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Show GOOD ROADS IN TENNESSEE All Public Thoroughfares Laid Off Into Districts, and Then Let to Responsible Corporations. A few years ago it was the good fortune of the editor to visit the state of Tennessee, and he was forcbly struck by the beautiful turnpikes that traversed almost every section of the state. These roads were properly laid out by engineers, and the editor of the Co-Operator was very anxious to learn how these roads were built and maintained. We were told that the law in Tennessee Ten-nessee provided that the proper court shall lay off all public roads into convenient districts, and then let them out to responsible corporations, who enter into a contract to build and maintain a perfect highway throughout through-out the district covered by said contract con-tract for a period of ten years, and the lessees are in the meantime empowered em-powered to establish toll gates and collect such toll as the law prescribes for building and maintaining such public pub-lic roads. These are under the jurisdiction juris-diction of a watchful supervisor whose duty it is to see that the road is kept In accordance with the contract. If the lessee fails to keep and maintain main-tain such road as specified in the contract, con-tract, then it becomes the duty of the court to forfeit said contract, and the road becomes the charge of the county. coun-ty. Each citizen of the county is permitted per-mitted to buy a road permit that entitles en-titles him to the privilege of traveling the public roads of the county for the period of one year without let or hindrance. hin-drance. These roads are laid out by experienced ex-perienced engineers, and are carried car-ried around the hills and mountains so that all grades are the same and all grades are made easy of ascent. These roads are properly graded with graders and then macadamized by putting stone over the surface while the grade is new, or during the wet times, so that the sharp edges of the stones will be easily pressed into the ground and make an even, smooth surface for horses and vehicles to travel over. All along the public highway wherever wher-ever there is a stone quarry you can see great piles of broken stone ready to be hauled upon the public roads. This stone is sold to the lessees of the roads for so much a car load. It costs from' $2,000 to $8,000 per mile- to build these road3 if no other materials used in their construction. construc-tion. The bridges and culvert3 are all constructed con-structed out of concrete and are very strong and durable, and with the proper prop-er care and attention will last for ages. The state levies a small tax as a sinking fund to maintain these roads after the lease expires, and to keep and maintain any districts where the lease has been forfeited. By this system of public highways the state has a uniform system of public pub-lic roads that cover the entire state and through this system the roads are kept in perfect repair, giving that accommodation ac-commodation that is so necessary to facilitate our growing commerce. The slogan of the town and country coun-try should now be good roads, and uiis slogan should be echoed and re-echced re-echced until Texas has a system of roads that meets the demands of her people and her growing commerce. Texas' Farm and Co-Opejator. |