The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-15
WHAT Is REMEDY FOR ROUGH ROADS
 OF THE COUNTY? One Man Thinks There Is Too Much High Priced Hu-
 man Machinery
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
 SAVED BY SOME CHANGES
J. L. Nail Says He Has Never Seen County Roads In As Bad Condl. tion As They Are At
 Present.

The people for whom the good road campaign was begun are taking up their own battle. They are driving into Bir- mingham through the valley of the sink hole or if the road cannot be forded they are sitting down and wBiting their complaints and suggestions.
 Birmingham people, returning from ex- cursions into the desert of Mudhara. are Investigating the causes, and the reme- dies for themselves. The Age-Herald Is receiving letters, and telephone mes- sages, all of\whch will be given the proper publicity in the campaign.
 J. l.. Nail, an old citizen, and a former member of the county board of com missioners, yesterday made statement which it is believed goes to the very bot tom of the evil. MT. Nail said:
 'I noticed an article in Mondays Age Herald, in which Col. Sam Will John is quoted as saying, among other things, that it would be suicidal to let the splen- did roads of Jefferson county go down, and in the same article you invite sug- gestions from the citizens of the county in reference to the road question. This question yitally concerns not only every citizen of Jefferson county, but the citi- zens of a large number of counties sur rounding Jefferson.
 "A remedy is what the people want and my humble opinion is that that remedy cannot be had until there are some radical changes made in the laws pertaining to and controlling the maintenance of our iOh In is too much high priced idle machinery to be taken care of before the actual re- pair work begins on the roads.
 "The machinery I particularly refer to, is the five members of the Board of Reye- nue on salary of $1500 each per year, besides mileage once per week, who are practically idle from one-half to two- thirds of their time-the great number of county mules and their keepers at the different camps in the county standing idle the greater part of the winter months and early spring months. These are sheltered at the expense of the county. The mules are fed and shod at the ex- pense of the county-harness, wagons, road tools and machinery are repaired at the expense of the county. The keep
 
 the county.
 ''The road supervisor, whose duty, as I understand it. is to personally supervise every mile of the 1900 miles of public roads in the county, which is an utter impossibilty, but draws a salary from the county of $500 or $1SO0 per annum, besides certain perquisites, such as of- flee fixtures, stationary, etc. The two clerks of the Board of Revenue at a salary of 5000 or s12OO per annum are paid by the county.
 "The remedy, I beg to suggest, is to abolish the office of road supervisor, repeal the law providing for clerk or clerks for the Board of Revenue, enact a law dividing the county into as many road districts as there are members of the Board of Revenue, and make it in- cumbent on each member of the said board to take full charge and personally supervise the work of all kinds on the public roads in his district. Sell sall mules and wagons belonging to the county, and only keep or supply snch road tools and other machinery as will cost nothing while idle.
 'sIn adopting these plans, it can readily be seen that the county would save thousands of dollars which could be ap- piled to the actual repairs on our public roads.
 "The plan herein suggested is made from practical experience of two or more years, ending September 1, 1896, while serving as a member of the court of county conn., missioners. Soon after the above date, very radical change was made in the laws governing the maintenance of our public highways, and the statements come from hundreds of citizens that the con- dition of the roads of the county has been gradually growing worse year after year ever since.
 .'In conclusion, I desire to say that my avocation carries me over the public roads of the entire county, and l have never seen the roads, both macadam and dirt. in as bad condition as they are now