Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-02-26
About County Roads.
ARCADIA, Mo-, Feb. 81, |

ARCADIA, Mo-, Feb. 81, 1908.
Ed. RegiSter:-I would like an OPP
portunity to make a few suggestions
in your paper to the honorable County
Court of Iron county, aud any one else
it may concern, about our horrible and
disgraceful county roads.
Under the present road law our
county roads never will amount to
anything. What little money is ap-
%propriated by the county and State,
the lions share goes into the pockets
of the county roadoverseers; what
little balance is left goes to a lot of
worthless hands who give the roads a
lick and a promise to do better next
year-which never comes.
A little poll tax is collected (Which
is not half of what ought to be col
lected); that which is not collected
goes towards buying votes for road
overseers for next election. With
such a road law what can be expected,
Give US back the road law which de-
feated DR.. Farrar, Jr., of Belleview,
Mo. This was a good, wholesome,
honest road law, and ought to have
been enforced to the letter by our
County Court. This was a shame on
our State legislators, who did not have
back bone enough to stand up for a
just law; who to humor a few county
roadoverseers, repealed it. Now,
then, as I understand it, this DR..
Farrar law (as l will call it) is not re-
pealed entirely, but is left optional
with the County Court If they see fit
to work under it.
If the County Court will appoint
Mr.. John Schwab. Sr., of Pilot'Knob,
Mr.. S. P. Ringo, of Arcadia, as clerk,
and the writer, we will see that every
dollar is spent and faithfully accounted
for, without money and without price
to the county-we are willing to give
our time-and money If it need be-
to have good roads in these two dis
tricts for once. All that we ask is
that the County Court carry out the
law strictly, to see that the Collector
collects the poll tax without fear or
favor to any one, and we will see that
the Collector is supplied with names
OF all poll tax payers in these two dis
tricts.
Year before last we worke ed under
this law. The Collector was supplied
with names OF all poll tax payers, but
he failed to collect the taxes as he
should have done. | do not know
whose fault this was, but think 1t that
of the County Court. The roads In
this district we're not worked last
year as they ought to have been. II
may have been for lack Of funds; al
any rate, the roads are so miserable II
is difficult for a farmer to come to
town with a n empty wagon, much less
a loaded one.
l think Mr.. Eli AXE is right abou'
the courthouse fence-the courthouse
yard should be turned out as a grazing
place to the COWS OF Ironton. Take
the money the fence would cost-abou
$1,000 or $1500-and divide it pro rats
among the road districts of Iron coun
ty. Not only this amount of money
but every dollar the county can spare
the next five or ten years. Let US tr!
and have some good roads, and thu
travelling public and the coming gen
Grafton will rise up and call you blessed
And this is not all. II this Vale.
and surrounding country is oyer IL
amount to anything as summer home
for our city friends, we must hav,
good ~driveways around our mountain
and give them an opportunity OF see
ing our beautiful scenery. As tn,
, pure air and good water are about al
the attractions we have to offer, w
ought to try to give them some pleas
! ure when they come to visit is durinI
} the hot summer months.
| ! will submit. for the benefit of GU
: County Court, an estimate OF the cos
Of one mile OF rock road. This viii
I only apply to counties blessed wit
rocks and road material that oar b