The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1915-09-03
OWAERSEXPLA|N THE
PROPOSITIONS MADE
COUNTY JUSTICES
EVERY OFFER MADE BEING
REJECTED ANOTHER SHOULD
BE FORTHCOMING.
ANXIOUS FOX An AGREEMENT
Believe that II the County Court Will
Approach the Matter az Business
Men that this Will Be Reached;
Full Statement.

Messrs. Looney and Rainey, own.
srs of the turnpikes entering Colum'
bia this morning made a statement
in which they explain fully the sew.
eral propositions made to the coun'
ty court and which have been reject
ed. They contend that 1t is now the
duty Of the court to make another
offer to them. The hope ia express
ed that an agreement will yet be
reached. The statement follows:
To the Editor of The Herald
In a recent issue Of your paper,
you undertook to set forth the state
of the negotiations between our turn
pike companies and the County.
Your statement was not full enough,
neither was 1t clear enough. II the
County succeeds in buying these
roads, the people must pay the bill,
and it is due the people that they be
properly informed of the negotiations
as they progress.
Now the County without first as
pertaining our turnpike companies
wanted to sell or not, asked US for
options, on all the roads in the Coun.
ty. Fortunately, we wanted to sell.
We wanted to sell, not because oper-
ating turnpike roads is not profitable,
but because of the many objection
able features in conducting the bust
mes. The people have always de-
manded more from the turnpike COM
panies than the law requires US to
give them and they will always de-
mandait. Therefore, the friction will
continue, and in order to avoid fur
Their trouble, we are willing to sell.
Our turnpike companies have had a
constant fight to get our legitimate
tolls, and, as the future does not
promise any peace for us, we have
concluded to sell, and invest our
money in something more pleasant
Therefore, we we're glad when the
County asked for a chance to buy
them. We do not propose, however,
to make any very great sacrifice in
order to sell them.
When asked for options, we very
gave them, and we gave the
County twenty dove " occept or re-
ject them, and before the expiration
of these twenty days, the options
were rejected, and no reasons for re-
jecting them, were given us.
At the request of the County for
other prices, we offered to sell at the
same price the County has been pay
ing to build turnpike roads. This
also was turned down without giving
US any reason. And this proposition
we considered fair, because the Coun.
ty could buy already made, a thor
oughly compacted and well construct
ed road at the same price they would
pay for a new road, the repairs on
which would be very extensive and
costly for a number Of years.
Further propositions were asked
for. and then we proposed to sell at
said valuation to be fixed
by three parties, one of whom was to
be selected by the County, one by the
turnpike companies, and these two
to select the third party; and at
whatever value these parties placed |
Upon the roads, we would take, pro-
Vided the County would give. Now
We considered this an exceptionally |
AIR proposition, because It gave the |
county as much voice in making the
price as the turnpike companies. |
This proposition was also turned |
Town, without giving US q reason for |
urning it down.
We were then asked for q fourth |