The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-09-07
Our Public Roads 80 Years Ago
BY t W. Crary Bluff Springs, Fla.
Backward turn backward.
Oh time in your flights:
And see why county finances
Get into such plights.

And see why county HnanCSe
= Get into such plights.
UP TO within thirty years ago. the
pubic roads were worked by warn
ing out" as the law said, all able
bodied men between the age of
eighteen and fifty years to work
twelve DAYS on the road each year IL
needed or pay a dollar per day. The
penalty was fine and imprisonment.
This was decided unconstitutional in
Justice OF the peace court and lot or
men who had failed to work were dis
charged here at Bluff Springs, the JUS
tsce deciding that an eighteen-year-
boy was not considered a man, hence
was not subject to public duty Thus
the law destroyed itself in age limit
again no man can be imprisoned for
civil action, hence was non-operative
ard annuIled it's intent by describing
penalties, therefore unconstitutional
In 1884 the board of county cornmis-
,sioners of Escambia county was conn
posed, If I forget not, of Mr.. B. r.
Pitt, chairman; Capt. Hutchinson, Mr..
"A. Rdera, Mr. Epps Richardson. and
u. w. Crary, Sr.
The county paid off in script worth.
about half of its face value. The courts
were held in what was known as Pitts
hail; the jail was an old wooden barn,
with some sheet iron make shifts
cells, and the paupers were given
Et,rders to different merchants for
4 few supplies and altogether conditions
were very deplorable.
$ Bond Issue Approved.
!. The question of . bond issue to build
III court house was taken up and passed
ny small majority, and the present
court house was built, though there
! was change in some of the commits
ssioners. One resigned and was the sue
cessful bidder the price being some
where about thirty thousand dollars.
1rhe annex was a later building. Script
then began to reach the seventy 1--WE
cent mark. The next movement was
rev jail. which cost about nine thou
sand dollars. Then the poor script had
been going up until 1t reached its face
value and was suspended entirely.
The public roads were worked for
!. the first time by convict labor in 1884,
the roads OF the whole county being
given to the lowest bidder. P. NJ.
T'ritchett and Richard Rathwen being
the lowest. they were awarded the con-
tract for the sum of two thousand dol
] lars for the year. The roads to be
worked were from Pensacola to Flo
Z NATION. then known as Pensacola juno
: icon; Pensacola to state line, thence
the state line road. from Pensacola to
Wilson canoe, Waters ferry, Muscogee,
Ferry Pass, Millview, AMI in fact, near
~ all the roads we have today with
! the exception Of several cross roads.
They used the convict lebor and paid
! the county fifty cents per day and fed
. them for same. They were to work and
: keep in good repair the roads, straight
ening and widening so as to gradually
come up to such specifications as were
set forth The prisoners wore spurs
or picks as they were sometimes called,
to prevent them from running, and at
night they were chained together.
Inspected Quarterly.
One of the county commissioners in
sl2ected the roads every quarter. as the
contractors were paid quarterly. AT
one time. the commissioner appointed
to inspect was unable 20 make the in
spection and the contractor had to get
the persons along each road at differ
eiat points to certify as 20 the condi-
dition of same and entire satisfaction
was the result, and as one old citizen
stated, the roads are in line shape and
the only roads we ever had.
This was the first time our roads
we're ever worked by taxation and
proved beyond doubt a success, and
that the contract system is the only
feasible and practical way with the
lease expense to build and maintain
them. The cost of the inspection for
the commissioner and for the whole in
spection of the county roads did not
exceed twenty-five dollars per quarter
Let us look at the comparison today.
The county has advanced and made
rapid strides as to values and i'm
pl-ovements. but we have beat the
record in the criminal class. as then
the prisoners paid the county fifty
: cents per day and were fed, today they
cost not less than two dolalrs a very
short days work, and altogether they
have become a very poor asset to the
county. as from a nine thousand dol
lar jail, we need, or by some means