The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-16
Editor Telegram :

s. 100000 to be faithfully and
intelligently used in the building
OF county roads, and from an
engineers viewpoint.
Here and now, | disclaim all
purpose to influence any per-
sons vote for or against bonds.
There can be no more modern
or essential undertaking, consid-
ering the needs and CONVEX
fences of the people of the coun-
ty and State, than the construc-
ton OF permanent hard-surfaced
public roads.
Let everybody take ride, or
walk, over the temporary and
often dusty or muddy roads
that have for the past several
years been made, and kept in all
sorts OF chug-hole, and other
make-shift condition, every
where in the South, but particu-
larly i'll South Florida, and study
the conditions, OF farms, fences,
crops, and houses, and grounds
along both sides of the way, say
from Lakeland to Socrum, or to
Barlow. Mulberry, Fort Meade,
Winter Haven, or to any place
on these roads, and then turn at
any point along them, onto any
country or never-paved road,
and compare the conditions, of
farms, orchards, or other habita-
tons. and their numbers Of i'm
proved places enroute and draw
their own conclusions.
One in such trips would be
seldom out sight of humanizing
comfort and profit making
homes on the clayed roads. In
the course of any year | possibly
drive as many miles in Polk and
adjoining counties as does any
one III Peninsular Florida, and
usually | am riding with one or
more prospective buyers, and
home makers. 90 per cent OF all
OF these prospects are here sfor
business. all of them want to buy
lands, on, or as near as maybe,
along these hithertot imperfect
and only temporary, make-shift
, public highways CD
lnis is not because the lands,
or possibilities are better, Tor
very much more OF the best
lands for fruit, truck, and gem
eral farming and home-making
are OFT, than on so called hard
roads. But because man gen
orally is a social animal and
the more human and sociable he
IS, the more does he appreciate
creature comforts, for his family,
his animals and himself, and
these desirable conditions can
only exist when attended by
modern accepted environment.
And of the best of all of these
making for comfortable, rapid
and always at once assemblies
! of neighbors for every purpose
business, or social. is the at-the
doors hard road and for reasons
OF economic use these highways
ought to be made as nearly as
maybe, lasting.
From my own observation, |
am of the opinion that wherever
obtainable the debris from the
phosphate mines when intelli-
gently selected from the dump
piles of overburden from these
phosphate mines if used, as a
properly distributed foundation
senslbly placed and rolled, and
this conglomerate-rock and clay
ball foundation surfaced with
low grade and other screenings
from the mines, makes the
smoothest. most durable, and
best road possible for any, or
all of Peninsula Florida.
| am satisfied that this con-
struction of road is the best for
Polk county, | believe if we had
to buy and distribute the surface
pebble phosphate surfacing for
hard roads, it were infinitely
more economic than vitrifed or
any other sort OF brick, or paw
ing material, for because of the
elasticity OF such phosphate
matriN road construction. il
would be and is easier, and bet
ter on the feet of animals and the
tires of all vehicles. and the seats
lof their occupants. Granting
THAT the staying qualities of such
Iconstruction are equally lasting
1--we have that most winsome anC
attractive condition of keeping
our construction cost at home
| Besides | know, as does very
many other prospectors, of hun
dreds of acres, of deposits o
conglomerate rock in almost ev
erv precinct of Polk county, tina
can in every instance be mos
economically mined, and laid a