The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1909-01-28
BOND COMMISSIONERS
MEET CITIZENS

Tuesday commissioners met with
citizens committee i'll the city under
the auspices and management of the
Commercial Clubs committee, Hon.
A. II. Johnson, chairman. There was
much earnestness and interest display
ed In discussing The subject, and after
II WAS pretty well gone over and ex-
haustive considered, The following mo-
ton was adopted;
"Moved by w. f. Carter and second
ed by NJ. |. Gump, That we recon-
mend to the bond commissioners that
the proceeds OF the $l5O,O0O bond sale,
II authorized hy The voters vi the couu.
~ March Ky, DO expended na follows:
Ten miles of road leading out from
Johnson City in the general directions
of Yorktown; ten miles of road lea,,ing
out from JOnesboro in the direction Of
Fall Branch; three miles OF road lead
ing out from Telford in the direction of
COnkling; and five miles of road lead
ing out from Limestone in the direction
AS prescribed by the commissioners:
Provided, that if there should be \ sur
plus after improving said milage such
surplus be expended in extending said
roads in the proportion as above sci
forth, and that il he further recon.
mended to the commissioners that they
announce through the newspapers n
meeting of the citizens of the county
TO be held in JonesbOro on Saturday,
January 30, to consult and advise ~ 10
the feasibility Of the plans above ont
lined, and TO suggest and determine ON
a definite plan for the expenditure Of
the said bond fund"
The motion was carried by unanim-
Gus viva voce vote.
There is but one criticism we have 10
offer, and that is the approximate cost
per mile for road building, with ali the
available rock we have right at hand
AS indicated, the number OF miles pro-
vided for would approximate cost Of
$1,000 mile. OF course this is q sa.e
way 10 state the matter and applyiug
the proviso that any surplus may De
added proportionately In extension
covers the ground fully. We simply
want TO make the matter plain 81 ey-
cry one can understand. We believe,
in fact, we know, that the best Of mac
adam road can or should, let US say, lie
built in this section for $4,000 or ISIS
the mile, and in the next issue Of our
paper we will give ssme correct cnsts
of different kinds Of roads in different
sections of the country.
To our mind and the only fair, Just
and business like way TO build The
roads is by contract Have the plans
made and Oh these have contractors
bid on the work, and to the lowest and
DcSt bidder lei the contract. Put the
contractor under bond and then have
his work passed on by competent road
builders or engineers. In that way
there can be no graft and the very low
est possible price will be secured.
There NAV be some sections in the
county where the people are not in fa-
vor of this movement, but il is because
, they do not understand il; when they
do they will vote for 1t.
No other one thing can and will help
the farmer SO much as good roads.
Washington county is practically the
only county in East Tennessee which
has not voted bonds for good roads,
and in all counties whore the good
: roads movement Is on and macadam
roads built, they are anxious and ready
to vote more bonds to extend the work.
We feel quite sure that Washington
county, the banner county of East Ten
nessee, the oldest historical county in
the state, will not be found wanting
when the votes are counted. Lev every
good citizen and every person who has
r the welfare of the farmer at heart work
for good roads from now until March l8