Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1910-08-26
GOOD ROADS:
BUT HOW?

1t is believed that the above title
expresses clearly and accurately the
attitude of every thinking man in
the county. y man who does not
think can safely be ignored, for he
is n non-entity. The difference of
opinion is found i'm the answers Civ
en- to the question, HOW?
il may be assumed that Tazewell
people have rs much intellect and
can think as clearly as any other
people. They ought not TO answer
the above question until they have
thought the matter over carefully
and thoroughly. Public opinion is
swayed, for a time, by influence,
miSapprehensions and lack of infor-
nation, but when il finally crystal
Lies, after thorough understanding
OF all the facts, it is very apt t. be
right.
1t becomes very important, then,
that we think right that we begin
with a clear idea of what we want
and what methods may be adopted
TO attain that end.
The following propositions may
be laid down rs self-evident, and,
therefore, acquiseced in by all men
Good roads are great benefit TO
any country and are greatly needed,
are really a necessity and TazewelI
County needs them and ought to
have them.
All the people, no part, need
them, and il is desirable that they
actually benefit as many people as
possible.
3 That they benefit as many peo-
pie rs possible, just rs soon rs posi-
BILE.
That they zoe built as cheaply as
possible, consistent with proper and
permanent methods of construction.
The man who will dispute any
one of the foregoing statements may
be eliminated from any discussion of
the subject, for he is really opposed
for some reason or other, To- any
change in present conditions, upon
the theory that they are ideal.
The foregoing premises being con-
ceded, the real question, the only
question open 10 discussion, is one
of means. That question of means
is: is there any practicable and feas-
ibe way by which all OF these ends
may be attained2 That is the ques-
ton. IL there is, il should be adopt
ed; if not, some second best object
should be our goal.
Let us consider what would have
TO be done, how much road would
have TO be built, To meet the re-
quirements of the second PROPOSE
tion-that as many people as posi-
BILE be benefited? A careful esti-
mate of mileage has been made,
and il has been clearly demonstrated
that l20 miles of good road can be
so distributed as TO directly and Wit
ally benefit every individual citizen
of the county. The I20 miles OF good
road is greatly TO be desired, and
we ought To have that much, il pos
sible, as soon as possible.
OF course the next question Is
that of cost. The real cost per mile
is, rs yet, an unsettled question,
but very practical experiment, in
augurated on business principles, is
being made Shy employing competent
men, at IA per diem, 10 build mile
of road. That will give us actual
figures. But suppose we estimate the
actual cost at "A rather exaggerated
figure and put it at So, 600. 90 per
mile, which is certainly more than
enough, and we would have 5000,
600. 90 as the cost of 100 miles of
road. If that be true, or If the cost
be reduced To $500, 000 90, we could
not, with money in hand or TO be
collected within the near future,
fulfil the requirements OF our third
propoistion-that these roads, which
are TO benefit all the people, should
be built quickly. That being true,
and still bearing in mind the desira-
biIitY of all of our propositions, the
next question is: Is there any way
by which this necessary money can
be provided? The obvious and only
way is by bond issue. We cannot
get the money any other way, that
is certain. The whole matter then
resolves itself TO this: Without q
bond issue we must sacrifice one oil
more of our fundamental PROPOSE
tions.
This being true, we are left TO de.