The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1917-11-29
OUR ROADS

Editors Leader-NOthing unkind or
personal is meant in what say-an
awakening and better condition is my
purpose. Last spring a good start
was made on road work by the con-
tractor in District No. 8, and hoped
for much better roads. To aid in
bringing about such a condition /
dragged the road from my place to
the stores at Mt. Carmel, distance
Of two miles, at my expense and am
continuing to do so; in fact, have
been dragging this road for three
years.
The let-up of work on our roads
for a long time has greatly disap-
pointed me, as we'll as many others
in this district. Anyone who has had
occasion to ride over the roads in
District No. s for several months
past will bear me out in saying they
have been badly neglected. Who is
to blame for such a condition? Has
there ben enough money collected
from the hands and taxpayers to
properly work our roads? | am in
formed that a large sum of money
has been collected for a number of
years past in No. 8. If this sum is
what / am told it amounts to, / will
say this without fear of contradic-
ton: Had the money that has been
paid by our people for ten years past,
and which No. 8 is entitled to, been
eapably and efficiently expended on
our roads what would we have today
to show for it? Every road in this
district could have been widened, tiled
across the road in all low places to
nicely drain them and every hill in
the district cut down to the proper
grade. With the drag they could now
be kept in first-class condition at a
small cost. / have kept in touch with
such work in other States = North
Carolina for instance-and know they
have done it, and of course we could
do the same thing.
How have our roads been managed
and in what condition are they?
First, they have been narrowed until
on most of our roads two vehicles
can not pass when they meet. One
has to keep a lookout and select a
place wide enough for passing and
then each get into the ditch to do so;
second, the bitches are grown up with
briars and bushes, and such a thing
as the road man cutting them out is
unheard of. Tile in some places was
put in some years ago and in others
small bridges to let the water across
the road in low places. Now there is
no tile to be seen. Such drainage
has been abandoned, and the few
small bridges that it is the duty of
the contractor to put in have been
left off. Where there are bridges of
this kind when the contractor comes
to them with his grader skips and
goes on. Instead Of using a scoop
and taking the dirt out of the bitches
on each side of the bridge and clean
ing out under the bridge so the water
can pass through they are left I'M
touched. The water runs across the
road on each side of the bri lge and
we have two mudholes instead of one.
These bridges over the entire district
are low in this condition with no ell
fort being made to fix them. The
plank are broken and holes in them,
and they are so rough they tear olir
wagons to pieces, to say nothing of
buggies or cars. After having my
wagons repaired and put in good
shape to haul my products to mar
ket, have recently broken an axle
in two wagons and a coupling pole
in another all caused by the bad
condition Of the small bridges.
| have spoken to both road commits
sioners about these conditions and re-
quested that they be looked after. /
am told that our road contractor has
been putting in crop Of wheat for
some one for some weeks. One of my
neighbors hauled lumber three weeks
ago for some of the bridges. 1t is.
still lying on the roadside and is
liable to be carried away and burned,
for dry plank make good kinjling.
There is mudhole just north of Mr..
Crenshaw's gate on the Covington
and Mt. Carmel road that has been
dreadful for three winters. It is
growing steadily worse, but no at
tention has been given it. When
spring comes / suppose the usual dis
play will be made until the road hands
are forced to dig up $500 each. and
if our road tax is not paid, heavy
penalty is attached. After our money
is collected we are expected to get
about the best way we can.
Do the facts not bear me out when
say that men have been getting
elected to positions to look after and
work our roads and made promises
of better roads? Have they lived up
to their promises? Have l stated
the facts as they are in District No.
g? Are we to continue paying taxes
and receive promises only? My
Judgment is that as long as we sub.
nit these conditions will continue
just as they have been. If the people
in No. s will cooperate and demand
better conditions we will have it.
Let's make the effort and see if bet
ter roads can be had.
J. R. HALL.