The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-04-17
FREE ROADS.
Some of the Advantages They Would
Give Us.


Some of the Advantages They Would
Give Us.
EDITOR HERALD:-I have read
with much interest your recent edi-
torials on the subject of free roads.
You have certainly struck the key
to long felt want in our county and
city, and the suggestion to our
County Court to take this matter un-
der serious consideration, should
meet the hearty support of our citi-
zenship. Leaving the matter of
means, for the accomplishment of
this desired end to the County Court,
l shall endeavor to point out some
of the benefits to accrue to us if the
Court should decide to take this
step.
L have always advocated the idea
of good roads in every direction to
the county's edge, so that our peO-
pie could reach their county seat
with a reasonable degree of comfort
and celebrity. Aside from this, there
are others of greater weight to us as
a people, and these should be ac-
corded the consideration they de-
serve. BY constructing a good road
from Columbia to the Hickman
county line, we have a permanent
inducement to the people in the
neighborhood of Shady Grove, Lit
tie Lot and Jones Valley to bring
their produce to Columbia, and in
exchange return with our merchan-
disc, and the products of our city and
county. The same may be said of a
road to Caney Springs, ~ the north
ern end of Marshall county. A road
built to this point would make our
city accessible to a remarkably fer
tile section of Marshall and Will
hanson counties. The trade of Caney
Springs, Reeds Store, Bethesda, AL
lison and College Grove, al desir-
able points, naturally belongs to
this city and free roads to the county
line would contribute much toward
bringing it this way and overcoming
the competition of Nashville, to
reach which they have to travel
over Just as many miles of road and
pass through six toll gates to get
there. Nashville, Columbia and
Murtreesboro are about equal dis
tances from College Grove, and it is
but reasonable that the people of
that section should go to the larger
city to trade if the smaller places
offer no extra inducement for them
to trade within their gates.
If the County Court should buy
the pixies now in this county and
convert them into free roads,
would advise the following extern
sions to points not on the railroad
but neighborhoods, out of which a
large volume Of business can be
drawn. Extend the Santa Fe pike
to the point where the counties OF
Williamson, Hickman and Maury
come together near Lodebar. Then
having built to the Jones Valley
neighborhood, begin at Cross Bridge:
and build to Hampshire, Kettle
Mills and Isom's Store. Rebuild
the Mooresville pike from where il
is kept up at present, to Culleoka
where it will intersect with the
pike from Mooresville to Culleoka
Then eastward from the end of the
SOwell Mill pike to LIZARDS Mills
or Berlin, in Marshall county.
The trade of Giles and LawrancC
counties are brought to us by raj
road, but the above mentioned eX'
tensions are badly needed, L be
lieve that good roads contribute al
much toward the material develop
ment of a county as the railroads
A farm on a good road will invaria
bly, command a better cash price
than one of equal size and fertility
off few miles from a well KEEP
high way. Let us have good roads
and free roads, so that we all cal
visit our neighbors and friends
either on business or for social in
tercourse, without having to pay fOl
it every five miles.
Yours Truly, r.