The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-04-18

begin somewhere and get nowhere
(meaning to begin at the northern
border OF Hamilton county,. When
we go to Jacksonville the press and
the pople say, concentrate here the
state funds, build one road first from
Jacksonville to Waycross and from
Jacksonville to Brunswick and open
the flood gates and pour the tourists
into the Metropolis When we go
down the East Coast they tell us not
to take their wealth to North and
West Florida and build roads but con-
centrate the money on the road, the
only road. down the East Coast. When
we go down to Tampa and that county
of course they don't say a word, (pre-
sent company excepted, of course. ]
come down on the 25th).
II understand that you claim West
Florida dominates. over South Flor
ida in road matters to the extent that
this is one of the excuses for NOV
ing the capitol. / am about to believe
that you are making some progress
along this line since it is rumored
around here that few of our worst
politicians are gathering up their eff
fects to follow it. If you succeed,
please carry it to Key West. I was
wondering who in West Florida could
master the state board department.
the department to Immediately build
the western approach to the Apalachi-
cola Bridge, it being the most i'm
portant project ever undertaken by
the department, it now stands cut off
on the western banks with three quar-
ters of mile of unfinished approach
over a bad swamp, and on account of
the recent high water it has put traf-
fic out of commission for thirty days.
If you will compare the counties
of West Florida with the counties of
North, South and East Florida, you
will see that we get very little for
roads in comparison with many sec
tions. The ApalaIchicola bridge of
course is the largest; even the amount
expended here is not hardly as much
as we are giving some counties over
East or South. I think up to this
time about $415, 100000 Of this about
$50. 100000 comes from the adjoining
counties. Off hand will give you, as
remember, some counties over your
way that we are helping OF course 1
do not have the records and cannot
guarantee my figures exactly as cor
rect but approximately they are:
Orange county, think will cost US
$400,000.00, nothing required of them.
We are giving Hillsboro about $225,
10000: Pinellas about $3.50, 900 90,
when we finish the extra work out
side of the contract led: Old Original
De Soto about $500, 100000; Alachua
will cost us about $400, 100000 or more:
Marion $500. 900. 90: Columbia $780,
100000 or more and Hamilton $780,
100000 if we furnish there as agreed.
These are all on No. 2. Considerable
has been or will be spent down in
Osceola. From Lake City to Jack
sonville over $1.000,000.00; Nassau
$200.000.00; ST. Johns 1 think has
already cost us about 500, 100000 or
will at least; st. Lucie $240, 900 90:
Brevard will get about $500, 100000, in
Guiding convicts and the bridge; Man
atee I think about 5000, 900 90: Putnam
about $150.Oo0.oO OF more: Pasco $780,
10000 or more with what is spent:
F1asier, Volusia and others received
also appropriations that / cannot re-
call
Il am giving you these figures to
compare with what West Florida
counties are getting And when you
speak of what has been done on No
/ don't forget that from Lake CITY
west. there are about $50 miles Of No.
l, on which practically nothing has
been done. I would say not more than
$1Oo,000.00 altogether for roads. In
Leon, Jefferson, Sewanee and Madi-
son practically nothing as yet has been
done. Waukulla very little II anv.
Liberty about 100000. Franklin
nothing. Calhoun fifty per cent Of a
$7s,000.00 bond issue. of which prob
ably about 100000 will come out of
the state; about the same on roads in
Bay county: Washington county moth
ing on roads; Holmes county probably
$35.00o00. at this place we are build