Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-03-10
80 CENTS BEING
LOST PER TON
PER Mile HAUL
HERE, He SAYS
W. R. NeeI Points Out Needs Of
Sumter Court Room Audience
For Bonds

"The farmers of Georgia are spend
ing on an average of As cents per ton
mile to haul their products to market.
In some of the states of this nation,
where they have paved highways into
the country, they are hauling their
products for Is cents per ton mile.
Georgia farmers can thus save 80 cents
per ton mile by paving her highways.
And the saving in the aggregate would
be more than in the average state,
because of our long hauls."
This was one of the statements made
by W. r. Neel, state highway engineer,
in an address delivered this forenoon
to an assemblage of citizens from all
parts of Sumter county. The address
was made in the Superior court room,
Judge Littlejohn having granted a
recess of his court so that Mr.. Neel
might have the large hall at his dispo-
sal, allowing as large a number of
citizens as possible to hear him on
the subject of, paved highways, now
being agitated in Sumter county.
Mr.. Neel's address, while brief, was
informative and reassuring. He stated
that the government means business
in making its offer of dollar for dollar
to the counties and is urging the work
be undertaken now, in order to give
employment to as many men as posi-
BILE during the reconstruction period.
Following his address the sugges-
tion was made that the audience be
pelied on the bond issue. A rising
vote was called and nearly every man
stood. When those opposed to the is
sue were asked to stand none re>
sponded, and the support for the pro-
posal was declared unanimous. It was
a thoroughly representative gathering,
made up for a large part of men sum
moned for jury duty from all parts of
the county, witnesses in cases on trial,
and people in from the outlying dis
tricts on court business. In addition a
number of business men came in spec
tally to hear Mr.. Neel.
The highway engineer was in
troduced by Col E. A. Nisbet, of the
local bar.
Sumter county, said Colonel Mis-
bet, "is facing probably the most i'm
portant issue in her history. We are
one of the largest and richest agricul-
tural counties in the whole South, and
the time has come when it is absolute
ly necessary for us to have permanent
roads. We are putting thousands of
dollars every year in dirt roads, just
to have them washed away. The most
economical roads are permanent
roads, and that is what our county
commissioners want"
Mr.. Neel spoke in part as follows:
"In 1916, as you all know, the United
States appropriated $75O,O00,O00 for
permanent roads, largely as an expert
ment. Few states at that time were
prepared to handle the money under
the governemnt conditions, and Geor-
gia was one of those states. The state
highway commission busted itself and
prepared bill to enable us to accept
this offered federal aid, but by the
time we were ready to act the war
came on and the government discour-
aged the use of this money by one way
and another, so that it .was kept in
the treasury.
Now that the war is over, how
ever, the government not only is anx-
ious to spend this money, but an ad-
ditional $200,000,00O has been appro-
priated within the last two weeks. A
total of $1,S00,000 is available for Geor-
gia now, and Georgia is urged to spend
It. These counties of the state which
apply before March 20 and show some
signs of matching the government
funds will be apportioned this money.
In June more than two millions more
will be available for Georgia. Not
more than ten counties are in a posi-
tion financially at this time to match
the government money, and the high
way commission will have to apportion