The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-08-09
AND WHAT IS TO BE DONE
Every Prominent Highway to be
Nacadamized in Ten Years.
SPENDING s25, 600 YEAR IN THIS WORK
And Working Large Numbers Of conycts. The
Eastern Road 10 be Macadamz.d TO
The Wake Line by Spring. A
Big Damage Suit.
Especial to News and Observer.


Especial to News and Observer)
Durham, N. c., August S.-The county
commissioners did very little "a their reg
uiar meeting this week, the last session of
which was held today, except look after
the routine work of the county.
A resolution passed yes erday called on
the board of city aldermen to macada
miZe the East Main street extension, that
portion of Main street take in by the ca
tension Of the city limits. Sometime ago
the city aldermen propos I'd to the coun-
ty authorities that if the road going east
was graded and macadlnlzel then tie
city would put this portion CT Main street
in good repair at once. The county road
has been macadamized from tho limits 10
point below East, Durham and nov they
ask that the city look after the other
work. This will be done at once.
superintendent Pollard, of the road
force, tells me that he will have the
eastern road macada1nized to the Wake
county line by early spring, allowing for
considerable loss of time during the win
ter season. He is now working some
forty-five hands ana the number will be
recruited when the August Term OF court
convenes on the 2Sth of this month. When
the new road is completed it will give
Durham macadamized highway more
than twelve miles long, running through
the city with Main street.
Durham caught the good roads fever
from Mecklenburg a Few years ago. when
a committee was sent there to look into
the work. Since then nearly all Of the
public roads in the county have been
graded and macadamized out several miles
from the city. The road movement is
costing some twenty-five thousand dollars
year besides the working of large num-
hers of convicts sent to the roads from
this and adjoining counties. 1t is said
that within ten years nearly every prom
inent highway in the county will have
been graded and macadamized.
When the good road movement first
started in Durham county there was OPP
position on all sides. The matter of
buying improved machinery and going to
work in a systematic way was discussed
for sometime, and finally the board of
magistrates, who then had the matter in
charge, was called. There was much dis
cussion of the subject and finally it was
put to vote and the result WAS that
there was a tie. One of the members of
the board, who had asked to be excused
unless there was tie then voted in the
affirmative and the matter was carried.
1t is one of the strange things in con-
nection with the good roads movement
that magistrates living in the country,
the very people who would be benefited
most by the move, nearly all voted
against it. Durham pays about seven.
eighths of the road tax in the county and
had to actually out-vote the other town
ships to make them accept this money.
Now there is hardly a man in the coun-
ty VINO would hear of change, unless
II was to do more work. 1t serves to show
how public opinion can change
A big damage suit against the Seaboard
Air Line road will be tried in Person
county next week. At least it is set for
trial. The plaintiff is Mr.. Lee, whose son
was killed in Durham more than a year
aeo. He asks for twenty thousand dol
lars damage. Sidney Lee was the name
of the young man. He came here With his
father and several friends, bringing a COW
and some tobacco. After breakfast he
went out to "see the train" and while
standing on the Seaboard track watching
train on the Southern yard he was
killed. Eye witnesses say that he was
standing near the track until the Sea-
board shifter was near him. He then
stepped IN on the track and was killed
before the train could oe stopped.
Rev. T. J. Gattis, of Charlotte, who
has been ill here for several days, is
now much better his friends will be glad
to learn. For several days he was con-
fined to the home of his daught or, Mrs.
4. G. Dunlap. Mrs. Gattis has also been
in very feeble health for many months
but is now almost entirely recovered
Adolphus Hill, colored who has been
working for Mr. d. c. Byron, West Dur
ham, has suddenly disappeared with the
watch of Mr.. Byron and some money be-
longing to his wife.
County Treasurer Paschall Lunsford has
been confined to his room for several
days with rising. Justice d. {. .,unter
is acting in the capacity of treasurer.
Mr.. j Henry Bonar, the North Carolina
poet and literary man, has been quite i'll
at Fuquay Springs A letter from the
springs say that he is much better and
his friends are more hopeful. Mrs. Bonar
is with him.
Contract has been given for the cree
ton of new building or Main street.
A. j. Ellis will have the building put up
and Contractor Houston will do the work,
1T viii be two stories with plate glass ard
pressed brick front. Work will begin
at once.