The Coconino sun. (Flagstaff, Ariz.) 1898-1978, 1915-09-10
WILL We HAVE GOOD ROADS
OR WILL We JUST KICK?

The proposed bond isue for good
roads in Coconino county seems to
have run into a bad chuck hole and
unless it is bridged over by the board
of supervisors, there is little possibil-
ity of there being any permanent
work done during the next year.
The mass meeting of tax payers
called to meet at Williams resulted in
mo cause for action" decision by
the tax payers in the west end, con-
sequently no meeting was held.
At Maine, for the middle district
of the county meeting was held and
number of people were present. A
resolution which was presented to the
bo ard of supervisors by Ed. Hamilton,
of Williams, as minority resolution,
advocated increasing the bond issue
including different Grads in the coun-
ty. No majority report was received
from Maine.
The Flagstaff meeting was an al
most fzzle, though there were fifteen
or twenty present, no action was
taken.
Apparently the enthusiastic good
roads advocates in the county, and the
men most interested in getting good
roads, are inclined to "let George do
it,"
The board of supervisors are rather
up a stump as to what the people
really want and the method Of pro-
ceedure in building roads.
It would seem to a casual observer
that good roads were badly needed,
that an efficiency system should be
employed to give the people actual
value for their money; Coconino coun-
ty will never be able than to much
more than keep our 1900 miles of road
in passabe condition with the amount
of money they can spend on them,
received through annual taxation. The
ranchers and stockmen need good
roads to their places, but it will be
many years before they will be able
to get them under the present system.
The complaint and quarrel over the
expenditure of the road funds will
continue and the result will be only
bad temper and worse roads.
The plan adopted by the committees
appointed by the board of supervisors
was a good one To bond the county
for 100000 to complete a permanent
road completely through the county
from east to west, this would be
main highway that could be reached
by most ranchers and stockmen and
be the big important link in the Old
Trails National highway. Aside from
that big feature of this road, it is
road that the great majority of peo-
pie in the county will use the most.
The arguments in favor of expend-
ing the entire sum of 100000 on this
road are many. In the first place, and
the most important detail to the
ranchers and stockmen who want bet
ter north and south roads, is the very
fact that the bond issue will care for
the main highway and make it possible
for the board of supervisors to spend
every cent of the money received from
other sources on these roads the
| ranchers complain of; they will have
it to expend directly on these roads
and enough of it to make many miles
of permanent roads to connect up with
the main highway through the county.
As it is there is not enough money to
go around and build many roads that
the supervisors and road superintend-
ent know full well should be cared for.
Aside from these very patent facts,
why shouldn't coming generations help
pay for the benefits that are turned
over to them with the pioneering
work" all done?
That safeguards should be placed
about the expending of the money in
order that the people receive what
they pay for, is no more than right,
and the committee Of prominent men
who met, realized this when they pro-
vided a contract system with compe-
tent supervision. That public Office
is private snap" was fully consid-
ered-to secure competent service,
results that proved the wisdom of the
expenditure, is the hope of those who
will have to pay the road bonds.
Rann,aca Of tho fuil,,ro of 4haco l.,