a road at an expense
of $4,000 mile that would last 100
years, is considered unwise, when a
road that would last practically as
long can be built for $4,000 or less a
mile.
From now on, until the spring thaw
is over, and the heat of approaching
summer has dried out the roads, there
are hundreds of farmers who will be
unable to do any heavy hauling to
and from their farms. The expensive
and well constructed State highways
benefit the farmers on the by-rOads
only when the latter are in good shape
for use.
Mr.. Marvels bill will arrange to
construct cheaper roads, that may re-
suit in hundreds of miles being built
and which will help gradually solve
the country road question in the
spring. Sussex county is an illustra-
ton of what could be accomplished in
building rural roads, if the bill to
place a two-cent levy on gasoline is
passed by the Legislature, Mr.. Marvel
says. Sussex has more roads than
either of the other two counties. There
are between 5000 and 1000 miles,
very few of which will hardly be pas
sable when the spring weather ar
rives. If the money was provided and
the State Highway Commission is au-
thorized to construct cheaper country
roads, then the Sussex farmers would
benefit the same as the farmers of
Kent and New Castle county Mr.. Mar
vel claims. Within ten miles of Will
mington there are farmers who, be-
cause they are a half mile OF farther
from the stone highways are practi-
cally prevented from doing any heavy
hauling until May or June, because
the country roads are in such condi-
tiOn that trucks cannot be used.
The bill proposing tax Of two
cents a gallon on gasoline, however,
will not have smooth sailing before
the Legislature. AS a matter of fact,
it will meet all the difficulties that
some of the motorists can hurl at it.
''We. are preparing for the contest
now," said Charles G. Guyer, secretary
of the Delaware Automobile Associa-
ton. I'VE are willing to have the bill
passed if every farmer who owns a
horse or mule, and which is used to
haul vehicles over the State highways,
will have to pay a tax of two cents a
pound on the feed he buys to keep
the horse or mule. At the present
time we are called upon to pay ex-
as compared with autoists
Of other states and we certainly do not
intend to have this law passed with
Out a fight unless the farmers are |
made to share the burden of the levy.
It's too early now to talk about what |
we shall do, but when the time comes /
We shall be found at Dover ready to
light the bill, if the tax is only on
gasoline.