Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1912-10-24

the suggestion that the money for de
fraying the expenses of the survey be
raised by the sale of highway buttons,
and the money was so raised. | visited
the Federal Bureau Roads at Wash
ington, at the request of the commits
sion, and procured the assignment oil
government road engineers to do the
engineering work on the highway.
The commission of eleven did not
adopt my suggestion that one or two
days be set apart for voluntary public
work on the highway, after the engineer
had staked it off, ana the bridge and
culvert work had been put in place. As
a matter of course, the grading of the
road could not have been absolutely COM
pleted in two days, but a tremendous
amount of work could have been done
that would have made it a certainty.
Met With Ridicule.
This suggestion met with great ridi-
Guile upon the part of certain opposition
newspapers, who declared the impOssl-
bility, in the face of the fact that the
same thing had been done in several
other states. The whole Memphis-to-
Bristol road proposition was fought from
the start by a considerable number OF
small-bore politicians, simply because my
name was connected with it. But in
spite of all political opposition, and the
frequent lack of harmony amoag few
members of the commission, the follow
ing results have been accomplished i'll
the various counties:
Between Memphis and Nashville, TWEEN
ty-six miles have been and are being
built in Shelby, six in Fayette, the en-
tire distance across Haywood, the few
miles necessary in Madison, $4,000
worth in Humphreys, and some work
has been done in Carroll. Much educa-
counties.
Between Bristol and Nashville, 1892
miles of the preliminary survey have
been completed, and 94.5 miles of the
location survey. Contracts have been
let on 76.5 miles, and 1877 miles is be-
ing done by force account. Cannon
county has appropriated $4,000 bonds;
Warren, S11,S00; White, 100000; Cum
5erland, $4,000; Roane, 100000; Lou
don, $4,000; Washington, $60,000; Car
ter, 100000, and Sullivan and Hamblen
a sufficient part of general bond ID
sue. There were already 1S1 miles OF
road on this eastern end
of the route.
Completion Assured.
This assures the completion of tbe
the agitation incident thereto, have slim
ulated good read building all over the
state, as well as building combinations
of the highway both in Mississippi and
Virginia.
l repeat, l have no desire to deprive
any of the numerous good citizens OF
any part of Che large credit due them
for their part in this enterprise. Many
Of them have devoted ten times more
attention to 1t than / had to give. /
I'M not even entitled to the compliment
implied in a remark made by the la
mented Senator Taylor, at Cookeville,
about year ago, when he made refer
ence to the "Hoope High
way"
Among the many robust, vigorous and
declarations in McMillins
platform is the one on good roads:
1--WE declare in favor of the building
If good roads in all the counties OF the
state, and that encoura cement be given
% every movement for the betterment
If the public highways"
1t certainly required men of thought
md action to deliver such radical ut
GRANGE as that.
Convicts on the Roads.
In another place, the McMilliu plat
orm says: 1--WE favor the working of
bn ;o+z L.
Dads of the state
Two years ago | would have quickly
subscribed to this declaration. Now
would hesitate somewhat. Then | would
lave considered the proposition from
he standpoint of good roads. Now
would consider it first from the stand
'oint of the convict and the people.
The troublesome feature of working
onvicts upon any sort of temporary,
moving work, is that their quarters are
sually temporary, unsanitary and other |
wise unfit. If the working of state con-
lets on the public roads means just |
What the working of county convicts has
meant, | will never be for it. If it |
means, as it does in Davidson county, |
he railroading of friendless men, black |
nd white, into prison to get a few more
Dad hands, and the crowding of human
eings into small animal cages, reeking
With filth and vermin, will never favor
!. | am in favor of good roads, but I
m not in favor of matchmaking them
nth human bones, cemented with the
lood of men.
If way can be found that Will prove
enefcal to the prisoner, as well as the
Dads, | will .avor it. 1t must always
e remembered that the prisoner is
ian, and that he will soon b. free
ian again. If decent quarters can be
rovided for the prisoners, and a class
them can be worked upon the roads
hat could be placed upon their honor,
'ithout chain, shackle or guard, as is
one in Colorado, it will be a great sys-
I'm. for it would be making men as well
3 roads.
1 viii favor a law for the working of
lort-term convicts upon the public high.
avs if it is carefully and wisely drawn
} embody the principles l have just adj
Jcated.
he Competition of Convict With Free
Labor.
One of the problems than arises in
with convict labor is how to
void, as far as possible, competition
it'll free labor. To do this perfectly
i, of course, not possible, unless every
'isoner should be kept in idelness at I
lie expense of the public and to his
IN detriment. In the main prison the