The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-20
COUNTY ROAD IMPROVEMENT.
Gratifying Condition OF the Work Be-
ing Done Under Direction OF County
commissioners

n movement on the part OF the
New Hanover county commissioners
for public road improvement is devel-
ed by statements made by Colonel
Roger Moore chairman OF the board or
county commissioners in converse
ton with a member of the Messenger
staff yesterday.
First and foremost he said that the
negotiations between the county and
the city authorities looking to the Sc
curing. on the part Of the county. of a
portion Of the rock to be crushed by
the city's new crusher, now being in
stalled at the Burnt mill creek rock
quarry, were practically ssure of re-
suits which would enable the county
to secure from that source a good sup
ply of rock for matchmaking purposes.
Negotiations are also pending which
will result, very probably, in an agree
ment with the company operating the
Castle Hayne Phosphate mines. which
will. combined with the rock gotten
from the city, provide a supply COM
| mensurate with the extent of the ma
cadamized road improvements contem-
| plated, without mourning the expense
of a rock crushing outfit which the
county would otherwise be forced to
buy.
The county convicts (chain gang) are
still at work grading the county road
leading from the city toward Castle
Hayne. They are putting the road in
| thorough condition for the macadam
when the pending negotiations are con-
cluded and the work of hauling the
crushed rock begins. The convicts are
still Quartered at the county work
house and march to and from their
work: but the new camp, n construc-
ton Of which, near the seven mile post,
was authorized by the commissioners
at their last meeting, is now complete
and the %convicts will be Quartered in
the camp tomorrow or Tuesday. This
will enable them to work probably two
and a half or three hours longer each
day so that much more rapid progress
can be made. Another important feat
ure of road improvement which has
been in progress for the past week is
the placing of a good coating of cHo1ls
upon the old Topsail sound IA This
is being done under the supervision Of
Captain Barry. The shell is being
hauled by the people who live in that
section who receive a stipulated price
per cart load for the shell and hauling.
In this way. the road is being very graf
ly improved M the people are being
afforded profitable employment during
this their dull season
During the week just closed consid-
cradle much needed improvement has
been made, on the Greenville sound
road leading out of the city from Cas-
tie street and by he Delgado cotton
mill. The road has been put in good
repair and two small bridges construct
ed.
AS announced in the Messenger a
few days ago all bids for the construc-
ton of the proposed new bridge across
Motifs creek between Wrightsville and
Summer Rest have been rejected and
the work is to be done by Captain
Barry superintendent of public roads,
day labor to be employed for the pur-
pose. The reason for this is that the
bids were all too high, h county au-
thorities being of opinion that a good
substantial bridge can be built there
for less than 500, whereas some of the
bids received were far upwards of 5000.
Captain Barry will procure the neces-
sary timberS and begin the work at
once. The bridge is to be is feet wide
and % feet long and the elevation will
be sufficient to put it out of danger of
an overflow on account of high tides
in the SOUND