Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1898 — State Aid In Road Building. [ARTICLE]

State Aid In Road Building.

Over one-half of the taxable property in Indiana is located in cities that yield no tax income to townships. Yet all the expense of road construction, and of the maintenance of township roads, is borne by the township. The only aid given by cities of Indiana to the country roads is their portion of the county tax for the repair of free gravel roads. Residents of cities are benefitted by good country roads as well and they are anxious to have the roads improved and willing to help pay for them. Most of the wheelmen live in the cities; they find good roads a necessity; they pay but little towards the expense of securing them, but they are more than willing to'give their aid. Why not distribute the cost of good roads more equally over all residents of the §tate? Why not require the entire State to bear a part of the expense of' road improvement? Why not seepre an appropriation

from the State for the benefit of our highways? In 1897, several sample half-miles of macadam roads were built in Rhode Island at an expense of $90,000, threefourths of which was borne by the State. Massach ussetts appropriates over $600,000 annually for country roads. New Jersey pays one-third of all expenses for improvements of country roads, not to exceed a total of $75,000 per year. Four other States have adopted State aid. Where is Indiana?