Licking Valley courier., 1918-06-20
Judge Sebastian and the Roads.

| want to thank you for your
and kindness in electing
me to the office of county judge,
and for the many, many favors
conferred upon me in the past.
But you should not expect so
much of me this early in the
game. | have been doing all |
could in making preparation to
begin road work, and l would
have long before now had every
road hand to work out their time
on the roads if it had not been
for the scarcity of labor, and the
farmers asking me to suspend
work until the crops are made.
AS you are aware, it is war
times and our people must make
something to feed the boys in the
trenches, so on that account
| have concluded to let the people
make their crops before we begin
road work in earnest, and that
will begin on July "a, 1918. AT
such time l will expect every
everseer in Morgan county to
work his hands and continue un-
his road is completed or put in
fair condition. Before this time
comes there will be gone out.of our
county about 400 boys that were
road hands, and the best able
bodied men we have, and if you
will stop to consider this is quite
an itemiin the matter of roadwork
Also, the people voted down the
road tax, and at the same time
they want from $500 to 81, 900 an
acre for land on which to put
roads, when in fact it is worth
about $40 dollars per acce.
expect to work teams on the
roads all that we are able to work
them. But we tried to get some
teams to haul some lumber and
they wanted from SO to $40 per
day. So at that price we can't
employ many teams. Our FiscaI
Court passed a resolution allow.
ing teams $3.5 per day of eight
hours on the road where the dri'
yer was not a road hand, anC
$3.50 where the driver puts ir
his own time. but you can't gel
teams at that price. / think the
people, from a business stand
point and for their own individu
al.benefit, should work their teams
on the road 8 hours for this price
But unless there is something
= dsas tta .Eelpssat --ths--way--a -aa
gettinglmoney to pay for them oui
road work wont amount to much
as we are scarce Of man power
Our county treasurer complet
ed the settlement with the sheriff
and same was filed and approved
by the Fiscal Court at its las
meeting. So at the beginning
of the fiscal year 1918 our count!
was in debt about 81, 900.
Now, | wish some one woult
suggest how we are going to d.
much with roads under the cir
cumstances. Don't understand
; me to be oodging the proposition
for | am not. am yet as firm
, as | was when | promised you be
: fore | was elected, but under tn
circumstances you should not ex
pect so much unless / had NOR
to work with.
Our Fiscal Court, on June 10
: 1918, called an election for Au
gust 3, 1918, to vote on the 2
cent road tax, and / hope yo
will give better thought and con
: sideratiOn than you did before
as this is a very important mat
ter and should be voted.
Every dollar that is collecte,
in each and every precinct will b
applied to that precinct. Voter
did you know that the banks
railroads, corporations, non-resi
dent landowners and incorporat
ed towns of this county pay three
fourths of the taxes? And the
want you to vote this tax. S
you see where it helps. Now
II are we going to say to them
You shall not pay anything
keep up our roads. We are jus
:. going to work them out oul
selves" Can't you see wher
: you should vote this tax?
\ taxes the towns and the none
: goes out on the public roads
;. Not a cent can be spent on tn