The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1909-04-16
THE BOND ELECTION.

vital Importance to the people of st.
Lucie county. 1t will mark the begin
ming of progressive era-the starting
of a remarkable internal development;
or it will mark the beginning of a
sluggish existence, with little improve
ment in any of the rural sections.
Next Tuesday is the day on which the
people of st. Lucie county will go to
the polls to determine the question
whether or not st. Lucie county shall
issue $3.50, 600 in bonds for the purpose
of constructing rock roads in st. Lucie
county.
No greater question was ever pre-
scented to the voters of the county -
certainly none that so greatly affects
the future greatness and prosperity of
our people. The whole county is cry
ing for better roads, and the roads from
Vero to Fort Pierce, from Mile
creek to Fort Pierce, from Waveland
to Fort Pierce from Rio to Jensen,
from White City bridge to Indian River
and several short roads from railroad
stations to river in the north end of
the county are immediate necessities,
while the road as projected from Vero
to Roseland would : a great conven-
fence to many, and in some measure
necessity. 1t would pass through one
of the best farming and fruit and vege-
table growing sections in the county,
and with a good rock road would soon
be settled up and become thickly set
tied section, which would bring to the
people there better schools and other
conveniences and necessities.
During the course of the campaign,
which has extended over several
months, THE TRIBUNE has devoted COL
umn after column to the cause of the
bond issue, with no hope of gain, ex-
cept that we can be of service to the
people of st. Lucie county. We have
shown that at our present valuation
$3.50, 900 in bonds can be met, principal
and interest, with tax of five mills,
one and two mills less than we have
paid for special road tax for the past
ten years. At the expiration of ten
years, three mill tax would iquidate
the bonds.
The enterprising citizens of the coun-
ty have met and framed a special bond
ing law, which was passed by the leg
lslature. This law protects the citi-
zens and tax payers from any and all
abuse, and safeguards the funds from
mlsmanagement or from being squan-
dered. These same citizens have met
in the several dist lets of the county
and nominated six of the best citizens
of the county as road bond trustees,
from whom the voters will select three
to manage the funds entrusted to their
care. Everything has been done for
the interests Of the people that can be
done, and now their sanction of the
bond issue is awaited at the polls.
1t is evident to all unprecedented
minds that something must he done to
permanently improve the roads. The
taxpayers and farmers are dissatisfied
With the makeShlft roads of the county,
md the land owners can never hope for
iales or increase in values until there
ire better roads. The only possible
nance Of getting them is to bond; the
O-milI tax for ten years, would not
produce nearly as good results, and the
ost to the tax payers would be double,
II more than double, the cost of float
ng bonds.
Let every progressive citizen of the
ounty be ut the polls early, and see |
hat every possible vote for bonds is
asst. \