Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-01-14
JOHN B. ANSLEY
NAMED COUNTY
ROAD BUILDER
Board Hires City Engi-
neer To Handle Paw
ing Program

board of county commissioners at
noon today, following a special meet
ing at which W. r. Neel, state high
way engineer, was present at the in
vitation of the commissioners, that
Thomas & Hawkins, project engi-
neers for the federal aid highway
paving program in Sumter county,
had surrendered their contract with
the county to the state highway de-
partment, and that John B Ansley
had been employed as courty en2i-
neer and county warden and given
charge of highway construction work
OF all kinds in this county.
Mr. Ansley Will be pail salary
Of S5 600 per year. He entered upon
his duties Monday morning. His re-
signation as city engineer and super
intendent of water works is i'll he
hands of Mayor Sheppard, but he IS
continuing to look after .he city's
interests under agreement until his
successor takes charge.
Knox Thomas and Joe Hawk MS, en-
gineers, were also present before the
board and it was said by them after
the meeting that the arrangement re
garding their contract with the cour-
ty was entirely satisfactory.
Under the new arrangement, the
engineering contract of Thomas and
Hawkins, so far as it concerns the
three projects already begun by them,
will be carried out by the state high
way department working through
the division engineer, w G. Caye,
Jr., and all additional engineering
will be done by the division engineer.
Settlement with Thomas and Haw-
kins, beyond that already made, will
be made through the state highway
department after the completion of
the three projects and the ascertain
ment of the actual cost, thoir remun-
Grafton being on the PEI centage
basis.
Under Way At Once.
The new program means that the
county's highway paving program
will be put under way at once. Mr..
Ansley has been given full charge
of construction work, J. w Lassiter,
heretofore holding the position IF
county warden and road overseer,
having been made assistant to Mr..
Ansley. At today's meeting Of the
board an order was given for the
purchase of lotion paving Steam
roller, and Mr.. Ansley was instruct
ed also to arrange for the immediate
purchase of a rock crusher of so tons
daily capacity, and engine to operate
it, to supplement the cotton crusher
already owned by the county. 1t was
finally decided to lay asphalt mac
adam paving, the choice of materials
to be left to Mrs. Ansley's judgment
This is the type of paving recon-
mended by the state highway ergi-
neer as best suited to Sumter's con
ditions and the road from which the
greatest value for the money expend
ed could be obtained.
Mr. Ansley stated that the laying
of paving would start just as soon
as some preliminary matters could
be handled by him.
81 want to see first what can De
done in the matter of securing crush
ed stone,' said Mr.. Ansley. "Fhe
native rock which we will crush with
the two outfits will furnish q great
deal of the material we will need, but
we will want to buy some material
to supplement this so that when we
start we can go right ahead without
interruption"
To Start Grading.
Mr.. Ansley stated that gangs would !
probably be put to work within few
days on the comparatively small
amount of grading necessary to be
done before the actual laying of the
paving is begun.
The three projects which had been
started by Thomas and Hawkins, and |
on which they will collect through |
/ the state highway department when |
they have been completed, are the
three bridges on the Dixie Highway, |
known as project No. 73; three miles
of paving on the Dixie Highway I
from Americus, on which surveys
have been made and drawings made,
known as project No. 101; and three
miles of paving on the Dawson road
from Americus, also on1 which the
surveys and drawings have been |
made, known as project No. 106.
"This is the best solution of the
matter" said Knox Thomas, of the
| e,.r,, Sf-:,,,, NJ Hawkins has aae ay,f