The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-12-30

maintenance and repair of the roads,
bridges and c~ulverts of the county.
Both concerns require a reasonable
amoun of funds, and complete coop
GRAFTON to insure success. The road
business in Brookings county does not
have much of either one. AS an illus
tration of this consider again the fact
that the county is in debt at the pres
ent moment, for bridges, to the mount
of more than $50, 900. The amount
which will come into the bridge fund
between January LIST and November /,
1921, from the taxes on account of the
1872 mills levy mentioned above is
SOS, 600. The highway superintendent
does not have the final say as to when
and where bridges and road construc-
ton shall be carried on, although a
lot Of the people insist in believing
that he does; but if he did have the
authority, it would be impossible for
any bridge work to be done in 1921
and paid for from county funds. There
fore, if your mail route is discOn-
tinued, or your children are shut off
from school, or if you cannot get to
market on account of impossible roads
and no bridges why blame the high
way superintendent for it. He has
been trying to make them passable,
but they are not his roads and bridges
any more than they are the commits
sioners and every other taxpayer of
Brookings county. The road fund is
not in such bad shape as the bridge
fund. By November 1, 1921, nearly
all Of the $50, 900 provided for the levy
will be available for use on county
roads. None Of this amount is
available for permanent road con-
struction however. Throwing up a
grade and letting it go at that is not
permanent construction and never will
be; that is all Brookings county has
had thus far, however. If every cent
Of this 1921 900 could go directly into
the roads it would amount to 1927
per mile for the 252 miles Of county
highway system. This $32, 900 will be
used in throwing up grades and in re-
pair work, and in 1922 the story will
be repeated unless some roads are neg
lected absolutely or more money is
made available.
The roads of Brookings county are
sick and they are going to continue
to struggle along with a lingering sick
ness for years to come unless we citi-
ger of Bookings county spend money
for the right kind of medicine and
treatment and see that it is applied
internally and externally as well. 1t
will not help matters to kick the doc
tor or the members of the family.
What we need is cooperation.
1t seems to the county highway
superintendent that every citizen of
Brookings county should study the
facts (perhaps read the law, S. d.,
Session Laws, 1919, chap. 333), and
if he has any constructive criticisms
or suggestions to make, he should lay
them before the board of county com
missioners at the court house at a
regular meeting, with the county high
way superintendent present. Do we
want better roads and higher levies,
or do we want low levies and condi-
tons as they are at present. Remem-
Der that the county highway super
intendent can be fired by the board of
county commissioners for cause, and
by the state highway commission for
incompetency. He has not been fired
by either yet; but if he were respon-
sible for the rotten conditions of the
roads as they are at present he ought
to be fired. If he is responsible for
the improvements that have been made
in the road and bridge conditions in
1920, let it 60 at that. But it Is your
move. Let us hear from you, and let
us all pull together for better roads
for Brookings county.
Yours for better roads and more
bridges. Albert j. Willis,
County Highway Superintendent.