The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1919-03-13
BIG SYSTEM OF CONCRETE
ROADS FOR Upton COUNTY


] A bill is now pending in the leg
islature Of Tennessee to issue bonds
and build a system Of concrete roads
/ to connect all of the counties Of the
state. Three roads to be built across
the state, running east and west, and
10 traversing the state from north
to south are provided in the bill. All
the funds to do this work are to be
povided by an automobile tax ex-
Icept the one mill tax on property,
which is now being paid The legis-
lature has appointed a committee
to visit the various sections of the
state during the recess and consult
the people in regard to their wishes
as to the provisions Of this bill. The
COMMITTEE was in Memphis Tuesday
night of last week, and met repre-
resentatives of Upton, Haywood,
Fayette and Shelby counties.
The members Of the joint legisla-
tive committee who are now touring
the state are: Senators w. M. Cam
eron, Of Marion county; I. G. Long,
of Madison county; G. G. Collins, Of
Carter county; R. L. Stockard, Of
Benton county; and Representatives
III. G. Keaton, Of Gibson county; L. d.
Miller, Of Hamilton county; w. S.
Tucker, of Unicoi county; J. D. Nc
Murray, of Trousdale county, ami w.
| X. Foster, Of Hardeman county.
The committee has been working
hard since the recess of the legisla-
ture to find what the people think
of the most stupendous good roads
bill ever presented to the law MAX
ers. Before the end Of their trip
they will have conducted more than
80 conferences in all parts of the
state.
The construction of this road sys-
tenn is to be under the direction of
state highway commission Of three
members appointed by the governor,
not more than two to belong to one
political party. The governor and
the state treasurer are to be ex Of
ficio members Of the commission.
The three appointees of the governor
are to receive an annual salary of
$4,000 each. County road officials
are to have nothing whatever to do
with the expenditure of the state
funds, but may continue as at present
70 build and maintain intra-c
highways.
Within 81 months, Senator Cam
eron points out, the state will get
about S5,000,000 from the federal gov
eminent to augment the fund.
AS the job of footing the bill falls
very largely to automobile owners
Senator Cameron went into detail to
show that the autoists, in the long
run, would gain by the increased TAX
He said that the saving in gasoline
bills and repair bills each year would
be much more than the increased
tax.
At the conclusion Of this explana.
ton by Senator Cameron the meeting
was thrown open for discussion and
there was discussion a-plenty.
Former State Senator w. H. Max
well, Of Stanton, entered a strenu-
GUS objection to that feature of the
bill which abandons the Memphis-to-
Bristol highway between Memphis
land Brownsville. To take this step,
he said, would deal a severe blow to
people now living along this highway
who have sacrificed a great deal in
the hope that the road would be inn
proved and made one Of the strong
est links in the statewide system of
highways. When this route was
originally laid out many Of the inhab-
itants along the way were put to
much inconvenience in rearranging
their farms and dwellings. They went
to the trouble gladly, believing that
the change would be permanent.
The Memphis-to- Bristol highway
extends in nearly straight line from
Memphis to Brownsville, while the
route proposed in the new bill now in
the legislature calls for a circuitous
route from here to Brownsville by
way Of Somerville and Whiteville.
The Memphis-to-Bristol route is left
out in the cold.
However, at the end Of the meeting
Senator Cameron declared he was sure
the committee would agree to incor-
porate the Memphis-to-Bristol route
in the bill.
A large delegation from the four
counties endorsed the Memphis-to-
Bristol route, and it will undoubtedly
be designated as one Of the state
roads. The Legislative committee re-
ported that in their tour of the state
only three men had been found who
opposed the bill.
All the suggestions made were re-
ceived kindly by the committee, and
each member expressed himself as
willing to 90 the limit to protect
the interests of this territory.
Representative Tucker, of Unicoi
county, said that the committee had
found the people all over the state
favorable to the measure as a whole,
and that it was the aim Of the COM
mittee to adjust as nearly as posi-
BILE every difference which has arisen.
E. w. Hale, member Of the Shelby
county commission, made brief talk
urging that Shelby county be given
a large share in the appropriations.
At the end of the meeting all those
present siginified by rising vote
that they favored the spirit of the
bond issue.
Senator L. E. Gwinn and Mr.. jill
Winfield Darby were present from
Covington, and there was quite a
large delegation present from Ma
son.
Upton COUNTY CONTRIBu-