Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1912-10-17

seassd value conservative debt for US TO-
carry -an$sO0, 900 bond issue on 4 $l6, Ooo, 900
assessment.
Our present bonded indebtedness is only
$l72,6Oo. And the present asked for bond
issue, $50 900. making $222, 900, less we car
ried when our assessment was only little
over one-third what it is today, and con-
stantly increasing.
There is still another view to take of this
bridge proposition. The Jefferson county
citizens residing on the east side of the
Shenandoah river or on the west side there
Of have right to demand = bridge across
the Shenandoah river wherever the river
crosses regularly established public road.
Whenever citizen of Jefferson county fol
lows regularly established road and finds
an impossible river spanning this road and
when the regularly established county
authorities have not made adequate ar
rangements to Cross the same, the citizen
in our humble opinion. is entitled to remun-
GRAFTON for all damages that hesuffers from
delay, and he can, in our opinion, by proper
legal methods, compel the county authori-
ties to erect suita BILE bridges over all streams
crossing public reads when to do SO would
not cause the County Court to increase our
bonded Indebtedness SO as to exceed the
constitutional limit. The writer is not
versed in the intricacies of the law, and he
may be wrong in the above statement of
what the law is. but he is convinced that if
the above is not the law, from the stand.
point of sound progressive public policy
it should be the law.
But, entirely apart from the merits or de-
merits of this bridge bond issue, we would
like to inquire why the County Court of
Jefferson county, as Court, undertakes to
oppose the bond issue? As Court, it seems
to US that they should stand absolutely
neutral and hands off; if individually they
think the bond issue an inadvisable thing,
then as individuals, they should Oppose it.
But as q Court. they should be absolutely
silent on the subject; their duty is to carry
out the will of the voters, and not to under
take to dictate to the voters of jefferson
county how to vote on this or any other
| question. Again we ask, why this PERM
cious activity on the part of the County
Court? Public office is public trust, and
public officers should be the servants Of the
people, and not undertake to be their mas
tiers. The above facts taken from the re-
cords of the County Court of Jefferson are
respectfully submitted to the voters of JEFF
| ferson county for their consideration, and all
we ask is square deal. Assessor Conrad
says there are 1 400 of us instead of 100 as
said in my article addressed The Ladies,
The Clergy and the Voters of Jeffersoo
County am talking facts not fancies.
Now over is ofthe truly rural citizens of
Jefferson county have pledged themselves
through my signed agreement with the
County Court to build 8 IL miles of roads
on the east side of the Shenandoah river
which roads Mr.. n B. Roberts says will
cost from 5000 to $4,000 for the public
| benefit.
have an interest in 5000 acres of land
assessed at about dollars per acre. Build
this bridge and $500 per acre would be
fair assessment. As have heretofore
stated the increased assessed value caused by
the building of this bridge will more than
take care of the cost and it will be benefit
to all and burden on none.
III. G. GETzENDANNER,
One Of The Fourteen Hundred Eastsiders.