The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1916-05-18

1nOuSan0 DOlidF DOhu ISSUE Ndi-
ries, Says Charles II. Walker, Man
ager Of the Polk County Sub-Ex-
change. Read Mr.. Walkers Reason
For This Statement.
Polk county is alive on the question
Of voting a bond issue June l, amount
ing to $1,jOO,OOO, Tor the purpose OF
building a system of sheet-asphalt
roads connecting nearly every part Of
the county. 1t is Il real pleasure to
see how well Informed many Of the
citizens are hecomlng on this great
economic question. They are studying
it as never before, and are beginning
to see that roa Is are not cost, but
an investment Of the very best char
acter. Very few now doubt that this
vote will carry for good roads by Il
large majority, the most ardent sup
porters Of the project in most in
stances being the large land holders
and big tax payers. We are reproduc-
ing from time to time some OF the
best arguments made IN behalf OF a
bond issue tor road building. beliey-
ing that we can render no higher ser
vice to the public than in this way.
We therefore give below the views Of
Mr. Charles II. Walker manager OF
the Polk County Sub-Exchange, as to
what hard surfaced roads will mean
to the citrus growers Of Polk county
in dollars and cents. to say nothing
Of tbe great pleasure to be found in
travelling:
"The good roads to be built under
the plan outlined for the road system
by the Polk County Good Roads As
ISOLATION. out Of the proceeds Of the
bond issue. will save the citrus grow
ers of this county $4,000 or enough
to pay for the sinking fund for the
bonds twice over, and | am for the
bonds.
"Under the present system the
farmers and growers are paying t.
road tax and getting no benefits, when
IL the bond Issue carries and the sys.
TEN Of good roads are built, as out
lined, they will be able at least to
save 30 per cent. on the cost Of haul
ing. With paved roads TO haul the
fruit crop alone of Polk county. the
saving over the present cost of haul
ing will more than pay the sinking
fund for retiring the bonds, as have
I know that my figures are correct. as
I keep tab on Ill these costs down 70
a penny.
"In my opinion it Is our rural PEG.
pie the farmer and grower, who will
receive the greatest benefits from the
good roads. 4 man with one-horse
wagon goes to town orce a week with
half a load on account Of poor roads
at present. When the good roads are
built he can haul whole load as Of
ten as he wishes, with less wear and
tear on his equipment.
81 approve the bond issue" he said
because want the roads built. Tn
der any other system "a per cent. of
the county will be without roads for
possibly ten years or longer, probably
longer, as it will take all the money
We can get to keep what we have
built in repair, and there will be moth
ing left to build other roads out Of.
We can build roads out OF five per
cent. money, and we can not build
roads out Of s per cent. money.
That's the proposition in nutshell.
/ can't see for the life Of me why
other people can not see it that way.
"The proposition Is so plain why
we should bond" he continued, that
it's Just like this: Suppose Polk coun-
ty had the million and half now to
pay for the roads; they could lend
that million and a half right here I'm
the county at 8 per cent. and borrow
money outside the state for ; per
cent. and make per cent. on the
transaction. Besides this the bonding
and building these roads means that
over a million dollars will he left in
the county, for labor. teams and ma.
terials, so that two-thirds Of our
money will stay right here.
81 don't think there Is any question
but that the bonds will carry. They
will by large majority in this dis
trict, as we know that good roads are
an investment, not an expense"