The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-11-19
The Good Roads Meeting.

The various towns and precincts of
the Fruitland peninsular were well
represented at the meeting held in
the interests of good roads in V. l. A.
hall last Friday afternoon. The
meeting was called by the Crescent
City board of trade for the purpose
of discussing the feasibility of per-
manent hard road from Dunn's Creek
to the Volusia county line, the same
to form link in the great Central
Florida Highway which has been
routed over this section.
President B. F. Tillinghast of the
board of trade called the meeting to
order and stated the object of the
meeting, at the same time extending
a cordial welcome to the visiting del
egates. He stated that this was SIM
ply a get-to-gether meeting Of the
people of the various parts of the
peninsula for a calm discussion of
the question of roads and to get the
opinion of all parts of the district.
The board was not committed to any
plan and had nothing to recommend,
it simply wanted a full and free dis
cussion of the project.
Mr.. Fred V. Owen of Satsuma
lights was named as chairman and
DR.. D. C. Main of Welaka, secretary.
Secretary Elliott of the Palatila
board of trade was called on and
made an interesting address ia which
he detailed the work of the Central
Florida and Dixie Highway associa-
tons, together with an account of the
recent meeting at White Springs n
the interests of the National High
way from Atlanta to Palatka. He
showed how Crescent City and the
peninsula would profit by these nigh
ways centering in Palatka, and that
central, south and gulf coast traffic
would pass over this proposed road
through the peninsula. He advocat-
ed brick roads as the more perma-
nent and made an eloquent talk con-
such road for this section. Mr.. Ell
lott had map showing the routes
of these highways which he display
ed for the better understanding of
the routes.
Mr.. Elliott was followed by Mayor
Burt of Hastings who told of the
work in st. Johns county in building
a brick highway through that county.
MI. Burt, who is also a strong ad-
vocatc of brick roads, made strong
Plea end was frequently interrupted
with applause.
At the conclusion of his address he
was asked some questions as to the
cost per mile of the read by Mr.. W.
B. Campbell, together with the rate
of millage increase. Mr.. Campbell
then gave some figures based on the
assessed valuation of all peninsula
property and the estimated cost Of %
miles of brick road, which was figur-
ed at $250,000, or $4,000 per mile.
He said the interest at ) per cent
perannum would amount to $500 per
mile, while the sinking fund per mile
would be $3.50, a total of $3.50 per
mile, per year, or $l8,750 per year
to be raised by taxation for pay
ment of the interest and sinking
fund. This on a total valuation
of S1,130,000, would mean total OF
sixteen and a half mills, or an in
crease in our present taxes of 63 IL
per cent.
L. J. Mcleod, R. C. Middleton, w.
NJ. Williams. F. V. Owen, E. H. vii.
liams. Hon. C. A. Alvers, F. w. Reed
err, H. A. Ring, DR.. Main and others
were heard from and as result it
was decided to appoint a committee
representing the various precincts to
investigate the matter and report at
a meeting of the committee to be held
at Pomona on Dec. 10th.
A little after o'clock the ladies
of the V. |. A. served an excellent
lunch of coffee, sandwiches and
doughnuts to the delegates and visi
tors. and shortly after o'clock the
meeting adjourned.
The majority of the delegates were
simply present to discuss the matter
of road betterment and were not
committed to any special make of
road. The matter of cost of the va
rious road materials will be investi-
gated thoroughly by the committee
to report in Pomona. There were a
few present who were anxious TO"
brick roads, but the majority desire
to know more concerning the cost and
the ability of the tax payers to meet
it before they will commit themselves
to any material for construction.
But the majority opinion is I'M
questionably one of opposition to
brick on account of the excessively
high taxes which would result from
their building.