The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-04-29
COUNTY ROADS.

The Maury Central Turnpike Cos
charter was declared by the Sa-
preme Court to be forfeited because Of
it's grades, its width, and the general
bad repair of the road bed and
bridges. We suppose the Supreme
Court knew what it was doing when
it made that decision. We presume
.he Court decided the case more Oh
it's equities than on its technicalities.
We infer tue Court intended to say,
in substance, "the travelling public
ought net to he made to pay toll over
such pike; the road bed is too mar
row, the bridges are too ricitety, the
grades are too steep" That being
true, what right las the county 10 ex
act toll over this same pike, until they
speud some money Oh il and i'm
prove ii?
II the bridges were unsafe while
Mr.. Rainey had the pike, the bridges
are unsafe now. II it was wrong
and the Supreme Court gays it was
for Mr.. Rainey % hazard the lives of
the people, and charge them for pass
ing over these bridges, it is quite as
wrong for the present management to
do 80.
If the grades-or some Of them
were 80 steep that not much more
than half load could be pulled up
them. and because of this fact the
charter was declared forfeited
certainly the Supreme Court never
intended that the County Court
should impose the same burdensome
road tax upon the people without
first giving them a better road. Fol
it was not a question of high charges
but question of bad road, that for
feited the charter.
Take the grade just west of tho
bridge crossing the l.. 81 n. road
Ii is pull for horse to pull him
self up that hill. That hill is an in
-urmountahle Object to two horses
with a we'll loaded wagon. When s
man pays toll over road, there
should be no such hills "a that il
front of him.
If the County Court intends to run
this pike, they ought to run it right
If they intend charging toll over 6
county road they ought to sej a good
example 10 other toll roads, and this
pike will never be = good example
pike until some Of the hOll0ws are
! flied and some of the grades lcssened
| Take that part OF the road between
the bridges crossing the Louisville &
/ Nashville and the Nashville 4 Flor.
ence railroads. Those hills are ter.
ror TO loaded vehicles going either
way. The small rise in fronf Of the
| Arsenal gate ought to be taken for an
objective point and the sinks on eth
er side filed, making an easy grade
to either of the bridges.
1t would cost money! OF course
People ought not to pay toll over 9
road that does not cost money.
The answer viii, perhaps, be made
that this may be done from a sinking
| fund to be derived from the toll gates
| There is no Justice in that. The
| travelling public should not be madt
TO BALD y road; it Is only their du:y L
keep il IN repair by paying for thrti
| travel over it after it j. built. If The
! County Court vans 30 run this road
/ t!iry ough- 20 do, and :iir ncnpic "ugh
80 require chem 20 10, j';, Nha an in
.J!vi'iuai would he required 20 90
TIA; j., borrow Inc money ana bull,
the road and pay FOR il out of the ia
ture proceeds.
The County Court need not thini
the people will pay toll over the roa,
in its present condition without very
many and very loud complaints, anC
the easiest and best and cheapest way
10 keep this road out of the courts i:
to put it in first-class repair, both a,
to road-bed and bridges, and keel
il that way.