The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-02-21
AGAIN IN REGARD TO
PERMANENT GOOD ROADS
No Matter What the Point of View, the
Verdict Must Be Overwhelmingly
in Favor of Improved Roads.

election. While the law requires a
petition, that requirement offers no
handicap, as 200 names is all that is
required on such petition. Judge
Mitchell further stated that petitions /,
calling for such election should be cir
culated in all parts Of the county, in
order to get a full and free express
sion from all the people. It would not
be difficult to get 200 0names on such
a petition right here 10. Pennington, in
| Flat River, or in Bonne Terre, but a
! thoroughly representative petition,
! from throughout the county, is what
! the County Court Judges would most
desire. Be it thoroughly understood
that the present County Court is
strong for improved roads, and are
as anxious to secure permanent good
roads as anyone. But it must be re-
membered that the Court must be pc
4 titioned before it is possible for them
to call an election to vote on good
roads bond issue.
In closing, We desire to present the
following story told by certain coun-
ty engineer, which impresses us as
being one of the most forcible good
roads stories we have heard:
] A certain county was in great need
of better roads. The mud all through
the county was so. deep that it was i'm
possible to use wagons, all travelling
kback.
"In spite of the need there was lit
tie enthusiasm for good roads when
the board of county commissioners
met. Everyone was afraid of the pre-
sumed high cost and increased taxes.
"a farmer in the back of the room
arose.
"'Mr. Chairman he said,. 4 amt
, fit to address dignified meeting like
this, but that's because I've had to
travel for ten miles over the kind of
. roads you give us,
az couldn't drive, had to ride
horseback.
"'My boots are covered with mud;
my trousers are covered with mud; |;
, my coat is covered with mud; my hat
is covered with mud; and if / hadn't
stopped to wash it, my face would be
covered with mud, too.
az look as If had crawled here on
; my hands and knees, and I'm only half
! through, because I've still got to go
hack, with five dollars worth Of gro
ceries that / bought from brother
, Fletcher.
! "'1f there had been a good, hard
road that my old horse could climb up
Q and draw in load of lumber that I've
! got ready, would have bought twen-
ty-five dollars worth, and there would
' have been that much more money in
, town tonight
4 sand the undiscovered farmer sat
. down!
n "Other speakers took up his case
I They pointed out that good roads were
{ an asset instead of liability; an econ
o omy instead of an expense; that they
Q brought money into a town and great
/, ly increased the markets.
+ "The result was that the commits.
{ sioners enthusiastically passed a res,
Q olution to issue bonds enough to give
! them several miles of good roads.
To-day the county is more prosper
!. Gus than ever, school conditions ar,
: better and the amount of traffic goinf
q in and out of the town has increased
4 several hundred per cent.
l. "The old-time hostility to good road,
by taxpayers is fast passing away
q Mud holes may look cheap, but the,
e are the costliest thing any communit!
d can have around"