ECONOMIC SURVEYS OF COUNTY HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT. 387 
_ The county is located in the extreme southwestern corner of the 
State, at the eastern base of the Cumberland Mountains, and has an 
area of 433 square miles. The topography varies from gently rolling 
to mountainous. The county is well watered by mountain streams 
and the soil is very fertile. About half of the area of the county is in 
cultivation and produces good crops of wheat, oats, corn, rye, pota- 
toes, sorghum cane, hay, fruits, etc. Much of the land formerly 
devoted to the production of grain has, in recent years, been converted 
into grazing land, and cattle are now fattened for export on the blue- 
grass pastures without grain feeding. ‘There are several tracts of 
standing timber. | 
The population in 1910 was 23,840. There are no cities or large 
towns in the county, and the county seat, Jonesville, is 5.6 miles from 
Ben Hur, the nearest railroad station. 
As the bonds were voted late in 1910, the economic studies were 
begun in March, 1911, and continued in March, 1912, May, 1913, 
and May, 1914. 
. , 
HOW THE IMPROVEMENT WAS FINANCED. 
The bonds were issued by districts as follows: 
Eva Se wT RGIS (IMGs poe me faye cine - arrcirs » Sisyae iuiSe ~end akere ere $65, 000 
Jonesy ulllecistiGls 3 = see eh ie 8 et SS eo 89, 000 
TOC Kye OpARlONNG ISU Cll ke coe e SP eo SP Ye ae 100, 000 
Molstim Stailomraisiletes is. art Bes eee te eo eee 110, 000 
Dorie es a a ee 364, 000 
As the bond élection failed to carry in White Shoals district, no | 
bonds were chargeable to that district. 'Thebondswere dated January 
2, 1911, carried 54 per cent interest, and were sold at a premium of 
2 per cent, which amounted to $7,280. The deferred serial method 
was followed, and the bonds were made payable as follows: January 
1, 1916, $14,000; January 1, 1917, and thereafter to January 1, 1930, 
$15,000; January 1, 1931, to January 1, 1937, $20,000. An annual 
tax levy to pay interest on the bonds and retire $14,000 on January 
1, 1916, should raise $114,100 during 1911 to 1915, inclusive, or an 
average of $22,820 per annum. ‘Thereafter to pay interest and 
$15,000 each year there would be required an average of $28,887.50 . 
per annum to January 1, 1930, and an average of $24,400 per annum 
after that date for seven annual payments of $20,000 each and 
interest. An examination of the steps already taken for the pay- 
ment of interest and principal shows that the $14,000 due January 
1, 1916, has been paid and that the present rate of taxation appears 
_ to be sufficient to pay interest and the annual payments on prin- 
cipal as they become due. In 1913 the rates for these purposes 
were 65 cents in Rose Hill, Rocky Station, and Yokum Station dis- 
tricts, and 75 cents in Jonesville district, and produced about $28,200. 
