The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1897-09-21

thus far but little has been said |
through the press Of either county; so |
with your permission | will submit
few reasons why the commissioners OF !
Logan county showed good judgment
in refusing TO appropriate money for a
bridge at the Franklin ford.
The action OF the Payne county
board certainly loses all force as SUI.
6cient reason 90 influence our board,
since IL is n well known fact that nine
tenths OF the people of Payne county
who would use such a bridge want the
bridge built FIVE miles below that ford;
and but q small number OF Logan
county people have asked for bridge
at that point
The location Of a bridge at any
poiut on the line Of the two counties
should be determined by the demands
OF the travelling public as indicated by
the routes business takes.
No one will for a moment insist that
the citizens OF Payne county who haul
wheat, corn, hogs or cotton 10 Guth-
rie, would ever think OF going TO the
Franklin fcrd unless they lived in the
immediate vicinity Of It, The condi-
tion of the roads, owing 10 the topo
graphy of the country, would dictate
10 them that Mulhsll would be far
easier TO reach than Guthrie, when, TO
get to the latter place by way OF the
Franklin ford, they must pass within
the same distance Of MulhRll, and not
have four miles OF sand TO travel
through.
The business men OF Saltwater, as a
class, do not feel interested in this
matter They do most OF their travel
ing to Guthrie by way Of Orlando, but
the citizens south and southeast OF
Still water, the people who desire 10
reach Guthrie by practicable as well
as direct route, are al most as unit
in favor OF a bridge lower down the
river. Why? Take map and study
the course Of the river and auy one
can see. Where did the old trail,
along which the early settlers Travelled,
cross the river? Five miles below tue
Franklin ford Why Because the
roads were better. So much for the
route trade takes. Now let us con
slider the demands OF the general
public.
The Franklin ford has but one road
leading south and that one Is a mile
vest OF the ford and but one leading
north and that is a mile east Of the
| lOTus n llhNGAtA kOAhk AAAhNA hNA -
cy aouth bg way OF that ford must
double these two miles and gain nc
advantage In roads either way
1t is said that roads will be opened
to the bridge. We reply II the travel
ing public or trade has not opened
those roads heretofore it is conclusive
evidence that there has been no de
mand for them. The public has beer
served elsew here. Why. bless your
soul, there is a sand ridge fifty feet
high right across the township line,
within one-fourth of mile east oi
the ford, and the travel has gone
around south OF it until fenced Off
and now 1t curves north of 1t through
mans fHrLn. and yet some citizens oil
Logan county, who need bridge for
their personal advantage, ask an ap
preparation OF a thousand or fifteen
hundred dollars OF public money tC
put bridge on road that has nc
legal outlet
We think public funds should b'
judiciously used. Personal interests
should not control in such cases
One member OF the Payne county
board lives near the Franklin ford bu
surely his interest IN his little towr
should not control the board OF Logar
county. As much money can be Sc
! cured from other and mere accessible,
| points as can be secured for that poin
and no charge OF personal interest b'
maintained
We, OF Langston, only ask I
! thorough discussion and careful ex
animation OF the different points tina
have been named in connection will
this bridge aud we will be satisfied
but we do insist that our commission
ers have shown good judgment in re
fusing TO assist in huilding a bridge
for local rather than public use
FAlRPLAY,
Langston, o. Il.