The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-26
ROGERS HOME
 TOWN WINS IN 7 HIGHWAY FIGHT
Board, By Two To One, Rejects Boligee-Epes
 Short Route
tsTATE CAPITAL BJREAU) .

r. MONTGOMERY, Ala, Feb. % 2 The state highway commission today voted, two to one, to connect Eutaw and Livingston, county seats of Greene and Sumter counties, by detouring the state highway via Gainesville, home town of Chairman John Rogers, instead of taking the direct route via BOligee and Epes. Chairman Rogers made the motion to reaffirm the location of the highway via Clinton and Gainesville, and Commissioner J. F. Suttle of Felix voted with him, while the third member of the highway body, Commissioner J. H. :, Scruggs of Birmingham, voted against the motion. Action was taken after hearing of some two hours, in yhich delegation from the Boligee sec tion of Greene county appeared to urge that the highway be routed through their section, while a rival delegation urged the Clinton Gainesville route.
 The question of "why this detour?" was placed before the highway commis sion by Horace Wilkinson, attorney of Birmingham, who appeared as spokes- man of the Boligee delegation. He de- clared that recently he showed a dis interested stranger a map of the pro- posed location via Gainesville, and the strangers first words on seeing it. was to ask why the detour?'
 Urges Most Direct Route
 Judge Wilkinson quoted from the highway law which provides that county seats of adjoining counties must be connected by the most direct and feas- ible route. We are here to aid you as best we may to comply with your duty under the 5statute," Judge Wilkinson told the commission. "Wby should you go around two sides of a triangle in preference to the direct route across it?" He declared that the route by Boligee is "A miles shorter 4 Strong points for the advocates of the Clinton-Gainesville connection were found in asreport from W. A. McCalla. first assistant state highway engineer. which recommended the route via Clin- ton and Gainesville. The engineers re- port following d trip over the rival routes stated that while the total dis tance from Eutaw to Livingston would be greater by this route, yet the fact that. a road has already been built { from Livingston to Gainesville would result Tn saving of four miles in the { amount of new construction by the Gainesville route, and also better facili- tate connections with the county seat of fIckens county to the north.
 Rogers Opposes Delay
 It was mentioned that H. c. Wells. federal engineer, had been over two routes with the state engineer, and at tentlon was called to the fact that no report had been made from the federal engineer on the subject.
 When the state engineers report had been read by Senator Rogers, advo- eates of the Boligee route asked for a delay and that their. route be. given the same detailed survey as the rival loca- tion, but Sepator Rogers strongly urged his colleagues on the commission not to delay, declaring that the project has been delayed enough, and will soon be advertised if not held up further.
 Boligee Heads Offer
 Judge Wilkinson opened the debate on behalf of the Boligee route, declar- ing that the pioneering work has been done along this route already, that it is ndlsputably the most direct route, and equally as feasible as any other; that gravel deposits are abundant along the boilgee route, and railroad communica- tions much better, so that the amount of AAA'"AfSu Oii on the upper route would be at least four times as great as by Boligee.
 After reading the law providing for the connection of county seats by the most direct and feasible routes, Judge Wilkinson declared that any one who asks that an exception be made to this provision, as in the case of advocates of the Gainesville route, should have the burden of establishing in clear and convincing manner the necessity of such detour. He referred to the fact that aside from the local Greene county aspect of the location, business interests outside the county would be better aided by the Boligee location. Mention was made that Boligee gins about half the cotton in Greene county.
 Eutaw Man Heard
 J. F. Aldridge, attorney of Eutaw,