The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-07-11
EscAMRiA MUST COOPERATE.

/ NJ NJ. Smith, chairman of the state
road department, and Major Brown,
state engineer. are expected to arrive
in Pensacola some timeSthis week fon
the purpose of examining into the
most practical site for the Escanabia
bridge, and to confer with the county
commissioners and good roads en-
thusiasts as to other road matters.
Secretary j. ". Price, of the PEN
sacoIa Chamber of Commerce, who
has been out of the city for a few
days. remained over in Tallahassee to
attend a meeting of the state road
department, and expressed himself as
much impressed with the efforts of
the board to give to the counties of
the state an equitable apportionment
of the funds and to cooperate with
the commissioners of the various
counties in other ways.
1t Is the intention of the state road
department, as expressed to members
of the Good Roads Association and
1.-THE Chamber of Commerce secretary,
to aid in every possible way to place
the roads of Escambia county in
good condition. But this is not
task for the state, alone. 1t is pre-
eninently the part of the county to
as is possible. Other counties in
Florida have paid their pro rata for
construction and maintenance of their
roads. and Escambia must do the
same, If this county expects the co.
operation Of the state department.
That state aid will be th-coming
if we do our part, seems to be the
opinion of all good road experts who
have conferred with the state road
officials.
Roads from Pensacola to Jackson
vile and from Pensacola to Baldwin
County need attention and need it
badly. Parts of the stretch of road
from here to Tallahassee are very
bad. The road from here to Fiona
ton is fairly good, but from Pensa-
cola to Lillian Ferry the roads are in
such shape that the neighborliness so
to be desired between Escambia and
Baldwin Counties will never come to
pass. until that road is put in good
shape.
On the recent visit of the Rotary
Club to Baldwin County the business
men and farmers of that section said
that the road to Fairhope was in so
much better condition than the road
from Lillian Ferry to Pensacola, that
the people of Baldwin county traded
in Mobile in preference to trading in
Pensacola, while, if the ferry and
road were kept in condition, it would
be much more convenient to trade in
Pensacola.
The road to Lillian is in fairly good
shape, but from the ferry to Pensa-
cola it is almost impossible. The
Flomaton road is pretty fair. The
road from here to Jacksonville is in
bad condition
Here and there in Escambia county
there are few stretches of good road.
But in the main the roads are bad, all
through the county. What are we go
ing to do about it? Sit back and wait
for the state to make the improve
ments? Or are we going to do Our
part and then demand that the state
department does it's share?
The latter plan is the only solution.
The state aid is ours for the asking,
provided that we do our share.
But Escambia county must cooperate
with the state officials, if we ever
expect to have a system of good roads
in this part of the state.
And it must be remembered that it
is not enough to have good roads in
Zig SouAiIS VI III pdhlS VI the COUNTY
unless they are connecting roads.
Unless the roads connect with other
roads, they are Of little service.
When the state officials come to
Pensacola this week, they should
meet with the heartiest cooperation
from the commissioners and every
public-spirited citizen. These men
have shown disposition to do their
part by the county, Let F,scamhia
in turn, do it's part by the state de-
partment, by meeting. them at least
half way.