The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-01
Montgomery County Leads Entire State. MANY IMPROVEMENTS MADE More Than HaH Roads Ase
 Paved. People Have Voted For Massaaesne syssen sf Paks., Fsrssses.x Great Ees.enis Dsvsle,.s.s
 PessibIs.
MANY IMPROVEMENTS MADE

Tn view Of the remarkable campaign over year ago which resulted In . sweeking victory for good roads whiis other amendments to the constitution Of Alabama were voted down, Mont- somery county has been in the iins- light with her splendid public ros6 mileage. But this county graspsd the importance Of good roads lonx before t became such live issue ovsr the entire State. The need for sxsy trana- 4 portation over dirt highways has bean Felt by the forefatheIs Tor dscades back and the result is a we'll dsvelap- cd system of fine bikes ana constant improvement of them.
 The great bikes radiats in sixteen different directions from the city ox Montgomery. They are the arteries Of trade which pours between tise farmg and the city in neyer-sndinx procsa~ sion. They are the great educators. the mighty civtlizers and the sooializ- lng Influence for which they are rarely given credit For there are In connAa- tion with good roads mors qussttonn than economies.
 The road and bridge departments cg the Montgomery county govsrnnanf are run In conjunction. of the public dirt roads there are $50 miles, while there are 4.oel bridges and culverfs. The improved roads in the county az as the following table shows:
 Material Niles Cost per Tot&l oraveid :. ..s4s.4s ss.ooo s7ss.ssa ss Sandclay .. .. se.se i,s0o 7a.4k8 Graded :. ..ss.2S 500 1s.7oe
 - @--.-- s-~~--@ Total :. .sss.io s4.7oo sszs.x4o These figures apply only to the aet- ual construction of the roads up 10 the point Of hardening and do not inciu6s the cost of maintepanee. There is fn the possession of the county eaufp- ment valued at S10s.3Do approximately. While there is interesting talk oS adopting the oil methods of road psr- secting that are applied in acme soukh- srn counties these days. Montxemsfy county has 30 far stuck to ths rock material. The county owns two gravel l pits which comprise soma ga aeres. Gravel Is used for the surfacfnH. There are unlimited quantities of the ar@xea in the northern end of the county. Riv%s Ing q low cost basis for the roads G& that territory.
 It is probable that the county has expended no less than ss00.00o in the erection of bridges and cuiyarts The ! hoard of revenue is using no methods l that do not promise durabia resuits l The timber used in buildin@ bridges ls well crensoted. and many Of She bridges are being construatsd of cen- crefA.
 rhsro have been built already seven concrete bridges in the county as ~
 Getting down to the paved rpeds proper. 1t can be easily estahlfshed that there are here moro miles of such | roads than in any other county Of tha South. There are s3s.is niiIas of than and the records disclose that the cesn ty has during the past fifteen years expended no less thar e2.0aa.000 nn the construction or maintenAnce of good | roads.
 1t Is a significant fact that since tho beginning of this road bailding era the taxable property values e& the county have Increased frcm Ss.D00.eoo | to s20,oo0.00o. This is due in a large measure to the cheap and quick tr&ns- portation for the farm products that fz afforded by the excellent roads leading to the markets. The citizesas of the county no longer doubt the certainty of this economic fact. and as proof eg their convictions they have always voted for bond issues to improve and build roads. only recently large bond issue for good roads was voted by an overwhelming majority. montgomery county H1S sHi0fn ttttfA half of its roads paved, while the nx~ ' craze percentage In the United States is only 2 1-2 and that of the Southern States proper only 3-4.
 And the value of lands in all poF- tions of the county has increased to eight and ten times the value of the same property at the beginning Of the road building era There Is being pFepar- ed in the office of County EngineeF J r. nuUan a r0ad man of M00fWHf4AFv county. This will be used as not only a valuable guide to the autou ohiia tourist, but as well for an attraetive advertisement to bring immigrants to this section.
 Montgomery connty has won and VIII keep the name of the Imperial Good Road County of the South.