The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1907-02-01
A GOOD ARTICLE.

.
County is worth reading. 1t was
reproduced from the Breeders
Gazette, but it contains much that
is similar to the speech made BY
Lancaster himself when he adj.
dressed the Worshipful County
Court of Obion County few
months ago. The article is worth
saving and reproducing and
reading.
With more light upon the SUBJ
ject we have about reached the
conclusion that Obion County
should issue bonds for the con
struction of good roads. For some
time we have held this to be a
mooted question. In the first place
we cannot have good roads until
we have hard roads. We have
also reached that conclusion after
reviewing the experience Union
City has had with her streets. Not
longer than few days ago we
rode with Mr.. Semones in his
buggy over the streets. They were
in a horrible shape. Streets that
he had worked and rolled and
packed were hub deep in mud.
mo use, said Mr.. Semoues; ''you
can't do anything with them! Obion
County dirt won't make good
roads," So it is with the streets
which are graded. Every year it
is necessary to lay on more gravel
and still they are muddy and full
of holes. We remember only
few years ago hearing Mayor Jno.
I. Walker say that it was useless
to attempt making good roads by
covering the dirt in Obion County
with gravel, for the reason that
the gravel would sink too far be
low the surface for practical pur-
poses.
All the experiments needed to
show that anything short Of hard
/
surfaced roads will be failure in
Obion County have been thor
oughly made upon the streets of
Union City. With these facts be
fore Us, the only alternative is the
of hard roads, and the
only way we can hope to secure
hard roads is through the issuance
Of bonds. And right here we take ,
occasion to reprint part Of that
letter, in order to show that the |
sentiment prevailing here now was
the same then in Madison County: !
1t took lot of effort to move the {
authorities, but at last little begin
ming was made and some stone laid /
down. There was much opposition.
Yet the people liked the road, and the
road sprouted. In 1908 the roads in
winter became impossible, men came y
IN for groceries afoot. A great meet (
Ing was called to discuss roads and i
ways and means, Sam Lancaster back
If 1t ALL He had bill drawn EN-
the issuing OF bonds for road
to the amount Of Sl50,000
md put In care of a friend shTewd in
,uch matters. The meeting was a Z
warm one, and the discussion took
fery varied sides. Most OF the ICON
,efyativesn were opposed to bonds;
tax and pay as we go'' was their argu- c
nent. That meant nothing doing. "
After weary arguments and no appar- q
mt progress, an old man arose, tired /,
I'D man, splattered with red mud from
read to foot, his boots caked with
mud, his trousers painted with it. In 7
feeble voice and with deprecating Q
manner this old man said: I
"Mr. Chairman, ! live out a few :
niles from town, have little farm
nd little sawmill. can't come to :
own now in any other way than afoct
came to this merchants store turn {
ng to one of the strongest opponents c
( the bond issue) and bought about a
worth Of groceries to-day. viii !,
AIRY them home on my back. II is :.
he only way | can take them home. q
Tow need more than s25 worth OF Il
Kings from his store, and IL | could Il
ct to town with my team l could 4,
ring enough stuff that have for
ale In one lead to pay for the store
Kings. would like to see a good road 2
efore / die. Mr., Chairman, must o
e going soon, for 1t is a long walk Il
through the mud to my place. = :
A silence fell upon the assembly. s
The merchant was abashed, then he =
Ilmself aftse and offered a resolution q