The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1919-03-20
SUPERVISOR ALLEN
GIVES INFORMATION
Tells How the Fund Already In Treas
ury May Be Used In Constructing
Roads.
Editor ReveilIe:

80 NitstS SSsHlS 10 De so little known
q the facts regarding the good roads
movement, will try to tell what little
l Know IN connection Herewith.
We have been trying to get Mr..
Kramer, the State Highway Engi-
neer, to come down to talk these mat
ters oyer with the people and explain
everything in connection with the
Good Roads Movement.
This movement Is not local move
ment at all, but is National, Congress
has lately passed bill appropriatinq
1 believe, $200,000,000 to be divided
among the states during the next
three years, in addition to what was
appropriated for like purpose by a
previous congress, which ! believe was
S45,0O0,000 The Highway Depart
ment advises me that Mississippi will
have available for road work this year
about $2,000,000 Of these amounts.
Is Claiborne going to take advantage
OF this opportunity to get her share?
The elections on the 2t8h of this
month win answer that question.
As ! understand, this money is Civ
en- to counties provided they give a
like amount and that this money IS
expended on roads that are used for
carrying the mails or POST ROADS
as they term them, also main thor
oughfares. The State Highway De-
partment told me that this year Clai-
borne County could expect to get be-
tween $4,000 and 100000 Of this
amount, and possibly the same or
more next year.
The first step in getting this money
from the Federal Government Is %
vote district road bonds, have an en-
glneer survey certain roads, make
plans and specifications Of such roads,
submit three copies to the State High
way Department, which will approve |
the plans, return one copy and for /
ward the other copy to the depart |
ment at Washington, d. c. Then the |
money is available. The Board Of |
Supervisors appoints commission of |
three property owners and electors in |
such road district to look after the
road work, who in turn advertise for
contractors to build the proposed |
roads according to the plans as sub
mitted to the Highway Department.
All the acts Of these commissioners
must be subject to the approval Of
the Board Of Supervisors.
There is a movement also on foot
for building a highway from Port
Gibson to Vicksburg by Allen Sta
ton and making use Of the Y. g. M.
Y. +. r. abandoned right-of-way from
Galloway Station across the old r. r.
bridge over Big Black and on up the
old railroad dump. This would give
4 roadway above all but the very
highest river water, and would prob
ably be able to use for eleven to
L1elve months in the year.
There are two proposed routes for
This highway: one by Ingleside and
he other across the suspension bridge
1t town, thence by the King Iron
Bridge or Humphreys Bridge to the
Gulf road, and from
here to Galloway Station, where il
gould strike the old railway dump.
This proposition IS now in the hands
IF the Vicksburg Chamber Of Com
nerce and no formal proposition has
Deen made to Claiborne County yet.
Some people seem to take rather
elfish view Of the proposed good
'oads, and seem to say that If the
proposed road viii not pass their front
loor then they viii not let it pass
yours. This IS not a fair way to
sreat your neighbor, for you may
want to visit him sometime and find
hat you can't get there.
One Of the strongest objectors to
he good roads bond issoe in District
No. One told me a few days ago that
he was absolutely hcanged and In
tended to vote for the bonds, as he
found that people were paying bad
roads tax and not knowing IT when
they continued to be satisfied with
The old fashioned dirt roads.
Samples Of gravel from local beds
have been submitted to competent
who state that we have the
material at hand, and ought to be able
10 build good gravel roads at min
mum cost.
One Of the foremost road engineers
in the state recently said that a grav-
el road was the only feasible road for
Claiborne County, as we had good
material close at hand, and the coun-
~ was not wealthy enough TO con-
slider concrete roads, and as our traf-
&c was rather light we would get bet
ter results fram gravel than ordinar-
ly,
This good road movement Is but
lust starting and certainly hope
that Claiborne will not be with the
Jail enders in not taking advantages
IF the Federal Roads Acts, for with
n year we will have gravel roads
rom the Claiborne County line to
New Orleans. Tourists coming
through our country are great adj
vantage, for there is no telling when
me may drop in your home and offer
you twice what it is worth.
An incident Of this kind did happen 4
last year and one Of the largest sales
1f real estate made II this county
ately was made to tourist who was
not prospecting