The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1905-08-24

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tractor3 A court and juryl How
with 20 lay witnesses to testify. OF
behalf of the county, that the spec
i6cations had not been complied
with in the most important partic'
ulars, and as many expert wit
nesses," on behalf of the contractor
to testify that they had been sub
stantiaIly complied with in all ex-
cept some very trivial and inmate
terial points Oh, 6ddle-sticks
Or maybe the Board might try to
exercise its doubtful powers to EN-
ploy special expert to 60 over all
the county roads and make note of
all the instances wherein the con-
tractor had failed to come up to
specification requirements. But
even here there are ten chances to
one that the experienced contractor
could beat that game. Besides, un-
less such an expert was too nearly
a master of the art and practice of
the art of road-making for a ten
cent lawyer to prove by himself
that he was no expert" at all, his
testimony would have but little
weight. And If he was a "sure
enough expert" his bill would at
least double the maximum annual
salary of county Road Commits
sioner.
Let 10 reader think I am trying
to throw cold water OH the attempt
to improve our roads. On the con-
trary l doubt if any one else is more
favorable to tina attempt; provided,
only. proper caution and care is
taken to make it both successful
and satisfying to them who will
have to bear the principal burdens.
I am simply of the opinion that
whatever step is now taken will
probably affect, for good or i'll, all
the enterprises Of our people for at
least the next decade. I am also Of
the opinion that by the appoint
meut of a really competent road
commissioner we can have better,
much better, roads the year round !
than we are likely to obtain by
erring into such hap-hazard con-
tract plan as those who now seem to
have the Inside track" are urging
upon us. More, believe that the
commissioner plan will not only
give better results, but better re-
suits at less than tenth of the
cost and inconvenience to the mer-
chants and farmers who have to
both pay the extra taxes and ad-
vance the cash commutation pay
ments for theii hands and custom
ers Ito say nothing of the saving
from badgerings and hardships of
the road hands themselves.
Another thing that seems to be
lost sight of is the fact that good
business sense requires US to differ
entiate between the initial work
and cost of bringing up the desired
standard. and the subsequent much
lighter and less expensive work Of
simply maintaining them up to that
standard. A road commissioner,
If competent road-maker, can
quickly and easily determine all
those spots where it is desirable to
engage contractors to do the work
Of which each such spot stands spec
Ialiy in need and be able to not
only advise the letting of the con-
tracts therefor. but also to inform
the Board of Supervisors within
what limits bids should range
Then his hands could, under his
directions, maintain it
in the good condition to which this
comparatively small amount of con-
tracting had brought it up.
Possibly the Board has already /
considered and prepared a
way to avoid all the dangers above
limited at. I hope they have. or at
least, that before taking definite ac-
ton they will. Some seem to think,
however. that the possession of a
few of the cumbersome and highly
$500 Trust road ma
chimes will do it all. They forget
that none Of that class of machines
are we'll adapted to at least three
Fourths Of our road mileage. One
Of George Fry's combined scrapers
and graders (Which only costs about ,