The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-12-20
vox PoPULI
BOND ISSUE SHOULD BE
HANDLED IN BUSINESS WAY

DUMB ISSUE SHOULD BE
HANDLED IN BUSINESS WAY
Camp Walton, Fla, Dec. Is, 1915.
Editor Pensacola journal.
To the Powers That Be Of Escam-
bia County: On my recent trip
through Escambia and Baldwin coun-
ties ! took occasion to sound the
voters of Escambia on their attitude
toward the proposed bond issue for
road purposes.
The average reply might be con-
densed into these words: 81 would
support it if ] could be assured that
the money would be economically
spent for the declared purpose"
Some believed it would be thus
spent, some doubted it, and some said
it would be foolish to expect it to be
well spent. ;.
This being the case it seems to
me that it will be wise for all who
are interested in the affirmative Of the
proposition to make an earnest effort
during the time before the election to
convince the citizens that the money
il secured will be used to the best
possible advantage.
On this head ] will. offer a few
suggestions.
First, there is no one who knows
all that is desirable about building
good roads economically, that is how
to get the greatest value out of the
expenditure. People are learning, but
there is being lots Of money wasted
in the mean time, and the first pre-
requisite to the best use of the money
is that the expenditure of it be placed
under the direction of the best man to
be had for the purpose, the one who
knows the most now, and who will
take every possible means to learn
more.
He should visit and inspect many
roads that are in operation, learn of
what material they are made, what
method has been found for most eco
nomically handling the material, the
nature of the soil in connection with
which each material is used, the ma
chinery best adapted to handling it,
etc.
There is no doubt that for the most
Of the actual road building in Escam-
bia county, a mixture of sand and
clay, is the best and most economical
material to be used, but, the proper
Tomato amounts of cash to be used
is Of great Importance, the mixing is
important, both as to the easiest way
to do it, and the proportionate in
gradients, almost all clays have a
greater or less mixture Of sand, some
so-called clays make an excellent road
surface, with no mixing of the natu-
raj ground upon which they are
placed, while some clays unless mixed
with sand make a road surface en-
tirely too slippery when the surface
Is wet.
Again the day has passed when it
is economical for much of the work
Of building roads to be done by hand
with hand tools, the engineer in
charge Of the work for Escambia
county should thoroughly post HIM
self on all kinds OF road machinery
for all kinds of road work, and the
voters should be given assurance that
there would be the best of appliances
used.
Again, there would be use for q
great deal of concrete-cement work,
| IN connection with culverts, bridges,
etc, perhaps some concrete roads. 1t
| is important to know the proportions
Of different materials to be used in
connection with various different ce-
ments, different sands and different
coarse aggregates. In connection with
some Of the government projects it
was found that by using q certain
proportion Of very finely ground sand,
the proportion of cement might be re-
duced almost one-half with a better
and stronger Job.
Again, If as is probable, the bridg-
| ing Of Escambia and Perdido rivers
| is to be part Of the work done, there
should be provided a thoroughly eff
cient centrifugal dredge boat, fol-
making most Of the fills. Earth can
be handled for less than half Of the
expense with water, than is possible
otherwise, and most or all Of the fills
for the approaches for these bridges
and across island, can be made with
. dredge from the channels, by deep
ening the channel under the bridges
themselves, and above and below
them, and the channel thus deepened
enables It to carry more water al
the same height of surface, to com
pensate for the partial obstruction in
volved in making fills for approaches
and across islands, as a matter Of
fact it is probable that the cost Of
! bridging Escambia river for instance
i referring to the projected Ferry
Pass bridge) can be done for one-hal
the cost by using a dredge for max
ing fills, for all but the actual chan
nels, doing away almost entirely will
the need Of piling and trestle work.
firmly believe that II the peopl,