The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-24
j. S. Montgomery and
Other in Shades Valley
Protest Against Treat
ment of Road
CONVICTS TAKEN
FROM THEIR WORK
TO OPEN UP LAND
MIR. Montgomery Asks Whole Board
of Revenue to Make a Trip Out
There and See What is Being
Done

Some of the residents living on the
Columbiana road between Shades
mountain and Refuge are up in arms
about the new road that is being built
by the county convicts near that point.
It is contended that the new road
is not necessary and one of the resi-
dents, j. S. Montgomery states that the
new road runs through undeveloped
country and axis the question why this
new road was built He contends that
the present road is better and more
direct for the geenral public Except
of coursS the private interests that
may be served by the building of this
new run around road"
He propounds several questions to
two members of the board of revenue.
but does not mention their names. He
claims that the neighborhood is much
disturbed and dissatisfied at the pres
ent action of the board.
Mr.. Montgomery's Letter
Mr. Montgomery's letter follows:
ITO the Editor of The Age Herald.
Will you kindly give space in your
columns to this letter, and publish in
reply the answer if you can obtain the
information which 1 assure you will be
greatly appreciated by number of us
country people living on the Colum-
biana road between the top of Shades
mountain and Refuge.
I want to know il the board of
revenue, as a whole, is informing it.
self of the true conditions concerning
the road building by the eonvicts To-
Gated at Camp Branch, on the Column
biana road, or does the board accept
the report of only two of its mem
bers?
Is it by the full boards knowledge
and proper authorization as shown on
the records of the minutes of the board.
mat the convicts have been diverted
from their work on the Columbiana
road, and put to building an entirely
new road that runs through undevel-
oped country, or has not this road been
started by only two members of the
board, acting alone in the matter and
without proper authority, and against
the interests of the Columbiana road
that is already built and needs re-
pairing SO badly, and against the in
ierests of the people who live and
farm along this Columbiana road and
use it to have their purchases from Bir-
mingham?
Promise Not Fulfilled
Last Monday delegation appeared
before the board protesting against the
Solumbiana road being diverted around
heIuge, and these two members prom
'sed that the convicts would be taken the
next morning off this new road and put
back on the Columbiana road, but this
has not been done.
The board of revenue has automobiles
noW' ana hope the full board will come
out and investigate this matter and give
me and some of my neighbors a chance TO
show them a few things.
of course the county has road en-.
gineer, but he can only report on the sur
Neys he is instructed to make
My neighbors and / do not intend TO
sil sun ana without protest allow this
Columbiana road to be changed so that
we VIII have to drive our teams I'D the
Dad pavement on the Twentieth street
road across Red mountain, thence up that
steep and crooked per cent (?) road up
shades mountain q ne wland companv's
ana other holdings to get to our farms.
when the same amount of money or less
spent by the county on this old long es-
tablished Columoiana road will not only
answer the purpose and preserve the
values already created, but will be better
and more direct for the general public,
except, of course. the private interests
that may be served by the building of this
new run-around road
Il hope the two members of the board
that are responsible for this condition will
explain the reason for this new raod and
state If they did it by tn eorder of the
board, as our settlement and neighbor-
hood is very much disturbed and dissat-
isfed. ]. S. MONTGOMERY"