Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1914-01-23
STATEMENT
, the People of Elko County

AS the press uf Elko County has
lately indulged to a considerable
extent in the discussion Of matters
pertaining to public roads, and the
expenditurcSf public money for
road purposes, and as some Of these
discussions were in the nature Of
criticisms Of my public actions as
Road Supervisor of Elko County, l
beg the attention of the public that
| may present my idea of the ques-
ton, for there are two sides to this
'lquestion like all others, and mine
has never been presented. And /
trust that The press IF Elko County
will do ne the courtesy to publish
this statement. All persons, and
particularly public servants, look
to the press for fair treatment, and
when their official actions are
misunderstood or when they are
wrongfully assailed they a look
only to the press to put them right.
The press is n powerful institution
in the moulding of public opinion
and it is a blessing or a menace to
public good in proportion to its
fairness or unfairness.
| desire that it be understood
from the first that this is no part
of a controversy, and it is not
written with any feeling of i'll will.
| have been misunderstood it seems
in some of my official actions, and
have been misrepresented, and my
only desire is to pat myself right
with the people whom l represent
in my official capacity as Road ST.
pervisOr, that is the taxpayers. |
want the taxpayers to know what |
have done, and by this | want them
to judge me, and not by statements
which do me injustice.
First | will say that during my
lncumbency | have travelled in the
discharge of my duties more than
5000 miles, or ar average of about
so. miles a day. | have frequently
been engaged from eighteen to
twenty hours at a stretch and have
hcen on the road long after mid
night. have heen severely criti-
cised for charging the washing Of
my automobile and for little re-
pairs which it was thought ! myself
should have done to the county.
In reply to this | will say that
when this work was being done
which was charged to the county |
was otherwise engaged in official
duties which demanded m, person.
al attention or was taking ncccss-
airy rest. When ny paying for the
washing of my car and giving my
tire to other matters ! was enabled
to save the county large amount
OF money, surely no one will say /
r did not do my duty honestly and
$ to the best interests Of the County.
As a public servant | believe I
should govern my actions just as I
[ would were | working for myself.
5 am told that in tie past ten
i years that EIko County has spent
o approximately $500, 900 on its
roads, 1t is a question however,
: il the roads are better today than
@ they were ten years ago. 1t is not
$ denied that under the old system
most Of the money was dribbled
away, and that the work done was
not Of a permanent nature. ! am
using every effort TO do work in
such q way that it will endure,
AM | do not hesitate to say that
much Of the work that has been
done since | began the supervision
of the road work OF this County
will be just as good fifty or a hun,
drcd years from now as il is today
Owing to the tremendous dis.
~tances in this county it is impos.
sible for anyone to see o great
S amount of the work that I have nc.
r complished since / took Office last
e August. | will soy that / have
put In thirty-fvc galvanized iron
n bridges, and culveits with concrete
o wings and %abutments, twenty solid
concrete bridges with wings, and
IS fifteen bridges With rock abut.
ments' Besides this have put in
new concrete abutments for old
e bridges and have made other re.
pairs rcplankiDg and otherwise. A