The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-10-30
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; vOX POPULI Z
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WANTS GOOD ROADS. BUT
is OPPOSED TO BOND ISSUE


There is nothing too good for the
people of Escanbia county and the
coming election for voting on the
proposed 100000 bond issue. the
money to be used for the purpose of
building permanent roads, is Of the
utmost Importance to every taxpayer
and every citizen.
Our backwardness lies in the fact
that we have not enough people in
the county to develop our abundant
natural resources.
Population should mean prosperity
and we cannot hope to acquire a popu-
lation from class of people who will
bring prosperity with them unless we
first make our county equally or more
attractive than that from which we
invite immigration.
Good roads Is the slogan all over
the country and localities which do
not have them can never hope to oc-
cupy a prominent place on the map.
The people demand them and they
are going to side-step those places
which do not have them.
If 1t costs the x-payers of Es-
Gambia county a million dollars TO
build good roads, let Us have the
roads. But is it necessary to spend
that amount of money?
We have already spent great deal
of money and built many miles of
roads. Some of them, particularly
the so-called hard road from Pensa-
cola to Flomaton, are in mighty poor
condition.
Is this condition due to any fault
of the material at hand?
Some of US think not. / have been
pretty thoroughly over the United
States and from my own observation
am sure there is no better road ma
terial east of the Rocky Mountains,
than we have right here in Escambia
county, Florida.
am sorry that L cannot say as
much for the road builders.
When we talk about permanent
roads that need no repairs" we arc
talking about something that does
not exist.
People who live in the state of
Michigan, where there are miles and
miles of concrete roads, tell me that
these are constantly undergoing re-
pairs which are difficult and expen-
sive to make.
1t is well known that both con-
crete and brick, or any paving ma
terial, is slippery and dangerous for
horses and mules, particularly on
grades, and it is the grades in this
county, that need special considera-
ton.
It seems to me that what is needed
in Escambia county is not road build
ing material, but road building sys-
tenn, under the head of a qualified en-
gineer. The present road from Pen
sacola to Flomaton is disgrace to
any civilized community in this day
and age. The bridges are positively
dangerous.
The road needs widening so that
two vehicles can pass without danger
or difficulty, and it needs a uniform
grade, just enough for drslinage-not
high crown patterned after a potato
ridge. This soil drains rapidly and if
not crowned ooshigh will not wash
badly.
There are old roads near here, that
have been in use for years, with little
or no work done on them, and it is d
pleasure to ride over them today.
When we send two inexperienced
country boys out with four mules and
a big grader, wholly unsuited for re-
pair work, to work the road" with
no one to direct them, what can we
expect more than we are getting?
have seen a perfectly good stretch
of road absolutely destroyed under
this system, with consequent waste
of time and money.
1t has been suggested that the road
be divided into districts or sections,
light instruments for repair work
furnished, and contracts let to parties
living in each district, for the purpose
of properly keeping up the roads.
This is good, sound advice, but
thus far the idea has never passed
the point of suggestion.
If the county wants to spend some
money intelligently why not buy a
good farm, put the convicts on it
and make them at least self-support-
ing? Then put the road building
under the superintendent of COM
petent engineer, with free labor,
which is entitled to dc the work.
Escambia county has the raw ma
terial in abundance, a great deal of it
right in the roads themselves.
The question is simply one of man
agement, which question will never
be solved until we abolish the old
system and get to work under new,
intelligent, and up-to-date methods.