Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1917-02-01
SPREAD OUT
TOO MUCH
Commissioner Wiley Tells Of
ficiaIs The Roads Are Too
Thin to Last.
COMMITS. BRAME TALKS
Says Specifications Were Bas.
ed on Assurances by Gov
eminent Engineer.

OOullillSStODci hOulidli WHEY . Nio-
it to the county and his inspection Of
the new turnpike roads under con-
struction brought tout a statementfrom
him that the specifications upon which
the contracts were let to Montgomery
& Perkins call for roads that will be a
waste # money. His talk was made
to the members of the road commits
sion, County Engineers Dillman and
Folsom, Judge Knight, County At
torney Smith, County Clerk Harris
and others.
He found fault especially with the
jacksonville road, which he said was
not properly located in some places
and he declared that in one place the
newly completed pike was under high
water. Many grades were two steep.
He said the Elkton road had cost
So, 900 mile and figures were not
too high, in fact were as cheap as the
same grade Of road had been built at
other places in the state. But, he said
that four years would be about the
limit it would last. On this basis he
argued that Christian county's roads
would be costing at the rate of $780,
600 per year with no provision fol
maintenance, and that the only thing
which had been gained by building ir
this way was that temporary public
clamor for road to various sections
of the county had been met.
He said the only way to reach the
tributary roads was to build the main
arteries of travel in real permanent
form first SO that they would stand
for years without further attention.
Then to use the annual road fund in
improving the tributary roads. He
declared that the commission should
have gone into the road building in
this county with the idea that n0
more than eighty miles of pike could
be built with the $4,000 proceed:
of the bond issue.
+Ie declared that the money already
expended was not wasted if the com
mission would change their plans and
build differentlyin the future. Thai
most of the work already done could
BE- saved in its entirety.
Regarding the public demand fol
rolds to various sections, he told the
commission that you can't expect e
satisfy all the people. You must fig
ure out whet is best to be done anC
do it"
He said the only way to secure ;
proper inspection of the work was t
employ really capable engineer a
about 500 per month. He also sale
that larger rock should be used thai
has been done on many roads in thii
county.
County Commissioner 3rame, il
defense of the county Board, told
Commissioner Wiley that the Madi
sonville road had been surveyed by
a man from the state department o.
roads and under the supervision o.
Federal Engineer j. A. Whitaker
and that the latter had stated it would
cost only about 81, 200 per mile to re
surface the roads here.
Mr.. Wiley recommended very
strongly that the people, county off,
Gals and road commission get to,
gether and consider the road ques-
ton from bottom to top and decide
upon just what was best to do. Also
that traffic conditions be considered
first of all and roads built to meet
these adequately. If the traffic on
one road demands a fourteen or six
teen foot pike with corresponding in
creased depth OF stone. then build d
there. But first Of all take care d
the inter-county seat roads and The
real trunk line roads through The
county. ,sG y,
Miss Insz Oliver Of Nashville. i