The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-06-23
Mr.. CROCKETT'S SUCCESS.
,TIOAS On ROAD BUILDING

mir. D. Crockett, who is connected
with the paving work now going On
in this city, writes the following in
regard to good roads:
Having read many articles on the
necessity of good roads and but few
ON the best plan to obtain them, |
would like to start something feast
bic along this line, and while | do
not feel capable OF handling the prop
osition as | see it, take the position
that match will start big tire, and
/. flea will often make a man turn
over and sometimes get out of his
trousers.
have been in the paving business
the best part OF my life and the sub
ject of cool roads naturally appeals
70 me, and | offer a plan of co-opera-
ton which appears to me to be feas-
ible and OF sufficient magnitude to
obtain the desired results.
If good roads are good thing for
everybody then let everybody help
build them. think the best plan to
attain this end is for the counties TO
appropriate certain amount Of
money each year for period Of ten
years to be used exclusively for buiLd-
ing good roads and bridges, then the
State appropriate an equal amount
to the county to be used for the same
purpose, and the national govern
nent appropriate an equal amount to
the State. In this way we would
have competition as well as co-opera-
ton.
] am not in favor of the national
government undertaking to buila
good roads throughout this county as
il would result in political strife and
disappointment to a majority of the
PEOPLE. l believe the government
should help every community that is
willing to help themselves and re-
ward every one according to his tai
ehts and If there Is any counties that
want to bury themselves behind clay
hills or sand roads they will have the
privilege of doing SO, but they must
contribute a small amount towards
the progress of the rest Of the coun-
try.
Building good roads throughout
this county is the largest commercial
undertaking that has presented itself
to us, and it will take millions of
money, united action, and many
years to accomplish It, but any mile
Of good road Is valuable asset and
its construction gives employment to
people in that community. l believe
If this plan should be adopted it
would start a movement throughout
the country that would have to be
Curtailed by the States limiting the
Appropriation to the counties and the
government limiting the appropria-
items to the States.
In order to put this plan on 4
working basis it would first have to
be adopted by the national govern
ment, and then by the States and
counties which | don't think they
would get two more to be used for
the same purpose and should the
national government appropriate one
lAillion a year for each State for ten
years and the State and counties step
up with their part of the work, in
ten years we will have spent $1,44O,-
900. 900 on our roads; at $4,000 per
mile. This woul dbuild 100, 900 miles
of good roads and would likely put
this country in the forefront with
tood roads, the place we should oc-
cupy.
1t occurs to me the time is past
for discussing the necessity of good
roads, but is ripe to formulate some
plan to get them. d. CROCKETT.