The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1897-12-25
Judge Gordon on Public Roads.

Judge G0fuOn on fuDIic hOduS.
From the Richmond Conservator.
Below we publish a paper prepared
by Judge A. Gordon, of Knoxville
township, which he intended to read ut
the Good Roads convention held In
Lexington recently, but being unavoid-
ably absent, was prevented from doing
so. Following is the paper as pre-
pared and sent TO us for publication:
81 am forced 10 the conclusion that
1t Is impossible to permanently im-
prove and maintain the public roads of
The state under u present imperfect
system of working them.
ssThe revenue derived under our
present laws 10 be expended on the
public roads, is only sufficient to keep
them in barely a passable condition,
and altogether inadequate TO perma-
nently and substantially improve them
The law contemplates that the labor
should be equally distributed on all the
public roads of the district. In order
to do this, 1t frequently C that
very bad places are only patched up SO
they can be travelled in order that roads
IN other parts of the district may
receive their proper share of the labor.
II those bad places had been sub
stantially repaired they would possibly
have needed no more attention for
years, bnt being lett in an unfinished
condition for the want of sufficient
labor 10 properly repair them, thy are
found in the recurring season in equally
as bad, and often in n worse condition
than The year previous, until material
to repair them in some places Is
becoming an object.
1.-The funds that are at the disposal
of the overseers arc almost entirely
exhausted in buying tools n material
and remuneRatIng the overseers for
their services. Hence, the means that
are available for working the road Is
that derived from the poll tax, and
that BONES In suoh q that the
least possible good IL derived from It.
The law provides that each poll tax
payer has the right to pay his poll IN
so much cash or with so many days
work on the road with a hand or u
hand and team, they usually elect to
work it out, which almost invariably
results in the poorest hands and teams
being sent on the roads, and the best
being kept at home on the farm. The
overseer having 10 break in u now set
of hards and teams about every other
day, The result is, there is not nearly so
much work done, and that what is
done is not so well done, had he have
had good hands and teams. 1t is i'm
possible to build and maintain good
roads unless the pYerseers are provided
with sufficient funds TO enable them 10
do permanent and substantial work.
HGrsde all roads that need IL. Work
down the steep hills, and build good,
substantial eulyerts either with thing or
stone wherever needed. In considers
ton Of the fac that some communities
demand better roads than others, and
the cItizens of some localities desire
better roads and are willing to pay for
them. / would suggest an amendment
to our state constitution, and a change
in our laws, providing for a local
option road law by counties, giving
each county the option of adopting a
law by 8 majority vote, providing tor
the county court of each county Thus
voting to divide their respective
counties into districts of convenient
size, not so small that the buying of
proper tools would be Il burden, and
further proYide that each district hold
an annual election at some ceptral point
and stated time. for the purpose of
electing an oyerseer and determining
the rate of levy OF tue n hundred
dollars assessed valuation of the dis
trict. for road purposes, said levy not
10 exceed, say thirty, thiriy-five or
forty cents. The tag thus raised TO be
collected and accounted for as other
county taxes, and be placed TO the
credit of the district from which ii was
collected, and be used exclusively in
that district for the purpose Of remun-
Grating the overseer for his services, for
buying suitable tools and material, and
for building and repairing tho public
roads and bridges in the district. The
overseer employing good bands and
teams al q reasonable amount per
diem. This lax being supplemented by
"A reasonable poll TAX. am OF the
opinion this kind of a law wonld
.1UcalIza the interest in working the
road, that the districts that desired
good roads could haFe them, and those
that expended the greatest amount of
means would have the best.
"rhat IL would naturally stimulate
an interest in good roads by arousIng q
spirit of emulation between contiguous
districts, That each district would vie
with adjoining districts to excel In
having good roads, and hence, Gseh
community would have better roads,
which would DO a source OF s~aiisfac-
lion and enjoyment to each citizen, aud
great benefit to the state"