The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-07-18
Get Bridge First, and Then Set
tie Road Matter-Reply to-
Letter From Marsh.

For some time The Journal has heAn
calling attention to the fact that in spite
Of the resolutions which were endorsed at
the mass meeting of citizens held several
months ago at the city hall, no definite
statement has been made by the commits
sioners as to their attitude either on the
Ferry Pass road or bridge at any meeting
which has been held for the conduct of
county affairs.
The resolutions which were adopted at
the citizens meeting were presented to
the commissioners some weeks ago, and
which were tabled, have never had any
substitute, SO far as any county records
show, and from the statement which is
made by the county attorney, r. Pope
Reese. in the following communication.
the county commissioners and the citi-
Eens' committee have never met on any
satisfactory basis, but the Pensacola rep
resentation has gone to Tallahassee, a
hose divided against itself:
Get Bridge First.
Editor Pensacola Journal.
Dear Sir:-I do not think it wise or ad-
visable to bring the question of the pro-
posed new boulevard along the Escam-
bia Bay to the Ferry Pass bridge, before
the state road department at this time
or at any time except In the proper way.
am particularly opposed to this being
brought before the state road department
at this time for the reason as I stated
in my article published in the Pensacola
News on Sunday, to-wit: The whole OBJ
ject and all OF the concerted effort of
Escambia county commissioners, the San
ia Rosa county commissioners and the
70 ~ f6o nfxy
before the state road department at this
time. should be centered on working out
a plan to build the Ferry Pass bridge
across Escambia river at once.
Road Can Wait.
''This road can wait and the question
of the establishment of this road can
wait at this time. The all important
matter is the Ferry Pass bridge right
now.
''My friend, Mr. F. W. Marsh, admits
in his article that it is his intention to
present this matter Of Bay Shore route
for the boulevard at this time, before the
state road department, for he says:
"a cannot make any serious error
In presenting at this time to the state
road department the resolutions OF
the mass meeting held In this county,
several civic bodies OF this commu-
nifty, and which requests the location
BY the department Of the road from
the bridge as following the shore line
of the upper bay
''Mr. Marsh has indeed fallen into Sc
rlous error II he thinks that the state
road department, under the law, has the
authority to come into Escambia county
Las o( 6xy
and open a new road and establish a
boulevard as suggested in his article, and
In the law quoted, using the bond money
voted by the citizens. without the initial
and affirmative action of the board Of
county commissioners establishing that
road. The law quoted by Mr.. Marsh,
Acts of 1915. is not the law at all. but
that Act was re-enacted and changed by
the Acts Of the legislature of 1919. and
the Act quoted by Mr.. Marsh Of 1915 ex-
pressly repealed.
Law Repealed.
eff the law Of 1915 were in effect it
would not change, and does not change
the proposition laid down by me that the
county commissioners is the only body
that can lay out county roads upon which
county funds are to be expended The
law quoted by Mr.. Marsh is no longer
the law, but even If it were, in that part
Of the Act which he quotes 1t is stated
that the roads to be laid out by the state
road department are to be constructed
an dmaintained by funds available from
the state and from the state and federal
governments, expressly excluding the
county funds.
However. the law as 1t exists now
Chapter 1928 Acts of 1917, and Chapter
1893 Laws of 1919, provides in Section 4,
of the Act of 1917 that the
Estate road department. 10 author
ICED and empowered TO enter Into con-