McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1919-08-29
Washington Letter.

Washington, D. c.. Aug. II, 1919.
Editor independent have been
reading the accounts Of the road
working with much appreciation for
the interest the people of the county
are taking in the Burlington Highway
and in the general improvement of
the roads of McNairy County.
There is no greater working asset
possessed by the public and shared
more directly by each Individual cit
zen, than we'll developed roads. The
success Of any corporation or bust
ness firm depends upon the
amount and activity OF its working
assets or working earning capital.
Equally so are remotely situated ru-
raj sections successful in all of their
social and commercial activities in
proportion to the development of it's
roads which are the inlets and outlets
of all their interests. In proportion
to the difficulties encountered, on &C
count of bad roads, just in that pro-
portion are communities helped or
hindered.
McNairy County is an average
county in the state of Tennessee,
with splendid temperate climate
and soil conditions suitable for the
raising Of most of the profitable crops
of the temperate zone. and many
crops whose nativity is in the warmer
or colder zones. With properly de.
veloped roadways 80 as to enable the
ringing Of easily damaged crops
such as Strawberries, tomatoes, pota-
toes, many kinds of fruits and vege.
tables without the damages sus-
tained by being hauled over rough
roads, McNairy county could turn
thousands of acres of land that is not
profitable in corn or cotton into ex.
tremely profitable production, there
by bringing into the pockets of her
citizens lots of money at off seasons,
thus eliminating the present neces-
.ary custom of buying needed sup
plies on fall-term credits aud paying
considerably higher prices than the
cash basis would justify. The oppor-
tunity is knocking at your door and
if you want to do SO the whole indus
trial system of tine county can be
revolutionizsd in five years. 1t takes
concerted action; yes.
have just had consultation with
some engineers of the Bureau of
Roads, and am informed that the
United States, through the Secretary
of Agriculture. will pay so per cent.
of the cost to build roads. The plans,
of course, must originate in the county
or section to be benefited, must be
approved by the State Highway Com
mission and through the cooperation
of the State and U. s. District En-
gineer. which for Tennessee is Mr.. ].
7. Bulen, post uffiee box 750, Mont
gomery, Ala, it must be submitted to
the Secretary Of Agriculture for first
approval. Let me say just here that
the y S. Government lis anxious that
the States avail themselves of the use
of the funds provided for their benefit.
In most cases the county or section
building the roads issues bonds, but
that is the simplest and easiest way
to get money for public use. Bonds
are seldom issued to bear more than
six per cent. interest, and more often
81 to 5 per cent. Men who have
money flock do the exchanges to buy
bonds. and especially to buy public
roads bonds.
The United States prefers to assist
lin building permanent roads, such as
macadanized or gravel, since there is
so much constant expense to keep up
sand-clay roads, especially where the
traffic is heavy.
| There is no one thing that could
happen to McNairy county that would
result in more profit as we'll as pleas
ure than to build the Burlington High
way across the county and one from