Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-02-03

Nouic anything Oe more insolent than Il
signified in these wordsg
Dabber calls forth all the writer's from
the "esst-side" to advocate, aggravating
the boys, girls. men and women, TO agi
tate bad bridge principles for poorly
constructed bridges, and to give OBJ
server friendly slap or two" as he had
but one big dab for him.
This is is a chief principle upon which
Dsbber feels will bring bridges, for 8
sensible consideration of the situation
will be the loss of them.
! Dabber says further to the boys and
! girls, "now l hope that every boy and
girl living on the east side who can read
aud write. will come out and denounce
Observers views on the bridges and the
whortleberries until he or she, as the
case MAY be, is brought To a sense of his
or Aer duty" Now, my good boys and
girls, will saw 10 you to first come to q
sense Of duty and justice 10 yourselves,
then, after fairly considering Observers
views upon bridges and the whortleber-
ries, why then is the time to denounce
Observers views, IL yeu think best.
Now, Messrs. Editors, as long as these
good people on the east side, who give
but little forethought as TO the cOnse-
quences of steel bridge building in the
mountain side, are persuaded and en-
coursged by such wool pulling" over
their eyes as is attempted in all such
scribbles, as from Dabber, they will
never reach "a sense OF his or her duty"
| II these people on the east side will take
the views and facts a. stated by Observer
and weigh them up fairly, they will see
I that the sources of revenues from the
whortleberry and sumsc patches with all
other sources Of revenue from the east
side and the rest Of the county. will not
! justify the building Of fine steel bridges
in the mountain sides yet.
Our bridges are not to be built by a
charitable contribution. as signitied by
Dabber's dab" to the wealthy newcom-
ers, who are building fine summer houses
all through the mountain. He says his
knowledge of them is They think more
of five cents than the mountain man does
of a quarter" Therefore we must look
TO a different source for revenue for
bridge building. Although Dabber Fives
these people no credit for liberality, he
fails 10 give them credit for what they
do, for as soon as they build their hand
some houses and improve the grounds
around them, and making many acres
park like, which will enhance the value
of these lands ten times, and must paw
taxes accordingly; this naturally enhsnc-
es all adjacent property for like purposes,
and then, according to Dabber, this will
be no benefit 10 bridge building, nor en-
couragement TO the people not TO risk
$4,000 10 a total los, and 10 wait few
years for development, and the unani-
nous consent of all the people of the
county for a larger appropriation 10
build bridges Of such a character as will
be sure 10 Withstand the floods in the
Shenandoah River and any phase Of the
elements. All, so much for Dabber; he
is a very wise, generous and open heart
ed man. OF course he should have the
care OF the boys and girls.
Now, Messrs. Editors, this bridge mat
ter is mysterious one According e
rumor / suppose the Board Of Superb
sors will take some action soon, and IL i.
to be hoped they will not do anything
unwisely. The matter always looked as
plain to me las the nose on mans face, .
in this way
The people voted $4,000 appro,
priation for the purpose of building two
bridges Of such a character as 10 with
stand the floods Of the Shenandoah.
They employed their engineers 10
draw plans and specifications for these
bridges
3 They advertised these plans for bids
the bids were opened at a certain date
and the lowest bid was $1S, 600 above the
peoples appropriation and wish fol-
bridges
This situation Of the matter then anC
there was certainly up 20" the peopl,
again. But then and there somewher,
an unseen hand was put 10 the below
and blew the engineers up and down t,
cut around the ground and cloth TO sui
the purse. He returned his garment
for another trial, and it seemed TO fit s.
well that a snapshot was made and
seems now to be up TO the shovel an
spade without ever advertising for an
other bid.
Now does this not seem TO be a mos
extraordinary outrageous conducting c
public affairsi to have forced this engi
neer to draw plans and specifications 70
the bridges that he will not endorse an,
has told the Supervisors that all the fill
and steel approaches will be under waite
during the floods in the Shenandoah
and are most likely to wash away in an
such food.
Now as for the road question il la
always been the first issue, and with tn
same amount of energy and money pu
into bodybuilding at the present tim,
as is desired by many people to pu
into shaky bridges ii will be much wisel
So why would it be unwise to lay asid
the bridge question few years and bull
up many roads leading out to thorough
fares to the points for bridges?
1t seems that our wise representative
succeeded in getting his reforms regard
ing a reduction of tolls passed by III
Senate and now will become law. TIL
people of Clarke will ever remembe