Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1916-06-15
State Requires Advance Pay
ment for Convict Work
HAS NO FUNDS ON HAND
TO START THEM GOING
County Has No Money for lob
Either and Work on Dixie
Highway is Halted.

Preliminary negotiations between
officials of Hamilton county aud mem
bers of the Tennessee board of coutrol
for the lease of convicts to build the
Suck Creek road have struck some
heavy seas. Judge Cummings, who
has in charge Hamilton county's end
of the deal, has been advised by Chair
man Denton, of the board of control,
that the state is in the same financial
condition as the county. It has no
funds to finance the undertaking and
requires some of the payment in ad-
vance for the use of the convicts.
Judge Cummings has been advised
that If the state proceeds according to
the agreement with Hamilton and Ma
rion counties to build the road up the
west side, or the Marion county side
of the main branch of Suck Creek, to
the mouth of West Suck creek, it must
be furnished with the where withal to
finance the undertaking. Hamilton
county, as has been stated from time
TO time since the state convicts were
contracted for, has no revenue what
ever available to build its portion of
the road, which will, if constructed,
be the western link of the Dixie high
way.
At conference of Hamilton coun-
ty officials with General Manager W.
NJ. Nixon, of the branch prison at
Petros, some two weeks ago. Mr.. Nix
on was told to go ahead and purchase
whatever tools and blasting powder
he would want and that when Ham
ilton county got the money the state
would be repaid Saturday Judge
Cummings was iu receipt of informa
tion to the effect that the state could
not purchase these supplies for the
.yerv good reason that it had no funds
available
Judge Cummings has called a con-
ference which will be held today in
his office. County Attorney Ford,
Chairman Spurlock, of the Highway
commission. Supt Crox. County En-
gineer Bryan and Judge NJ. Nj. ALI
son, president of the Dixie Highway
association, who is representing Ma
rion county in the negotiations, and
General Manager Nixon will be pres
ept. 1t is stated that the officials hope
to be able to adopt some sort of plan
that will let the work proceed. The
only thing, therefore, that STANDS be-
tween the start of actual operations on
the Suck Creek road is the question of
money. At the present time neither
Hamilton county nor the tsate has any
revenue available to finance the un-
dertaking -,
Engineers estimate that the load, if
the creek is crossed at a point near
where il emptiea into the the Tennes-
see river and runs up the western or
r%,-c do nf
be constructed for $40, 900 less than If
built on TIE Hamilton county side,
where large bouders would be en-
count4red and y here the tight of wav
would have to be practically shot Off
the bluffs Of Wal5en's ridge which oV-
eruapg the bank of the creek. On the
other 1and, the Marion county side OF
thp creek il we'll adapted for road
bpildjng and with little effort, it is
stated, q road could be built practical
ly at grade. ,,...
It has been agreed by all parties in
+arests,i that the practical thing to co
is to build the roal up the Marion
,.onnty has a lump sum of $25, 900 a
vailsble to build its part or tne roao
County engineer Bryan estimates tnat
the fund available for Marion VIII 90
we'll if it gets the road through the
Suck Greek gulch from the mouth or
the west branch Of the creek to het
ner's gau Public spirited citizens OF
the north end of Marion county in ana
around Whitwell have agreed to con
strurt their rart of the road them
selves from Ketner's Gap to Whltwei''
where the road intersect' with the
main valley road
Marion county is expected 10 eX
hanst its funds in the construction OF
the road through the gorges or suck
Creek pulcb If Marion county is ex-
uected to bring the road to the mouth
of the main fork of Suck Creek, tnen
If has not sufficient revenue available
Hamilton county. If the arrange
ments can be made, will be GLAD 10
cross the creek at its mouth and build
the road no the Marion county side,
This county would save $10,OOo II
that could be done The plan. as ten
tatiyely agreed upon. was TOT tne
state to build the road and then at
the next legislature pass an act cnane
no the county line between Hamiiton
and Marion counties so as to put the
road in Hamilton county. However
tbe information Saturday. which was
thot the state did not have any tunus
to urocee with the work nas lor the
time being at least brought on anoth
or dark spot in connection win the
final compilation of the road