Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1911-02-03
COST OF ROADS IN
RUSSELL COUNTY
A Few Questions Answered
About Cost, Etc, of Our
Neighbours Roads.
Lebpnon, Va, Jan. %.
Mr.. j. A. Leslie, Editor.
Clinch Valley News,
T,,ouaIi Uo


Clinch Valley News,
Tazewell, Va.
Dear Sir: l will answer your
questions briefly.
Q. What was the cost per mile of
the road from Lebanon to Cleveland T?
A. In round numbers $18, 900 for
the equipment and $28,00 all other
expenses aside from the convict la
Dor.
Q. What was the actual cost per
mile to the County of Russell?
A. $28, 900 plus wear and tear of
the machinery, estimated at 25 per
cent of the original cost, making the
sevan miles of road cost the County
$32, 500.
Q Do you favor building roads by
the convict system, if 80, why?
A. Yes. Because it saves the
County from 40 per cent to so per
cent of the expense.
Q. Do you favor building roads
under State supervision. or do you
consider that the average Board of
Supervisors is capable of handling
the business?
A. This depends. There have been
eight miles of McAdam road built
complete in Russell County and six
additional miles fairly well graded by
contract, under State supervision at
cost to the County of $50, 900 and
one law suit already on with one con-
tractor, who has sued the County for
$40, 1000, with strong probability
of a second suit with the other con-
tractor. 1t is claimed that the Leb-
anon Cleveland road built by convict
labor is much better road than
either of the roads built by contract
under State supervision.
Our Board of Supervisors have not
tried to handle the business direct,
so l am not in position to say what
they would do. have simply given
you the facts and figures as near as l
am able and leave your readers to
draw their own conclusions.
Very respectfully,
S. H. FLETCHER.
Sometime ago we asked Mr..
Fletcher, at Lebanon, few ques-
tions about cost, ETC., of the new
road from Lebanon to Cleveland. Mr..
Fletcher speaks from the book, hav-
ing been closely connected with the
work from the first. We give ques-
tions and answers in ull.-Editor.
Tip Top. Feb. 2.
Editor The News "A largely at =.
tended road meeting was held here on
last Saturday, the 2Sth, most every
section of the Clear Fork Magisterial
district being represented. The very
bone and sinew of the east end being
present. Mr.. H. s. Bowen presided
in the absence OF Mr. Moss. The
meeting was held in the Odd Fellows
Hall. This was said tS>~ be the best
meeting held yet in any part of The
county. In addition to the roads mdf
ped out before, the Fhils Mills peo-
pie asked for three miies of macadam
road, one and a half miles on the
road leading down Bluestone and one
and a half miles up Mud Fork Creek
near the dam. Another road much
talked of and badly needed is one to
cross from Cove Creek to a point
somewhere in the neighborhcod of St.
Clair or Mrs. Saunders farm. This
road is needed worse than any other
we know of and it is earnestly hoped
that it will be built, bond issue or no
bond issue. Why any section of Taze
well can oppose a road in another
section of the county is hard to un-
derstand and is past finding out. Per-
haps the rake off is not in sight.
What's the matter that all the peo-
pie cannot unite in a matter which
would be benefit for the present and
for generations yet unborn Let us
have unity and harmony. If some of
the kickers would look at the work
which is being done by some of the
progressives, they certainly would be
more charitably inclined. This is no
mans affair, all pay taxes, all must
have or ought to have roads, and all
are to be benefited. Lets come to-
gether, gentlemen.
A. B. White took passenger tc
Liberty Hill few days ago, and up.
on his return said, that any man tax