Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-07-01
PAVING COSTING
COUNTY REALLY
ONLY $1,000 MI.
Staying Within Estimate,
Board Tells Chamber
Officials

Stripped of all camoufage and ex~
pressed in figures of actual dollars
expended by the county, Sumters
permanent paved roads are costing
approximately $1,000 a mile, and
all rumors to the contrary NAV be
regarded as either Intentionally
false or based upon other than re-
liable information.
When these facts were brought
! out at a meeting of the commission
ers of the Americus and Sumter
County Chamber of Commerce and
three members of the Board of
County Commissioners of Roads and
Revenues this morning, the former
expressed themselves as immensely
pleased with results to date, and
L. G. Council, one of them added: II
say, gentlemen, that if such roads as
that now being built on the Dixie
Highway east of Americus can be
secured at a cost of $1,000 a mile,
then let's go ahead; don't do any
thing. to disorganize the road forces
that are doing such splendid work.
Present at the meeting represent
ing the county commissioners were
Chairman Neill A. Ray, R. S. Oliver,
secretary of the board, and j. j. Will
son. President Carr s. Glover, OF
the Chamber of Commerce presided,
and members of the business mems
organization present, besides Mr..
Glover were Frank P. Harold. l.. u.
Council Frank Lanier, 7. NJ. Furlow,
Frank Sheffield, Walter Rylander,
IA L. Mize and Secretary Perkins I
District Highway Engineer ". g..
Caye, Jr., and County Road Super |
intendent John Ansley were present
by invitations as was also news
paper reporter.
Reports Current.
Frank Sheffield was the first
speaker, and he confined his remarks
principally to a statement that re-
ports regarding alleged exaggerated
cost incurred in paving operations
had become current that the job
undertaken by the county in naving
it's roads is big one, and that the
commissioners deserved the cooper
alton of the people, while the people
were entitled to know the cost in.
cured and progress attained. He re-
ferred to the availability of certain
native rocks which have been found
to be excellent paving material, and
suggested to the commissioners and
others present that should it be true
that paving costs had exceeded the
estimates originally made, making it
impossible to give the people the
number of miles of paved roads prom
ised when bonds were voted, that
the Hse of this native rock material
be considered in the laying out of
future paving projects. He also re
fererd to possibility of deferring
further paving operation until ma
terials and labor reach lower price
levels, if it had been found that the
cost of paving now is excessive or
cost so much as to make fulfillment
of promises made the people impos-
sible.
Mr.. Oliver, speaking for the board
then said Mr. Caye, the district engi-
neer of the state highway depart
ment was present, and he had asked
bearing upon the cost of pairing
by Mr.. Sheffield, affords excellent
psving material. Mr.. Oliver st"ted
and his remarks indicated he would
not oppose its use in future projects
Only Approximations.
Mr.. Caye, presenting his figures
diIected attention to the f. that
they were only approximate estimates
based upon work done in all parts of
the state. These figures, he said.
show that 1 per cent of the cost of
paving is properly chargeable to
drainage, 2 per cent to grading and
81 per cent to surfacing or actual
paving. To date, he estimated, Sum
ter county has expended on paving
projects a total of $58,921, of which
S14,957 has been spent for machinery
and enl ipment and $4,000 for paw.
ing material. Of the paving material
fEhere is a quantity still on hand un-
used, and quantity sufficient to
pave 6 miles of roadway has been
contracted for by the county au.
thorities.
The original estimated cost of the
type of road being laid here, he said
was $4,000, of which the fedora,
government under the $3.50 plan
will pay one-half. This cost of 500
600 per mile includes payment for
labor used at an estimated exnensa
OIL Sz.oo TO $500 per man each day.
ana convict labor being used, it is es-
Clmated this will bring the net cost
OF the road to $4,000 per mile. of
which sum the federal government
under the $3.50 plan, will paw S13.-
0oO' leaving only $1,000 a mil, as
tne countys' share in the construc.
tion work. ~ 00''''i uo
IN answer to direct question as