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Subject: It was just the nature of political campaigns in 1913.
Date: 27 Nov 2005 14:49:44 -0700

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Surnames: Ross, Farwell, Greene
Classification: Biography

Message Board URL:

http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/ok.2ADE/4082

Message Board Post:

THE TABOR BEACON. February 6, 1913. "A TALE WITH A MORAL".-- Herald: During the campaign last past the one weapon used in attempt to defeat Chairman John D. Ross of the board of supervisors, and which did in fact serve to unseat Supervisor Frank Greene, was a widespread story of the "reckless" manner in which these men had drawn upon the county bridge fund in building concrete bridges and culverts. It was the hue and cry from one end of the county to the other -- how these lavish expenditures could not fail to eventually bankrupt the county.

Now as to the foundation for such a scare: Auditor Jenkins is now engaged in making up copy for his annual report, to be published in pamphlet form as required by law, and in the regular order of computation has reached the bridge fund. The figures show that in 1912 there was expended $6,468.08 less for material and $2,493.99 less for labor than in the preceding year. In round numbers $9,000 less money was used in 1912 than in 1911, and at the same time a large number of permanent bridges were constructed -- bridges that will be in use when the new born babe of yesterday becomes a grandfather.

This paper has no desire to renew battles that are past and gone. The object of this is only to serve as a reminder that before assailing a citizen either in public or private life, it were well to get all the facts. In other words: --

"There's so much good in the worst of us
.And so much bad in the best of us.
It ill becomes any one of us
.To speak evil of the rest of us."

N.B.: In the history of bridge building in Fremont county, concrete bridges were "the thing" before Greenwood bridges were constructed, which indeed have remained for grandchildren of the builders to see. My grandfather, Jack B. Farwell, had a concrete bridge on his land, 1/4 miles east of the old McIntyre school house which had to be replaced in the 1930's by a Greenwood bridge. I believe the latter was still in place the last time I went over that road.

Just south of Sidney on the highway (where there is a small jog to the east made necessary by the old 1836 Missouri Platte Purchase boundary line) one used to be able to see one of these Ross concrete bridges still standing over Pleasant Grove Creek, just west of the highway before it runs momentarily southeast. I wonder if it still stands as a reminder of the county's bridge history?--W.F.

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