The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1913-08-08
]. GID MORRIS WRITES
LETTER ON GOOD ROADS

ing of public roads in our county.
Some condemn and some uphold the
present system. | am satisfied the
convicts will remain The times de-
mand better roads and Cobb county
will have TO build them in self de-
ly ching in sight to do the work, let
them cost what they may. There
J is no such thing as going back to
warning hands to appear with pick
and shovel to work roads; that day
is past. However much some may
differ, | contend the only practical
way to build good permanent roads
lis by issuing bonds. Float bonds
enough to build the seven or eight
main roads that leads from different
county lines to Marietta, about sew
enty five miles in all, the authori-
ties to let them out to the least bid
der to be built according to specifi-
cations contractor to give bond and
security for the faithful performance
of his duty. This way / think we
could get them much quicker and
cheaper and these roads would prac-
tically reach everybody in the coun-
ty and then we could easily take
care of the cross roads at small cost
with small squads of convicts and
in this way many old people who
are scarcely able to maintain their
homes and live would not be forced
to pay the heavy tax to build roads
for future generations to have and
use without cost on their part. In
this way we would know what these
main roads would cost and what we
would have to do to meet the debt
and as it is we do not Still | am
in favor of good roads at any reas-
enable cost, nothing develops a coun-
ty or enhances the value of proper
, ty like they do when good Judge
ment has been exercised. | think the
commissioners have done the best
they could considering the COM
plants from other sections and the
number of bosses they have served.
In behalf of the people south of Ma
rietta, l will call attention to one
road that has been grossly neglected.
/ do not think similar case could
be found in the United States. Ma
rietta is situated in ten miles of
Fulton County and in twenty miles
of the capitol of the State. The con-
victs have been working in our
county four years. For some reason
best known to the commissioners
this road of only 10 miles that runs
through the south portion of Mar
ietta District and through three
other Districts, Smyrna, Lemons and
Vining about two and one half miles
each has been overlooked. No one
will dispute the fact that this is the
most public road in the county and
for that reason more people would
be benefited by it's completion. 1t
should have been the first road
graded by the conyicts if the object is
is, by building good roads in the
county to enhance the Valuation Of
property so the county can get
more revenue by taxation. | feel
sure we have lost a good opportuni-
ty by not connecting Fulton county
with Cobb in the beginning. / am
satisfied in my mind had this been
done four years ago Cobb would be
receiving taxes on more than a Mil
lion dollars worth of property than
she is from a desirable class of cit,
liens who expressed a desire to in
vest in Cobb which have gone in
other directions on more accessible
roads. The people down this way
are living in hopes that the COM
missioners will not let another
winter pass without connecting Cobb
with Fulton with good road at
PAGES bridge so the public can get in
and out of Atlanta by several good
roads without coming in contact
with street cars etc. and also COM
Dlete the read to the river bridge
along the street car line.
This would be great inducement
TO those who want to get out Of
the city to buy and build residences
and summer homes, giving them the
adVantave of using the street cars
in bad rainey weather that they
would not have in other directions
1t will not take over seven miles of
road to complete them both. t.
j. Gid Morris.