Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-04-20
B0GGS TELLS ABOUT
ROAD TO M'KEE
State Highway Engineer Ex'
plains About Funds Needed
To Build 1t

State Highway Engineer Joe
S. Boggs has written the Daily
Register very frank letter con
cerning the Madison-McKee
proposed highway in which he
sets forth at length the difficult
Nies which his Commission faces
in providing funds for the build
ing of this much needed road
way. He confirms the letter OF
Squire w. NJ. Hurst of Jackson
county, published yesterday, re-
garding the proposal made by
the commission to the Jackson
officials, and the contingent ac-
ton required of Madison county.
1t appears that the $4,000 ap-
propriated by the Madison FiS-
cal Court will not begin to de-
fray Madison county's portion of
the highway. 1t has been said
y at various times that quite a
large amount of money would
be subscribed at Berea, and if
the route is to go the Scaffold
Cone road, Berea will assuredly
have just reason to put UP her
money, for that route will bring
the vast volume of trade from
the section opened up right to
her doors. What Mr.. Boggs
says will be read with interest
by all interested i'll opening up
,the highway into Jackson coun-
The Richmond Register,
Richmond, Kentucky.
Gentlemen:
| note Under date OF April llth
your article concerning the con-
struction of State Project No. so
from the foot of Big Hill in.
Madison county to Mckee in.
Jackson county, and particularly
the criticism made by one of the
magistrates of the Jackson hs-
cal court.
In order that interested 'citi-
zenS in both counties may un-
'derstand the financial situation
in regard to this project | wish
to state in defense of the action
of the State Highway Commits
sion that our engineers estimate
shows that the grade and drain
age in Madison county will cost
100000 and in Jackson county
$4,000, or a total Of $33O,OOO,
if the Big Hill route should be
adopted. If the Scaffold Cane
route were selected, this cost
kwould probably be reduced to
'$5OO,OO0.
Our records show that AIadi-
son county has offered to appro-
pirate only $4,000 to the project
and that Jackson county officials
have indicated that that county
would be willing to devote the
major portion of its $125,0G0
bond issue, which appropriation
| understand, would be in the
neighborhood of $80,O00. or to-
tai appropriation by the two,
counties of $4,000.
1t will, therefore, be noted
that the State on the Big Hill
route would have to appropriate
$244,O00 to the project and on
the Scaffoid Cane route $2l4,0O0
which amount is more than one
tenth of the net State Road
Fund of 100000, this being
the amount the Commission has.
at its disposal per annum after
the payment of the old State Aid
debt and the maintenance of sew
en- hundred miles of road now
being maintained by the State.
The Commission, therefore, feels
that it would not be justified Ill
this expenditure. The expensive
construction referred to by one
of the magistrates from Jackson
county is on the main trunk line
highways of the State on which
the government pays half the
cost and the counties as rule
not less than twenty-five per
cent of the cost-an illustration
being the Lexington road in
Madison county which will cost
the State approximately 100000.
1t is my belief that if Jackson
county would confne its $125,000
bond issue to this project and
Madison county would material
ly increase its appropriation,
agreeing to the Scaffold Cane
route, the State Highway Com
mission would look with much
favor to the project, provided
the construction was spread out
over a two year period. | real
ize the Importance of this road
to both counties and am willing
to use my best efforts toward its
Improvement, but do not believe
1