Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1921-07-22
G.. c. K. VS.
CIR. and S. S.
CharIevOix Co. Has Concrete"
Example of Both Kinds.
Charlevoix, July 20, 1921.

Reviewing the situation of Charlevoix
County's road system, we all must
analyze the thought of G. G. r. (good
concrete roads, VS.. Cir. and S. S. (gra-
vel and soft stuff construction,
from a different angle than those
who live where only gravel and
soft stuff roads have been built, be-
cause we have the advantage of living
in a county which has built both kinds
and have ridden over them and know
the advantages and benefits of one
kind over the other.
Our G. C. r. was built twelve years
ago and that for all we can see it is as
good now as when first built. We
know the upkeep is next to nothing
only Fourteen Dollars ($l400) per mile
for twelve years, or one Dollar and
Twenty Seven Cents per mile per year,
and that it has worn only 1892 of an
inch. No one in Charlevoix County
knows either the cost of the CIR. and S.
S. road or the upkeep of same but we
do know that we have between Five
and Six Hundred Thousand Dollars
invested in roads and that about all we
have to show for it is four or five miles
of q. c. r. and so or 60 miles of the
other, CIR. and S. S.
Iwould not build any of the cross
roads now of concrete but we have
twelve miles to build on the Dixie
Highway-the road over which most of
our tourists come here to spend the
summer with us-and it is a National
Highway. This road, say most en-
phatically, should be built of concrete
because of its durability and the large
amount of expense which it will save
in the upkeep for the same.
We can and we should take advan-
tage of getting Federal Aid for this
II miles of road, because we can get
so per cent of the cost of it from AZ
states which they will contribute to us
on this piece of road. | think so and
so does everybody else except perhaps
few. We can get state aid for bull
ding state roads. This money is from
funds which we have contributed but
here is an opportunity to get the sum
needed from our neighboring AZ states.
The southern part of the state is get
ting Federal Aid in "large quantities"
and they get it because they go for it
and when we bonded for our One
Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars,
it was for concrete road on the Dixie
Highway. Frank Rogers, our State
Highway Commissioners, promised us
that we should have it for the Dixie
Highway. Now | say while we can
get the Federal Aid, let's 60 for it. It's
for you taxpayers that am talking and
not ror myself. Why? Because have
disposed of my property here and will
not have the high tax to pay that you
will have to pay on account of your
present road system. 1t is the duty of
every taxpayer to know what he pays
his tax for and to see that he gets it.
We should not calculate our county
road problem singly as one against the
other but collectively as a County Unit,
and all of us using as much Federal
Aid as we can get.
My contest between the building of
G. C. r. and CIR. and S. S. roads is not
with individuals, but with the rotten
system and it is not necessary for me
to refer to it. You all know it and
why in the - | you stand for it is
more than know. Say, fellows, let's
see if we cant make more of our oppor-
tunities than we do. Let's ask our
selves few questions. Am | doing
all can to make Charlevoix County a
better place to live in? Is my example
such as commands the respect of old
friends and neighbors and all law abid-
ing citizens? Do obey the Golden
Rule? Retire to the quiet of your own
domicile and answer these questions
and if any other questions pop up,
answer them too-and then act accord
ing 10 the dictates of an honest con-
science.
Yours for the good of Charlevoix
County,
"UNCLE" GEORGE VAN PELT.