100 years ago: City commissioner upholds Missouri roads as exemplary

From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for July 30, 1915:

  • “If Commissioner of Finance W. W. Holyfield could have his way the city of Lawrence would start an agitation that would result in some better roads for Douglas county. Mr. Holyfield and the city commission motored over the county roads of Jackson county, Missouri, recently, and ever since then the thought of the roads in Douglas county makes him sick, the commissioner says. ‘The thing that should be done in Douglas county,’ said Mr. Holyfield today, ‘is to start a concerted movement with some good men as a permanent committee, to get good roads work for the county under way.’… It is a safe estimate that the condition of the roads has cost the merchants hundreds of dollars during the past few months, the commissioner thinks, because traffic has been almost impassable at many times and the farmers could not get to town to do trading and consequently the city lost out. ‘The trade arteries leading into the city from the country round about ought to be in such condition that they would never become impassable,’ he said, ‘and if the people would only all get together and pull in unison we could have a decent system of roads in a few years.’… The system in Jackson county was laid out by a landscape architect, it is said, and officials gave him full sway to place the roads wherever he thought best. The result has delighted every traveler who has ever visited the county. Oiled rock roads and oiled earth roads predominate and they are always good.'”
  • “County Attorney Amick returned from Topeka this afternoon after consulting with the public utilities commission on the matters of the Lawrence bridge and the repairs on the Eudora bridge. The commission has approved the plans for both structures and it is probable that work will be started soon. This is the step which the county has been waiting on for some time in regard to the new bridge, and while there was never any doubt but that the commission would agree to the plans of Hedrick and Cochran, still the officials are glad to have the matter settled…. The money for the new structure across the Kaw is now in the hands of the county treasurer, the collection having been finished several weeks ago, and the advertising for bids will be started soon.”
  • “Today is pay day at the city hall and City Clerk Brooks is busy doling out to the employees of the municipality their month’s salaries. ‘We pay all the city employees every month if they want their money,’ said Mr. Brooks this morning, ‘and most of them want the money, you can bet.'”
  • “The Civic League garden committee is planning to make a second inspection of the children’s gardens some time next week, probably Monday or Tuesday. Prizes will be given to the children having the best gardens.”
  • “H. T. Martin, assistant curator of the museum at the University, will leave Monday on his annual trip to gather paleontological specimens for the use of his department. He will cover the greater part of Gove and Trego counties.
  • “The largest turnout of the season for the National Guard band enjoyed the concert last night in Central Park.”