The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-16

To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journal:
In Mondays issue 1 notice an article by
Judge +. S. Kennedy on the question of road
repairs in which he criticises road supervis-
Ors. Having been a resident of his county
for a number of years and had some ex-
perience with supervisors in my township
Goal Creek will have to disagree with
the judge in regard to his idea of doing
away with the Office of supervisor. The
judge, being an able lawyer, knows that
the supervisor is limited to the sum of $45
per annum for his personal services. think
in the year 1887 we built about two miles
of gravel road through Elmdae with popu-
lar subscription; a number of farmers
worked out $50 as donation, besides their
land tax, of which there is so much written
about. Several miles have been added
since, all built without pay except that the
township trustee paid 10 cents per yard for
the gravel and the much-abused supervisor
donated his time along with the rest of
those enterprising farmers. The trouble is
with the people, In six cases out of ten
the citizens will look over their road district
and select man who is absolutely unfit
for anything else and elect him supervisor
in many cases a day laborer that owns no
property In the district, and has no personal
interest in the roads. / have not read OF any
supervisor being prosecuted in the State the
past year for embezZlement or padding his
bills, and / will risk the assertion that they
are as honest as the average OtHceh0ldef
Let us see how they compare with the Cir
cult Courts of the State. The sixty judicial
judges were paid last year in salaries at
$500 per annum, $150,000, and $4,000 as spe-
cial judges. making in round numbers $l99,-
COO If a special judge is called to Crawfords-
Vile to hold court Judge West salary gees
on all the same, the special judge draws
his salary at home and charges from So to
81 a day as special judge. Are not the peo-
pie paying three salaries for one service?
And this is the rule, not the exception.
During the period of construction of the
fine gravel roads in Montgomery county the
county surveyor charged 800 days in one
year; 60 per cent. of all the tax levies for
over the State, and ! challenge any man to
duplicate these abuses by the scape-
goat the supervisor. i would COM
mence reforming right here. / would
take these special judge fees Of $4,000
away from the judges and raise the super
a better man; ] would raise the gravel
shoVelers from $l.l0 to $3.50 and teams from
$2.25 to IS. Suppose each of the ninety-twO
counties had its share of the $4,000, which
mile of gravel road; in my neighborhood it
would take more, in other counties less |
will say we could construct twenty-five to
thirty miles with this money. This road
question all started by bicycle manu-
facturers and sports i'm the interest of the
compelling all farmers &c use wagon with
ten-inch tires, with the rear axle tweTty
inches longer than the front one, thus MAX
ing Il rolling surface of forty inches. / do
to reforms in the interest of the people,
am / a supervisor; / never have been
and am not a candidate.
Gray, Ind, Jan. IA. r. +. BOWLES.