Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1897-06-04
REPLY TO HEADLIGHT.
The Clear Fork Road again.

both of which are supposed TO be
working for the benefit of the whole
county, on any question of improv,
ment, should never be mnrred aud
weakened by bitterness OF unfair.
ness; but should always be charac
terized by candor and truth. The
road across East River Mountain is,
per Sc, thing to be desired. In NV
recent communication to the News,
l said nothing to the contrary 1t is
true that took the position that
TIL. citizens of Bland, who will travel
it, aud the merchants of Graham,
who will DO benefited by their trav
els, ought TO bear the principle bur
den OF its construction. If the Cleur
Fork district had the money to build
the road, the question would be
simplified; but it has not. The mon.
ey would be borrowed. The law pro
vides that each district shall hnve
an equal share of the money borrow
eel by the county. There is little
doubt that the ,stiinnte of the prob.
able cost of the road, made by its
advocates, is fur too small. In fnct.
many competent men sny it will cost
-.
$4,000 Instead of $4,000. Is the
couhfy ready to assume nh addition.
al debt of 1000, which would be
necessary i'll order 10 make the ether
two districts equal with the Clenr
Fork district? Men will have differ
ent opinions on this subject. am
IN favor of any and all Legitimate
and wise plans for the cause of good
roads. Perhaps the surest and best
plan is TO give our supervisors power
to increase the road tax.
For whose benefit are roads con.
strncted! There is but one answer
for the benefit of the travelling
public. Who will travel the East
River road when builtf The an
swer is equally clenr-a few of the
Clear Fork citizens of Tazewell and a
great many citizens of Bland. Would
1T not be rather expensive gin 10
our neighbcrs, when we consider
the state of our finances al d the
many bad roads We have within our
own borders? All this is in answer
to the comments of the Headlight on
my former communication to the
NEWS. 1t is hardly worth while to
anawer the good natured thrusts of
"nn esteemed contemporary at the
good people who happen to live near
the beautiful town of Tazewell.' 1t
is hardly to be expected that n man
who visits the county seat semi occa.
sionally by rail, fully underst ands
the conditions, as they exiet, in the
surrounding country. A little inves
tigalion would show him that three
times MS many people travel the 'few
gt od miles of road leading into Taze.
well" as travel the same number OF
miles of road in any other part OF
the county. A little further investi
CATION would show him that these
"few good miles are not the perfect
highways he seems TO think them
The Clear Fork district has alwaye
gotten its share of the road money
tho money borrowed and the money
raised by taxation and the STEW good
miles of road near Tazewell," are no,
i'll that district am now and al
ways in favor of as many miles oI
good road in all parts of the county
as possible, but let us use good
sound judgement in expending the
pittance we have for road building
But let our friend remember thai
the mile Of public road between the
corporations of Tazewell and Nortf
Tazewell, although the most Travelled
mile of public road in the county, il
about the worst mile in the county
CITIZEN.