French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1919-03-06
HENDERSON co. ROAD BILL
FINALLY PASSED AND RATIFIED
Petition and Counter Petition Pre-.
sented In Warm Contest Before
Legislative Committees Mack
Rhodes and j. O. Bell Appointed
road Trustees in FulfiIImeDt of
commissioner Pledge-Mr. Rhodes
Declines; Mr.. Bell Undecided.

law, in the form in which if a.,
originally drawn and approved by the
mass meeting at the city hall some
weeks ago. Mr.. S. Y. Bryson made
determined effort to amend the bill
IN several particulars, the most i'm.
portant being a clause by which the
BOARD OF three road trustees would
nave been elected by the magistrates
or the county, thus retaining in demo-
cratic hands control of the road ma
cnhery. Mr.. Bryson's effort was
packed up by petitions signed by seve-
Ial hundred democrats of the counfv
and for time it looked as if the Bry-
son bill or none would be passed. Mr..
Clarence Latham, president of the
t'card OF Trade, hurried to Raleigh
and succeeded Il delaying action Until
friends of the original bill had a
chance to express their opinions,
with the result t:lat = petition in adrc-
cacy of the original bill was present.
ed by Mr.. Latham, this petition con-
tanning a much larger list of signers
than the Bryson petition, and also
carrying the names of 154 democrats
who first signed the Bryson petition,
which was thus reduced by that num-
her of names. The contest between
MIR. l atham and Mr.. Bryson waxed
pretty Warm at the capitol, and the
Feat of Ire argument was reflected to
some extent in the attitude Of their
friends in Henderson County. How
ever, Mr.. Latham finally won out, and
the differ ance of opinion has not re-
suited in any quarrel within the demo
cl attic organization.
While t-.e passage of the measure
was still III DOUBT County Comission-,
ers Maxwell and Russell pledged them
selves by wire to appoint two demo-
Gratis on the. board of road trustees
in case the bill passed. This pledge
has been kept by the appointment OF
]. Mack Rhodes and ]. o. Bell, A. J.
Icing the third member Of the
board. Owing to pressure of other
business Mr.. Rhodes is unable to ac-
cept the appointment anu has stated
fatty and finally that he cannot un-
dertake this additional and impor-
tant work Mr.. Bell has neither &C
cepted nor declined the appointment,
stating yesterday that while he had
the matter under advisement he Is so
rushed with other business that he will
be unable for several days to announce
bis decision in the matter.
III another column of this issue are
printed IA open letter from E. W. Ew-
bank and a letter from M. L. Ship
mar to L. B. Allen, in which the writ
ers state heir respective views On
this road bill. Our readers will also
find printed below a summary of the
most imrortant changes effected by
the new legislation, and a list of the
signers of the petition which was
presented by Mr.. Latham and was
largely responsible for the success or
his effort.
The important Changes
The most important changes effect
ed by the new act are contained in
sections which place the enforcement
of the law in the hands of three coun-
,ty road trustees to be elected by the
board of county commissioners, one of
the road trustees to be selected from
the commissioners and the other two
from without, and direct that the
board of county road trustees shall
employ a suitable and competent fall
time man for general road surervis-
or, with power to disharge hin at
any time.
Certain main roads are placed d.
rectly under the control of the road
trustees.
A bond issue of $685. 900 is provided
for sand-claying or otherwise hard
surfacing the main thoroughfares.
1t is made the duty OF the trustees
to regard maintenance as of more i'm
portance than construction. and the
erection Of sign boards at cross roads
and road-forks is made mandatory up
on the trustees.
The labor assessment OF Ave days
Ior s2.5O is changed to nVO days labor
,or $4OO.
Road hogs" are taken care OF byh
specific provision that when vehicles
meet each person shall reasonably
drive his vehicle to the right Of the