The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-10-26
CLUB
COUNTY
TO FIX ROADS
Urges That a Special Election Be
Called to Issue Bonds for Compile
tion of Naval Reservation Hardroad

peared before the county commission
ers on Saturday morning, presenting
resolution, asking for an election to
be called for December End, to author
! lie the issuance of $4,000 bonds, for
the completion of the Barrancas road
which has been held up for some time
for lack of funds.
The kiwanians were represented by
L. v. Holsberry, Harry Thompson, j.
C. Watson, Thomas A. Johnson and
DIR. Clarence Hutchinson.
The resolutions are the outcome of
| conditions which have operated
against Pensacola to its detriment for
some time. as work on the road from
Pensacola to the naval air station has
| been retarded for months. and the
| commissioners have. been repeatedly
petitioned by the naval authorities, the
army officers at the garrison and Off
Gals of the Pensacola ,Shipbuilding
plant for the completion of the high
way, which lacks about mile of be-
ing finished.
/ In December, 1918, at the time that
the specifications for the inter-bayou
road to the reservation were changed,
Thomas A. Johnson, chairman of the
bond trustees of the county, appeared
before the commissioners and charged
! that they were violating the principles
to which the tax payers had pledged
,, themselves, in voting $50,000.00 for
this construction work. The commits
sioners passed the resolution over Mr..
Johnson's protest.
At the time, Mr.. Johnson declared
that the procedure of the county COM
missioners meant that Contractor Ger
kins would receive about $15,000.00
more for the work which he was to do.
for which there would be no funds to
make payment. Mr.. Johnson also
stated at that time that it meant that
the contractor now to be paid nearly
one third more for change in the
specifications for the road work. which
added only three and half cents per
square yard to his work.
TIE change inspecifications called
for a road six inches in thickness at
the curbings and seven inches thick
at the centre. Original plans were for
a road to be five and six inches thick.
| At the time that Mr.. Johnson made
his protest, as chairman of the bond
| trustees, it was pointed out to the/com
missionerS that the change would
mean that the contractor would re-
ceive about s1,190 more for his SER
vices than originally estimated Con-
| tention was also made that thte move
| of the commissioners was illegal, be-
1 cause of plans to expend money for a
different road than was voted for at
the election, and the legality Of pay
ment from this fund of $4,000 for work
on the road under. the changed spec
! ifications, was questioned by MI.
Johnson. 1t was claimed at .he time
that the lack of funds would leave
| - H.
the two bayous unimproved.
! The meeting between Mr.. johnson
and the commissioners at which these
points were brought out, was held De-
cember 10th, 1918.
( Pensacola business men interested
! in having the road completed said yes
J terday that had some steps been TAX
en- at the time to call an election, ac-
cording to law which covers this road
construction, the road would have been
completed by this time.
| AS it is conditions have so initiated
against traffic between the govern
lment reservation and Pensacola as to
have created a most serious situation.
At the time that Captain F. NJ. Ben
nett was in command at the Pensaco-
| la naval air station, and during the
command of Col. John L. Hughes at
Fort Barrancas, these two Officers
made frequent complaints to the COM
Imissioners, which were disregarded.
| The Kiwanis Club, in it's resolution.
presented to the commissioners the
amended law, for creating speciaI road
and bridge districts, known as Section
five of No. 122, which makes II legal
| that las soon as it shall become appar-
ent to the board of county commits
49,. 70 n
provements in said district are too low,
then the board of county commits
sioners are authorized to have new
estimate made for the additional
amount necessary to complete the
program as laid out in the original
petition, and shall call an election IN
the manner provided in the original
election. which. if carried shall au-
| thorize them to issue additional ponos.
The petition follows:
BE 1T RESOLVED BY THE BOARD
OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FLORIDA,
that whereas an election was held on
December 9th, 1917 for the establish
| ment of Special Road and Bridge Dis
trict and the issuance of $5o,ooo.oo
bonds was authorized to construct
road from Little Bayou Bridge TO Big
Bayou Bridge, said road being known
as Barrancas Road, and whereas
Bonds were issued for amount OF
$50, 100000, bearing IL per cent m
terst on bonds to so and six per cent
on bonds 81 to 100, maturity date be-
20 years, and whereas,
Proceeds from sale of said ponus
has been expended in the construction
of said Barrancas Road but money re-
ceived was insufficient to compiete
the said road, and whereas
Under the provision of Chapter 1904
Acts of LEGISLATURE of 1919 this Board
IN olacfi0n In said