The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1916-05-25
A GOOD ROADS ARTICLE
That Every Citizen Of Arcadia Dis
triet Must Take Time to Read
and Digest.


read the following editorial from the
Philadelphia Record and then read
what we have 10 say, taking this ar
ticle as the basis " our remarks:
Polk county, Florida, is not, If
Judged by the Pennsylvania stand
ard. a political sub.diiN sion Of the first
importance. Its area, 1907 square
miles. is impressive, but its population
in the census year 1916 was only a.
14s. which was almost exactly the
same as our wn Perry county, "a
1856. But Polk COUNTY is booming and
growing, and therein it diners greatly
from Many Pennsylvania counties
which show a steady loss in popula.
ton. Its hopeful gaze is fixed upon
the future. and il feels itself capable
Of great things, unlike our own too
complacent and self satisfied commu-
is based upon mites.
mites.
This praise Of the Florida county
is based upon the fact that on June
Il will vote upon proposition to
raise $1,5OO.OO0 by an issue Of 8 per
cent. bonds for the purpose Of con
structing 217 miles Of asphalt roads.
The people If Polk county, many of
whom are probably recent corners
from the north and west, appreciate
the value OF fine highways in attract.
ing home seekers and are willing 20
assume what seems like a staggering
burden for the sake Of the prospect.
i've benefits. II fhe issue is authoriz.
ed. arrangements will be made for
paying OF the bonds in twenty-five
years. Long before that time POLK
county undoubtedly hopes to have
such a large and prosperous popula'
ton that the annual charges will be
easily borne.
The example IT this plucky south
ern community is especially recon.
mended to those populous and veal.
thy. but close listed, Pennsylvania
counties which pcrsistently refuse to
raise money for improving their high.
ways and freeing those which still
levy toll. Mon'gomcry and Lancaster
counties are notable sinners in this
respect. II they had half the public
spirit and enterprise Of Polk county
they could have splendid highways
but they prefer 70 tolerate dirt roads
and pay eNorbi;ant tolls to private
companies. We can learn much from
southern and western communities,
small but ambitious which have a
clear conception If the value Of good
roads in attracting population and
developing real estate values"
In reading the above article, we
can not help but see the justice with
which the writer handles the propu
sition. He is over a thousand miles
from Polk county, we are only thirty
miles from its southern boundary. He
recognizes the fact that good roads
make good, clean, healthy prosperity,
not only for the present. but for the
future. He is aware 4 the fact that
there are counties and communities
within his own state that are TOO
complacent ana self satisfied: veal
thy but close listed" Let us for
moment see whether that shoe will
not fit right here at home. We have
on the northern md in this county
a strip eighteen miles wide and ap.
proximately iifty-four miles long
which contains the special road and
bridge districts Nos. and 3. the 10.
tnl bond issue for .hese two is $3.50. |
600. We have in the extreme south |
ern end strip eighteen miles wide |
and approximately seventy-eight miles
long one bonded district: Punta Col |
da special road and bridge district |
and the Charlotte Hartor special road |
and bridge district. which is a direct
tax proposition, but which also spells
good roads. The total amount to be |
used In these two districts is $780,
900, making a total for the county 81
Ss9O,000. We have in between these
two strips Of improvements another
strip Of twenty.four miles width and
approximately sixtv.tour miles long
which seems 20 be the sinner in this
case and which perslslently refuse
to raise money to improve its high
ways, and prefers t. tolerate the COW
trails, chug holes. Don't you think II
is about time to get ont Of that rut'
. Look at Hillsborouch with its mil
lion well spent in bricL roads: they
adjoln us in the northwes corner
look at Polk IN our north look what
OSceola. Palm Beach and st. Luci,
are doing east If MS; our neighbor
Lee. on our south, is oven bonding rc
. .sWl. al.