The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1916-08-14


10000 from her general fund to her
turnpike fund in 1914, and did the
same thing in 1915. This county has
never over-drawn her turnpike levy;
has never voted on a turnpike bond
issue and does not want to, and on
April list, 1916, had a nice balance in
the hands OF the Treasurer, in the
turnpike fund. The Road Engineer is
a practical man, drawing a salary OF
81 100000, per year. He is very COM
petent man, according to the state
ment of the County Judge and the re-
rsults can be seen in the turnpike sys-
TEN. All orders upon the Treasurer
by the Road Engineer and County
Judge are fully itimized, and show
just what is paid for. Garrard County
certainly is to be congratulated in hav-
ing as competent, practical and econo
mical administration as is in existence
in that county today.
Jessamine County is not quite as
large a county as Mason, having u
less acreage and 21s million less in
County assessment, or in other words,
she has assessment of $4,000, 900. 90,
and pike levy of zoe, producing $27,-
10000 year.
Jessamine County has $50 miles of
pixies about all of which is in first
class condition This county borders
ION Kentucky river, and has two
bridges across said river to maintain.
The County Judge of Jessamine Coun-
~ has been in office Al years. and from
the record that he has made in this
lCounty's Fiscal affairs, II is a pity he
cannot live forever to run this pro-
gressive little County.
Most Of the road work is done in
this county by the County itseIr, there
being the most complete road making
outfit owned by Jessamine County,
that can be had, and same is valued at
about $l2,OOO.OO. This road machinery
is stored away in a barn owned by
the County, each Fall. when the road
work is completed HAS this ever
been done in Mason CountyO
The record shows that there was
S22,o00.00 to the credit of the turn.
pike fund on April LIST, 1916, and Jes-
samine County, therefore, is spending
in 1916. the money produced by the
1915 levy. All of the road making ma
chinery is free Of debt and Jessamine
County never borrows,a dollar to OPP
crate her turnpike system, but on the
other hand, is the possessor of road
funds, at all times, to take care OF
Contracts made.
The Judge told nee that this year,
tley were operating without a Road
Engineer, as they found the Engineer
furnished by the State in their State
aid work, was such a competent man
that they could get along without a
Road Engineer, however, they had an
excellent man last year, whom the!
paid $1,SOO.OO per year, and expected
to retain. but during last year, he let
a contract for road making to his
brother against the will of the Fiscal
Court and the laws of the State of
Kentucky, and as result, in 1916, the
Fiscal Court OF Jessamine County de-
cided to abolish the road Engineers
Office, at least, for the present.
The information given above was
secured by me during the first of this
week from the County Judge of the
respective counties, and part of which
is verified by reports of the County
Treasurer, which looked over in the
County Clerks Office of the respective
counties.
The road work being done in these
counties averages about $3.50 per yard
and from 100000 to 100000, per
mile. There are being few bridges
put in, as they consider IL more ne
cessary to fix the roads first.
There are very few counties in the
State OF Kentucky, that are as well OF
for resources as Mason County, and
what we are lacking is business abil-
ity in our Fiscal affairs. and 1t is high
time that the public is taking hand
in this.
| have measured about all the
turnpikes in the county, and In my
next article, will make my hpal re-
port of the conditions. giving the mile
age of the entire pike system in the
respective Pecincts of Mason County.
showing what we have available In
each Precinct. There is no reason
why we should not take advantage of
the State aid the same as the Coun-
ties that have mentioned above, and
after seeing what is being done by the
energetic people of these counties.
hardly think that l shall ever favor
a Bond Issue for the reconstruction OF
our roads. but on the other hand,
most earnestly favor a practical and
business administration OF our Fiscal
affairs, and getting out OF the rut,
which so deeply. we are In, at the