The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1921-09-30
Good Roads.

1t is the purpose of the State High
way Commission, in case the Federal
road bill, passed by the House and
amended BY the Senate, becomes q
law within the next few weeks, to
make a contract for road work in
Obion County on the Bristol-to-Mem-
phis highway.
The County Court is therefore cx-
pected to authorize the sale of bonds
in compliance with it's contract made
with the State Highway Commission
to issue bonds for $4,000.
We presume there will be no effort
made to change the conditions or in
validate the contract. Everyone
must acknowledge the necessity of
improving the public highways or
the main arteries of travel thru the
county, and everyone must concede
the point that labor and material are
more reasonable than when work
wa heretofore contemplated on
this road. If Mr.. Howse finds it pos
sible within the next few weeks or
months to let contract on this road
1t is indeed O most suspicious time,
when so many of our people are need
ing work, for the county to use the
money in that way. If we are to
have this road, and it seems to us
there is every reason In the world
why we should have it, there can be
no better time for road construction
in Obion County.
We want to say to those who have
been reading The Commercial that,
while we advocate a more economic
policy in the conduct of schools and
fairs and other State enterprises in
Tennessee, we are convinced of the
fact that it is not good economy
to adopt a narrow policy in pub
lie highway construction. The cities
and districts in Tennessee which are
promoting highway construction are
those which are making the greatest
progress in every avenue of endeav-
or. Improved public highways go
hand in hand with better farming.
better schools and better trade con-
ditions. There can be no proper es-
innate of the value of improved high
ways. Therefore the cost of the high
ways is more than Offset with the adj
vantages and benefits accruing there
from. There can be no mistake
about this. The same or practically
the same investment Tennessee is
now making in it's schools and fairs
cannot possibly bring anything like
the same returns.
If Obion County, by any possible
chance, does not see its way clear to
proceed with this contract, then this
road and no other State road can be
built in the county for years to come.
There will be nothing left but few
improvements made possible by local
taxation, and imperfect roads at
that. The Federal and State govern
mcnts will spend, with our $4,000,
100000 more, and this $450,000 |
turned loose in the county next year
more than we can possibly |
realize. 1t will indeed be fortunate |
to those who are needing employ
ment.
One other matter The Commercial |
wants to refer to: The line which has
been surveyed from Union City to
Troy is an air line and cuts diagon-
ally thru some Of the richest farms.
1t is only mile farther to run due
west from Union City and then due
south by Glover's without impairing
the value and topography of any of
.hese farms. And this does not in
.erfere at all with the principle of
'oad construction as it is done in
States where the lands lay in sec
ions and the roads run at right an
,les with we'll curved corners. These
armers should have some considera-
ion as well as the promotion of
tandard highways, and we feel sure
When the supervising engineer looks
yer the field he will readily agree to
he merits of the case.
Mass Meeting.