Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1902-03-19

made use or II strikes me, without know
ing much about such matters. that the sum
OF money mentioned would not build one
bridge. let alone two. The writer OF this
lived at Castleman's Ferry in the big food
OF 1870. and the river was rs inches on the
second Aoor Of Mr.. Osborne's house. This
would necessitate bridge reaching nesrly 20
Mr.. Galloway's shop and would cost large
sum Of money. Furthermore. you would
have to buy out the rights and franchises Of
the owners of thw property, which would
adj considerable to the cost. Not one tenth
OF the people Of this County would be bene-
fitted by these bridges, because they would
have TO furnish the money TO build them
Now have said all l intend to on the
bridge end of the question.
Mr.. Editor il the Board Of Supervisors
had the power given them to submit the
question To the voters of the County whether
they would be willing To bond the County
I'm the sum of $500 or $4,000 To pike the
public roads of the County, and il met with
the approval of the voters. il would be the
grandest days work ever done by the peo-
pie, and would place the County in the front
rank OF progressive counties of the State.
This would not be like bridges across the
shenandoah river-for the benefit of a few
but every man. woman. and child, white,
black, rich. poor, high and low, would re-
Joice in its benign influence Land would
increase % per cent in value, thus raising
taxable values. People with capital would
flock to the County to buy land or to engage
IN other enterprises. II Mr.. ID. c. Snyder,
our pleasant and accommodating real estate
ant e
March, 1902 in this enlightened and pro-
gressive age, called upon by prospective
land buyer. and he was to invite said buyer
to take seat in his buggy to inspect one of
the many farms he has for sale. that, after
leaving the turnpike and entering upon one
OF our County roads, he would not go one
hundred yards before the gentleman would
say, Mr.. Snyder. have seen enough: do
not care to go further; il your people have
no more enterprise than TO have such roads
as l see before me, / do not care TO live
amongst them" The people of Clarke
county are as intelligent as any people in
the State, and why it is, has always been
mystery to me, that they allow these condi-
tions TO exist, when they can't help but
Know It is suicidal and against their best in
terests. 1t is said the public roads mark the
progress and intelligence of people, and, if
there were no exceptions to this rule, our
County, fear would be classed as one of
the most benighted on the face of the earth
1t takes money 10 make roads; we all know
that; bat we have fooled away enough
money To have piked all the roads of the
County. Let us examine, for moment. the
money end of the question. BY small in
e. -.
provide for the interest on the bonds. and
also sinking fund to pay the principal in a
stated time, so that the burden would hardly
toe felt by the taxpayer, and we would have
the roads at once. or in the course of a year
or two. Why, the saving in wagons and
horses alone would pay the additional tax
several times over. There is no county i'm
the world where nature has been more
bountiful in supplying the material for road
building-and that of the very best kind
than the County of Clarke. We have TO paw
road tax, why not get the benefit of il? The
writer Of this sold his wheat for two or three
cents per huShel less than he could have got
ten, by reason of county road that he
could not haul over. l am glad To see we
have Governor who is pushing this matter
u the front; but if ne has dynamic power
sufficient To push Clarke county 10 making
good roads. he will 20 down in history AS
the greatest man OF the age There are
many other considerations that might be
argued for the commencement of this work
but will not take up your space To enum-
crate them. l will say this. in conclusion:
If Mr. Gold or Mr.. Smith could put the
wheels in motion to accomplish this great
good for the County they would be remem-
bered by generations yet to come as the
greatest benefactors the County ever had.
There is nothing in the range of human
endeavOr that would be comparable TO it.
Respectfully,
JOSEPH PRICE.