Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1895-01-15
FREE TURNPIKE ROADS
A SENSIBLE ARGUMENT BY A COED
WRITER.
Reasons Why Our Turnpikes should be
Made Free and Some Statistics on the
Subject of Roads.
EDITOR KENTUcKIAN:

advocate OF good roads for macadam-
lied roads as the best, aud cheapest
L saw sshs,- years ESQ that with the
diversity of opinions, various sectional
animosities and old.togyism, that
there was little hope of getting them
by county enterprise and that indiv-
vidusl COZ orations had to make hem
Under individual proprietorship some
30 miles OF good pixies have been built
10 the county, and gates put up. Both
are excellent
When we advocated general tax
70 build these roads, and to let the
burden fall on sll alike, the multi
piled numbers OF chonic breakers came
to the front. Their song was-"Let
hose who want roads pay for them "
An expression very much used with
this class was Eve are opposed to a
tax, but let every man do as l will,
put his hand in his pocket and give
so much" Well, we have built some
pixies, and 1 have never h. ard of one
Of these objectors giving one cent, or
taking one dollar of stock.
Now that the gates are up these
same gentry are Co ling the turnpikts
vampires, and go around the gates
when they can.
Now, Mr.. Editor, am going to join
the general public and cry. free
roads," and believe that for once l
am on the popular sid,. Everyone
admits that the old State and county
laws are obsolete, Us eless and inopera-
tive, dead letter, no one works and
no one cares
In Kentucky those who do work,
and about the only CUES of this class
are generally those who
have no homes, no teams, and no pro-
duce to haul, and of course they have
no interest at stake and only go on
he road to escape fine, and to kill
time; that's all. | don't blame them
| have never made negro go on
my road to work and lose his time.
| have looked into the county rec
ords, and 1 find ia going back ten
years, up to 1890, that the approplia-
tons for raods, bridging, working
teams, plows, wagons, &c, ranged
from nine thousand to twelve thous-
and dollars per annum, and for 1890
fifteen thousand. l understand that
the coming year will take seventeen
thousand dollars. Crest Caes ar Like
the peusion roll-when will it 500?
Shall it so on forever. Corporate
companies have saved five of the most
important roads from being an expense
to the county, and they ara the main
roads, along which two thirds of the
county produce is raised.
The road taxations CT appropria-
tons have increased in large ratio,
when they should have ,cressed, and
the tax payers along these pixies now
pay 10 the com panit gate fees, and 20
the sheriff taxes fer fixing over mud
roads What this county pays out
annually for what ell admit to be of
no purpose, will pay the interest on
the bonds to pike all the ostimport-
ant roads in the county and still be
less than they pay now.
understand that the new Constitu-
ton allows any County Court to issue
bonds to the amount of thirty thous-
and dollars per annum to build or ac-
quire turnpike roads.
We have 30 miles Of good turnpike
already made and operated, which
can be bought ur, and gates thrown
open; 80 miles more making rs to 80
miles In all, would cost say $l.5,0
On this we would have to pay on so
bonds at the rate OF $4,000;
expended per year, say 81 500 in
terest; or when the 80 miles are fn-
ish'd and pad for, we would be pay
ing, interest in ali say $10,5O0O0
much less than they are now paying
out on our mud roads. Just think OF
it; we could save enough each year as
sinking fund to soon pay off the in
debtsdness.
My expe rience is hat II or 30 will
keep good turnpikes in good repair.
1t will be besifor thie county to build
and own tte,r roads, unless they have