The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-08
Favors The Gainesville Dstour

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 Knowing the progressive and good people of the Boligee community as I do, it is sur prising to note they are not good losers. This question of a route for the proposed state and federal aid highway from Eutaw to Liv- ingston was practically settled several years ago. A majority of the people of Sumter and Greene counties went on record several times favoring the Gainesville route. l, my self, recall having never seen a map of the highway department, the present comsimsi0n and the commission in authority prior to MT. John A. Rogers connection with it, that did not show this road as projected and laid out via Gainesville. Having resided close by and often in the communities at issue for the past eight years, I do not recall any movement on the part of the BOligee people to get this road via their town and section until it was generally accepted and expected that the road, when constructed, would go by Gainesville. l am absolutely neutral in personal feeling as to which route be finally adopted; but 1 cannot see how the state highway commission could afford to reverse itself in contradiction of the wishes of majority of the people of the two counties and in contravention of the ideas, considera- tiOn and decision of its predecessors in office, and build this highway down the Alabama Great Southern Railroad from Eutaw to Livingston passing through Boligee < and Epes.
 There is, of course. an abundance of argu- ment in favor of either route. It has all been threshed out thoroughly. The Boligee proponents have had their day and trial and have lost. l am far from believing they have not received due and full consideration of their claims. 1 think the best interest of the public at large and of majority of the peo- pie most immediately affected would be best served if the issue is dropped and the Gaines vile route be constructed soon as possible
 With regard to Mir. Rogers having his home at Gainesville and the reflections and insinua- tions thrown at him, l share the view of hun dretls, and even thousands, that this gentle mans official conduct IS above reprOach and impeachment and that the Gainesville route is due to get this highway Git already has a good portion of itl and that the road should go via Gainesville had Mir. Rogers never been born into the world. The legislative author ity and directions under which the highway commission was created, empowered, amended and now existing does not allow it to take cOgnizance of tourist routes and shortcut trunk line as supersedng in importance the due regard for the public welfare within the state of Alabama. This point was threshed out in the legislature before the $25,00O, 900 bond issue was first submitted to the people. It could not pass until the vitally important decision was reached that the money be expended to connect each cOun- ty seat with adjoining county seats with weather-proOf roads by the most direct and Cor 'or''D feasible route with due regard to the public welfare. If this does not hold the authority of the commission fully within the bounds and demands of co-ordihating the system. 'detours" or what not to the con, trary notwithstanding. 1 fail utterly to be
 impressed with any definite mandate of the law, it's intent and purpose Detours are sometimes good things. Civilization generally has been detOuring for many years and will keep it up. The old stage coach lines de toured"-physical and other things called for it then and the same things still have in | their call Manifestly the Gainesville route