Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-02-17
COUNTY ROADS.
One Prominent CitiEsn of Bedford
Disguised With the Present Roads
and Wants q Change.
An InterVisv With Mr. b j Valentine who
Lucidiy Explains the Crying Demands
for Good County Roads.

Regularly IS the rain descends In this
favored land Of Texss-and that Is IS
regularly as necessary-the cry comes up
for class Of roads over the county that
are not lntolersble nuisances. During
warm weather, when the ground is dry,
people manage to get along by following
the meanderings Of the crooke d thorough
J fares as they wind around valleys, climb
over hilltops or crowd through narrow
lanes that lead around the various isrms,
bot when the rain descends and the
olsck wax reaches out Voraciously to
grasp and swallow the wheels OF vehicles,
country people become aroused TO the
necessity for good roads and despair of
ever getting them unless the question is
vigorously pressed. Attempts have been
made ct various times to induce
the Commissioners' court to take the mat
ter In hand, but IS this construction of
thoroughferes costs money and people
we're not properly aroused to the necessi-
ty for "a expenditure so considerable, the
more conservative element in that body
usually carried the day and deferred the
question. 1t Is encouraging to note that
the taxpayers are making their wishes in
the matter known. They want the roads,
are willing to pay for them and mean to
| have them. Oae Of the most prominent
workers on this road question, Mr.. B.J.
Valentine, head of the Valentine Mercan
tile Company Of Bedford, and q farmer
also, was in the city yesterday and had q
talk with THR GAZETTE on the subject.
Said Mr.. Valentine: ave are in hopes
OF getting the county to make q
start on this road question
in the near future. We have
suffered defeat heretofore, but we are
not discouraged and have tried again,
Our people are IN favor of straight roads
almost to 8 man and the only opposition
to 1t comes from those who claim more
damages than the jury of view think they
are entitled to. II the damages were in
creased sufficiently to satisfy them, 1
think they too would Join In the demand |
for straight and improved roads. l live |
eighteen miles from Fort Worth and |
come In on an average of once q week. l |
cannot say positively but competent
authority tells me that travel on 81 |
average OF eight miles each trip father |
than Is necessary and believe it because
l have to go towards every point Of the
compass In order to reach here"
"WhAt efforts have been made to Sc
cure the Improvements desired2"
Said Mr.. Valentine: "Some time ago
we filed 8 petition for q straight road
from Fort Worth to Bedford. A Jury of
view was appointed, report was made
and damages assessed. The Commits.
sioners' court raised the damages and
then voted down the proposition. We
have gone to work again and flied an
other petition for straight road from
Fort Worth TO Bransford. A jury Of
view has reported damages to property
$4,000, and that report will be acted on, I
think, next Tuesday. In the other case
two commissioners favored building the
road and two opposed II, and the County
Judge decided the matter adversely. In the
present csse don't know how the matter
will be disposed Of but SIN hopeful that
1t will come out all right"
"Whst will 1t cost, think your"
Said Mr. Valentine: 81 am not posted
thoroughly and cannot speak advisedly,
but don't think II would cost very much.
II the right OF way was secured the road
could be opened. The worst places could
be built first and the rest could be COM
pleted ct the convenience Of the county.
Where the soil is black and sticky It could
be gravelled, ard where 1t Is dry but little
would be required to be done. lam
aware that all cannot be done at once,
,ut beginning should be made. One ,
part OF the county seems to be un-
willing that the other part shall
secure road, aud this I fear
8 the chief trouble. / think
broader and more liberal policy should
prevail and will ultimately prevail.
some place must be selected as the !
ocality for the inception Of these much
Needed improvements and those who have
be interest of the whole county at heart :
will see the necessity Of Withdrawing
OPPOSITION to q beginning. Our people l
now very we'll that IS the county fills up
be demands for roads VIII increase; they
NOW, too, that the present tortuous l
7indings and abrupt turnings will never :
re tolerated as permanent thoroughfares, :
nd they are 10th to see any work wasted
n them. The result Is that our roads 4 4
re in fearful condition. On the other
and the straight road was permanently
elected, people would see the benefits Z
rising from Its improvement, and
hey would see to 1t that 1t
hould be put In good
onditioD. It Is matter that is most
ifficult to get under hesdw6y, but once q
he value of a good road is practically @
emobstrsted you will see roads sll over c
1elcounty in short time thereafter. Yes" =
aid Mr.. Valentine on leaving, "I am
opeful that this rosd question will soon
6 started"