Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1895-02-05
MORE TURNPIKE TALK
FACTS AND FIGURES THAT CARRY
CONVICTIONS.
Another Article Giving the Best of Reas-
ons why Christian County Should Free
Turnpikes.

matter of the bet'erment of county
roads, and the advocacy of free turn
pixies. 1t now behooves our county
courts, our merchants, our manufac
turers and every good and progress
i've citizen to lay aside all prejudice
all sectionalism, and selfishness and
work andsvote for 1.-THE general wei
fare of our county and people.
The farmer or producer is more di-
rectly benefited by easy access to
market, than any other class, and on
his prosperity and ability to realize
more money aud profit, all other
trades depend.
Throughout the northern and east
ern states, corporations first built the
turnpikes. The enhancement in val
ue of lands and the advantages of
ready markets soon made the people
or the county courts able to buy them
and to-day they are all free and oper
ated under county supervision at
minimum tax. Not half what south
ern Kentucky is paying for keeping
the mud passable. Stocks in turn
pixies have nearly everywhere been a
good and paying investment, and
throughout this state will average
over Z per cent after paying repairs
etc. We know OF no desire on the
part Of any company to get rid of
any stock in our part of the country.
The statutes now provide for the
counties to own them and they can be
bought.
My aim will be to urge that they
shall be, because they are budensome
to the best and greater part of the
community.
The bluegrass counties of Ken
lucky most of them are almost entirely
piked. The stock companies have
grown rich, and the general public
tired. Those who read the papers
will see that the fiscal courts OF those
counties under the new law and priv
ileges are getting down to business
and are buying out the companies
and throwing open the gates, and he
people are paying for freedom will
ingly with God bless you magis
trates Fayette county, 200 miles;
Shelby county, 200 miles; Woodford, |
Clark, Jessamine, Bath and Warren
counties are following suit and will
continue to finish.
These counties have enlightened pro
gressive and busine, s-like magistrates
at last, and why not the good county
eff Christian L believe we now have
such magistrates, and all [ ask, and
what | shall strive for is to get 8
good men, to get at the records, facts
and figures in a business way.
To see the enormous annual outlay
they make each year for useless work
which the people pay for Every
one admits that the work done is
money thrown away and repeated
every year. The work is done at ex-
horbitant figures, and is of no b-ne
fit to the public, and only to few
who have "pet mud hole to fix Il
the county's expense, and get eXtrav
agant prices for Flows and teams
every time.
want the court to foot up the
records and see that they have paid
out $500, 100000 in 20 years for roads
mud ,)and with the same system, will
pay out more in the next 20 years.
want them to go to the records
and see that the annual appropria-
tions have been (for some years. from
$l5000.00 to $l9,0OO.O0 per annum.
All of which work the March winds
blow away. Taxes and toll go on
like "Tennyson's Bro, K" let's dam
the brook-stop her!
Look at this squarely in business
way. Let somebody get mad if you
do take his annual pet hole; let him
pay his taxes with fox scalps and gin
seng.
Look at the move as progressive
one and as an economic measure.
They will soon see that they can
pike every important road in the
county, and buy out those already |
piked. Issue bonds for payment and |
then not pay out even half what they |
are paying now.
want the court to know those who |
pay the most tax under the present |
system and who haul most of the
produce of the county, are those pay
ing the toll-they are being taxed
doubl y for roads. 1t is burdensome
and unjust and unequal.
To show what other counties are
doing in the matter, | give extracts
from various county papers:
There is little need of farmer rails
ing produce if he cannot get it to
market. Good roads give him the
way, but the tolls serve as an imposi
ton to his free trade, and compel
him to barter with the country store
or pay his profit to the turnpike com
panies. Down with the tollgate.
Warren Courier.
The question of free pixies is being
agitated all over the State of Ken
lucky, and we dislike to see Pendle-
ton county fall behind in the process
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