The Palatka news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1907-08-30
THE PROPOSED
RIVER BRIDGE.
Palatka Board Of Trade Makes
Appeal to Tax Payers.

To THE TAXPAYERS OF PUTNAM Co /:
The Board of Trade of the City of
Palatka, has for some time been ae-
tive in advocating certain measures
for the improvement of the city of
Palatka and the county of Putnam.
We have tried to think out in an in
telligent manner all subjects that
have been presented for considera-
ton, and we have advocated only
such measures as we thought would
stand the test of impartial Judge
ment. Needed Improvements have
been inaugurated and their fulfill
ment an assured fact, as may be evil
denced by our new $22, 900 depot; our
! system of sidewalks NOW buildings;
! the Palatka-Interlachen hard road
(now building), for which the citi-
zens of Palatka, alone, give $1,000;
improvements to city and county
property; the recommendation by
the resident government engineers,
to the War Department, that l6-
foot channel be cut from Palrtka to
Jacksonville, at a cost of 100000,
bears great promise. This will give
a lineup of the character of the
work being done by our Board of
Trade.
The Palatka Board of Trade is a
strong supporter of practical hard
road construction for all of Patnam
county, and that these roads be built
as rapidly as possible.
Our board put new life into the
project of a road to 1nterlachen, at a
time when it was apparently dead,
and the road is now under cOnstruc-
tiOn.
Dnl Il E n 4 4. : l.,
II bridge across the st. Johns river q
necessary link in the chain of hard
road construction. 1t is our idea
that bridge will ultimately decide
the route of any hard road which
may be built, from east to west,
across the state. Can you not see
the Treat Importance to Putnam
county in such a road? A, bridge
would be the link in the chain reach
ing toward the Volusia county line,
a road which should in the near fu-
ture be started. Our Board of Trade
would favor such road and work
for it. We are now in line with hard
road construction, and in safe and
sane way, we stand for such work.
We understand that good hard road
material is to be had in abundance
at Grandin and, therefore, road con-
struction would be quite inexpensive
in that locality.
In order that this system of hard
roads may be worked out, it seems
to US that a bridge is a necessity.
We most surely recommend that it
be built. The county commission
ers have demonstrated to our salts
faction that they can build and pay
for the bridge in the allotted time.
We have gone into this question and
are satisfied. We believe that GER
tain sources of revenue will be much
larger than they figure them. We
do not believe they need add any
millage for the payment of this
bridge. We understand the Govern
ment will allow the bridge to be
built south of the F. E. G. Ry.,
bridge. This will be more central
and accommodate better all the peo-
pie OF east Putnam and those on the
Peninsula, so called. Can you not
see in the not distant future
Hard Roads-From st. Augustine
to Gainesville via bridge and Inter
lachen; From othe Volusia county
line to Palatka via the bridge; From
Grandin to Palatka; From Bostwick
and points north to Palatka; All
points connecting with all points
east, west, north, south?
If you do see it this way, why not
advocate the bridge? Urge your
commissioners to let the contract for
its construction as soon as it is pos
sible to do So 1t will add more to
the value of farm property than any
other combination of improvements
could possibly do, By order of
PALATKA BOARD OF TRADE.
HOWELL A. DAVIS, President.
ii. M. DE MONTMOLLIN, Secretary.
Palatka, August 26, 1907.