The Adair County news., 1905-03-15

Our article OF last week and
the week before touching the
present system of road making
in this county, were not intended
to provoke discussion with any
one, but the county Judge seems
to construe them as a slap at the
road machine and a dictation to
the Fiscal court. We are not in
clined to pluck one feather from
the crown Of any man, nor dis
courage any movement that tends
to better public conditions. We
have no ak to grind and no po-
litical ambition to follow-do not
hold Office and never asked for a
position of public trust, but in
common with the great bulk Of
humanity,sare ready to approve
the right though often slow to
expose and condemn wrong.
We have no desire to dictate to
the Fiscal court and it is gener-
ally understood that the News
has never suggested a move on
the part Of the public that it
would not heartily assist. Why
the Judge should not credit us
with true motives and an honest
desire to aid the building of good
roads is, indeed, strange for no
one in this community has work
ed harder for public improve
ments, though many may have
accomplished more. In his wri-
tings of last week, he claims
that much permanent good has
been accomplished by the use of
the road machine, and advocates
continuing its use, while we be-
lieve that the good done is but of
few months and full Of touble,
and unless stone can be applied
to the grades made, it would be
wise to. set it aside. The making
of substantial and permanent
roads can not be accomplished by
the use of dirt alone, and the fill
ing in or rounding up with dirt
is almost as feeting as our sea-
sons. The grader will not work
to advantage on rough places,
stony ground or where the earth
is full of roots, neither can it be
successfully operated in real
hard land. Its use is limited to
probably less than so per cent.
of our roads. There are some
places which it can be used to
advantage, but no place where it
will make a road that will stand
the strain of heavy traffic in Win
ter time. From the standpoint
of expense, measured by the
permanent good accomplished, we
believe it an expensive luxury,
but the Judge takes the other
view and says; The actual ex-
pense of running the road ma
chine outside of a few repairs
during the year 19O2Swas 1923. IL
During the year 1908 it was
$376.17, and during last seas on
it was 1925. %, making a total of
$1094.57 in three years. Such a
burden! ! Will the News be fair
enough to examine the record of
settlements made for those years
by the receiver of the Adair
county road fund and Judge of
Adalr county court, and print
the above facts in it's columns?"
Doubtless the above; amount full
ly covered the expense of horse
power and paid the men who OPP
Grated its Storage wheels, but
the expense growing out of it's
purchase and use should be
charged up to it's operation. If
our memory is correct, prior to
the purchase of the Machine"
this county had no Road Com
missioner, but the overseers did
their work as we'll then as now.
After the Machine" was pur-
chased it is our recollection that
the county Judge performed the
duties of Road Commissioner in
1902, and was paid for said SER
vices out of the road fund. In
1903, he again performed said