The Paducah evening sun., 1910-01-04

az miles 80. 80. 1,267.2s
Potter Shop and Friendship
Church road, 2 miles :. 10000
Handson and Williams
road, 2ik miles ....... S44.0O
station road, 2 miles -. $4,000
miles .......... :. 4,ssONO
Hinkleville and Mayfield
road, 2ls mikes, where
the road was opened and
graveled entirely at the
cost Of the county s,1OO.O 90
Total cost to county. SAT, $4,000
Short roads. less than
mile, aggregating miles
in length, in making fiji
work and approaches to
bridges &C.. ......... 1,lOO.OO
Grand total cost to
county -. .... .$4S, $500
Total number of miles of new
gravel roads built by the administra-
ton, 100. Average cost per mile to
the county, $4ss.9O.
Inc UunlDtf VI HilltS VI EidNCA
roads bought from the toll gate COM
panies amounted to thirty-two (32),
so that it will be observed that we
now have 1872 miles Of gravel road In
McCracken county. The amount OF
$50 500 was paid by this administra-
tlon for the gravel roads thus bought
from the toll gate companies, ex-
cepting the sum OF $4,000 now held
by the First National bank, of Padu-
cab, in the shape of bonds represent
ing that Indebtedness.
Substantially. It can be truthfully
said that you have, in a practical
sense, bought and paid for. with but
little exception, one hundred and
thirty-two miles of gravel roads. The
total amount of expenditures for all
of the same aggregates $S9,OOO,
the entire gravel roads, old
and new. cost the county, which has
been paid by this administration. an
of $6S2.20
Let me say right here. that IL 1
go no further into detail how could
any person offer the just criticism
that this has been an extravaganza
administration, In the face of the
above figures. which are true and cor
rectly taken from the records? When
any citizen feels Inclined to be fault
finding about the roads of the coun-
ty, he can truthfully and justly re-
buke himself by learning that prac-
tically every gravel road of the coun-
ty. ami upon which he has Travelled,
has either been bought and paid Tor,
or built IN this administration. IN
deed. ougif not the same citizen To
feel some regret because of words or
that he might have utter
ed in charging extravaganza to your
administration, when he also learns
that these roads have been built or
bought by you without any addi-
tional burdens being imposed upon
him. but that upon the contrary, the
taxes have been reduced, while the
county has been getting the benefit
of the roads and other public I'M
provements heretofore and hereafter
spoken of.
For instance. upon a valuation OF
less than twelve millions. prior to
the beginning of this administration,
the sum of about one hundred thou
sand dollars was collected for coun-
tv purposes the tax rate, with state
and county combined. being $1.42.
Today with a valuation including
franchises of fourteen millions and a
half. We collect less than ninety-tour
thousand for county purposes. You
have reduced the tax rate 40 that the
levy today is S1.16, the county levy
being only sc cents, whereas It was
SO cents when you went into oihce.
By the above il will be seen that
the citizens of the county pay less
taxes in dollars and cents than they
did so years ago, Notwithstanding
there has been a substantial raise
land increase as 10 the values Oh
property.
Continuing upon the subject OF
gravel roads. there have been built
lby you II wooden bridges. ranging
In length from 20 feet 10 42O feet.
There have been built four houn-
dred and eighty (4S0) culverts,
which were constructed prior TO the
| plan substituting masonry OF some
sort for the same.
There have been substituted for
old wooden culverts 1854 lineal feet
of sewer pipe, equaling ESQ culverts
of various sizes, at a cost 10 the
county of $4,000.
The average number OF hands
working upon the road and paid by
| the county was four hundred and
Iforty-three (443) during the last
eight years. triplicate payrolls being
required for the road supervisor to
be furnished to the county jndge, the
fiscal court. and one in the office OF
| the road supervisor for public in
Ispection, respectively. The expendit-
ures are 80 taken care OF by the sys-
tenn used by the road supervisor that
an account Is opened up for every
road in the county. so that every dol
lar that Is expended MAJ not only be
lascertained. but likewise the place
and purpose for which Il was used
Most OF the hands in question. emf
ployed by the county, are engaged o
recent years more largely upon m
gravel roads. a very large numbe(
however. working each year upe
the dirt roads.
The Dirt Roads.
As has been before stated. thN CO
Of maintaining the dirt roads D
mile, viii average exclusive
bridges, at about twenty-five dolla
with an estimated expenditure Of 4
lcor;lr1ed Qp page e.l