The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1921-06-17
WHlTTHORNE TELLS WHY he
HAS NOT ADVERTISED SALE
OF BONDS AUTHORIZED.
EXPLAINS HIGHWAY STATUS
But Little Is Accomplished as a Re.
suit of Long Conference Held Here
This Morning-"Water Muddy As
Result of Meeting.
(From Saturdays Daily Herald.)

Dortch, j. F. Porter, w. j. Russell, ID.
w. Shofner, Tate Jenkins, Frank A.
Wheeler, Charles A. Jackson, G. Y,
Clarke, James T. Petty, ]. A. Chap
man, T. F. Hill, Charles V. Hull, Arnell
Peery, C. C. Denton and |. C. Murphy,
met this morning with County Judge
w. c., Whitthorne in the county court
room to discuss the status of the Mt.
Pleasant and Pulaski pike projects and
to urge that the 100000 bond issue
authorized by the county court for the
building of these highways in conjunc-
tion with the state and federal gov
ernments be Immediately advertised
for sale and for work to begin.
! Apparently nothing was accomplish
ed as a result of the conference, and
as one member of the committee ex-
pressed it nothing was done except
the muddying of the water"
The meeting was called to order by
ID. w. Shofner, who was elected chair
man of the meeting. R. H. Wyatt was
elected secretary. In a few words Mr..
Shofner explained the purpose of the
meeting, stating that 1t had been call
ed for a conference with Judge Whit.
thorne to Sc if some equitable scheme
could not be worked out which would
permit work to proceed on the two
state and federal aid highways already
projected. namely the Mt. Pleasant
and Pulaski pixies.
Charles A. Jackson told of the meet
ing held by good road enthusiasts at
Mt. Pleasant on Thursday night, at
which time w. w. House, chairman of
the state highway commission, dis.
cussed the state and federal aid roads,
and told why the contracts had not
been let for the building of the Mt
Pleasant and Pulaski pixies. Mr.. Jack.
son outlined in brief manner the
principal facts of Mr. Houses speech
at Mt. Pleasant and called upon Judge
Whitthorne to explain the differences
existing between the state highway
department and the couny officials of
Maury county.
Judge Whitthorne thereupon enter
ed long and exhaustive explanation
of the status of affairs, going back to
state and federal aid roads was first
brought before the quarterly court Of
Maury county. When Judge Whit
thorne rose to speak he laid sheaf of
papers, evidently correspondence with
the state highway department, as he
referred frequently to letters that had
passed between the department and
himself. ..t~i1I
Judge Whitthorne declared that
when the matter OF building state and
federal aid highways was first taken
up, that the county court of Maury
county had been led to believe that
the road could be constructed for $12,-
900 per mile, and that the county, the
state and the federal government
would each pay one-third of the cost,
but when the contract was awarded
he said it was found that the cost
was approximately $4,000 per mile,
making the county's part $4,000 per
mile. He said that under the resolu-
worth of bonds, the interest rate was
not to exceed five and One-fourth per
cent. Judge Whitthorne declared his
belief that the bonds could not be sold
at this rate of interest at the present
time Judge Whitthorne, in referring
to his refusal to pay to the state high
way department the remainder of the
$4,000 for the construction of the
Nashville pike, declared that the state
highway department had never made
a legal written demand upon him to do
so. Approximately one-half of the
county's part of the contract amount
has thus far been paid, and officials
of the state highway department de-
clare the failure of the county to pay
over the remainder of this money is
causing the delay in the awarding of
the contracts for the other pixies.
Judge Whtthorne declared he had in
his possession a written opinion from
the county attorney advising him to
make no further payments, pending an
adjustment of differences. The Judge
stated that the state highway depart
ment is not in position to demand
more than it has already received
from the county for work on the Nash
vile highway. He said further that he
had been informed that the state de-
partment had not complied with it's
agreement to keep the money used |
for the building of the highway on de-
post in the county in which the pro-
ject is being carried out.
Judge Whitthorne discussed at !
length the question of whether or not I
the county was paying too much for
the character of roads that Is being /