St. Tammany farmer., 1921-04-16
Commission. Being unwilling to have

the responsibility Of spending the
peoples money without a voice in
how it should be spent, it was our
desire to resign soon after the State
Highway Department took over the.
management Of the Federal Aid Pro-
jects in the parish. It was only our
greater desire to complete the work
that had been initiated by the Com
mission that caused the delay.
Along with the resignation we beg
leave to make report of the WORK
accomplished by the Commission, a
report of the present finances, and a
few recommendations that we con-
slider to the inter ests of the taxpay-
ers of the parish. See attached
financial report.
Recommendations:
We consider 1t imperative that a
competent Highway Engineer be en-
ployed by the parish to protect the
parish's interests in the work now
being conducted by the State High
way Department. Without this pre-
caution, there is grave danger of the
funds, which are now ample, being
exhausted before the present con-
tracts are completed.
We recommend the continuation Of
the employment OF competent SEQ
retary to keep the records and books
pertaining to the road-building mat
ters, which sholid be kept separate
and apart from ether parish business.
We recommend that all ordinances
regulating traffic on the highways be
enforced rigidly, else our roads will
soon deteriorate.
We recommend that immediate
steps be taken to maintain our roads.
Gravel and shell roads, at best, are
very perishable, and il long service
Is to be expected of them, the upke7p
must be immediate and constant.
We would suggest that In order to
get best results In this direction,
ward lines be abolished and a parish
wide system adopted.
We recommend that there be no
change made in the present route of
the Covington-Hammond road. The
present route was approved by Mr.
Edwards, Senior Bridge Engineer OF
the Government, and Mr.. Rhodes,
Federal Highway Engineer for LOU
fsiana. Any change would proba bly,
call for expenditure of more money.
Much criticism has been aimed at
the Commission for the high cost Of
the roads built by it. We know that
these roads have come high They
have come high for the same reason
that food, clothing and other articles
have been high In the same period Of
time. We have not taken the
trouble to get figures from other To-
calities, but we know positively that
our roads have cost less than the
average roads in Louisiana Of same
character constructed during the
same time. AS a concrete example
to show the relative cost of construs
ton during the peak of prices an
former years, consider the followin
In 1912 the Covington High scha-
Building, with it's two full stor
and basement, fifteen large elias
rooms, large auditorium, construct.
mostly OF impervious pressed brt
cost $32,000.00. In 1920 the NJ
Orleans Great Northern Ra;lro~
built the new depot at Covngton a
the cost Of approximately $35.OOO
The next time you pass these
buildings, compare their sizes and
cost
Possibly more criticism has been
aimed at the Commission for the en-
ployment of Mr.. M. C.. Huckabv,
Engineer, at what was looked upon
as an exhorbitant salary, than for
any other one act. AS business men
and as taxpayers, We do not hesitate
to say that the employment Of Mr..