The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-10-15
FOR WEST FLORIDA DEVELOP
MENT

If Florida is ever to have permanent
roads, some means must be devised &c
raise funds for road building. The
most practical method ever suggested
is that of the issuance of state bonds
to meet the problem of raising funds
necessary to match the federal aid
upon which every state which is map
ping out road program, is depend
ing for portion of its fund for pub
lie highways.
South Florida already has roads
which are far superior to other Sec
Florida has had the greater share OF
the public money devoted to road
building. and is not in so great need Of
aid from the state and federal fund
is 1t fair for that part of Florida to
fight an amendment which will make
1t possible for every section of the
state to benefit?
The first highway in the state to be
built when necessary funds are avail
able will be Road Number One. This
road runs from Pensacola to Jackson
vile. via Milton, Crestview, DeFunidk
Springs. Bombay, Chipley. Marianne
Chattahoochee. Quincy, Tallahassee
Monticello. Madison. Live Oak, Lake
City. Macclenny and Baldwin. The to-
tai number of miles is 1914. So far
just thirty three miles of this road has
been improved, leaving 1854 to be
built.
It is up to the people of West Flor
ida to place themselves on record at
the general election in November as
in favor of these improvements to
West Florida. The constitutional
amendment viii make available to the
state. through the issuance of bonds.
funds sufficient to enable the state to
match dollar for dollar with Escambia
county, and to expend one million and
a half in this county, in addition to the
$2.000.000 OF Escambia county bonds
already voted, for the construction of
paved roads and bridges. including the
Ferry Pass Bridge.
In a recent issue the Milton Gazette
says:
'gThe voters of Escambia county are
to be commended and the people of
the county as a whole congratulated
for carrying the bond election in their
county by a three to one or better ma
jority in Tuesdays election. This
means that our neighboring county
will have a fund of two million dollars
with which to construct permanent
roads. and that over an hundred miles
OF real roads viii be built in that
county. as a result of the carrying of
Tuesdays election. 1t is becoming
more and more evident every day, that
the country that is to prosper and
whose citizens are to prosper must
have good roads. The time was, when
the matter of roads did not enter so
vitality into the business life OF the
community as it does now, but that
day is past. Our present mode of
travel and transportation demand
good roads, and without them no sec
ton of the country can develop to any
degree. Escambia has taken a stand in
this matter that easily put her as leai-
er of the counties of West Florida in
the matter of issuing bonds for the
construction of roads, and it is to be
hoped that the other counties, incIud-
ing Santa Rosa win soon make the
county a unit for bonding and con-
structing roads"
In taking the lead, in West Florida,
IN road bonding Escambia county mas
not only made possible greater prog
ress for this county. but for every
county in this section. The assurance
given this county by the road depart
ment Of the completion of certain
roads in this part of the state, indi-
Gates a disposition on the part of the
officials representing the state to do
the fair thing by West Florida, in
stead of combining its operations en-
tirely to South Florida
But in order to carry out any defln-
tie road program, the state highway
department must have sufficient
funds for permanent road building.
The state constitutional amendment
will create a state fund. But It will
do more than this. 1t will make it
possible for the state to match federal
aid. dollar for dollar, and so, by voting