Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-01-11

Tie present road laws of this Common
wealth, are believed by your committee. 10 be
inadequate to their purpose, from this cause, 1t
from no other that they do not provide for
their own execution. Ample powers are given
TO the Surveyors OF roads to command the ac-
tive labour OF the country penalties are impo-
sed botu on them and the citizens for violation
OF duty and these penalties are recoverable
by an easy and summary remedy But with
these saiutary provisions they still remain I'M
executed.
There is, perhaps, not single Surveyor of a
road m the Commonw ealth, who punctually
complies with the requisites of the law and by
most OF them, their duties are most tlagrantly
| neglected. They fail to cau forth the whole
number OF iabourers assigned to them. They
OFTEN permit roads tn he turned or INSTRUCTED
with impunty; and the best OF them aim at
nothing more than 10 make the roads passablc,
! ana neverattemrta plan OF lasting improve
ment, or OF gradual mesioration. In conse-
| querce of this general failure OF duty, the ex-
| Pense OF transportation 20 market, by land, is
| believed to be greater in Virginia, than in any
| of our sister States.
Although water carriage is far cheaper for a.
| ny given distance, than carriage by land, Vet,
| hen 1t is considered how much greater is the
number OF roads, than can be that of uavigabIe
rivers and canals, and that the commodities
transported by these, have been previously con
veyedb y roads, it seems probable, that the im-
proVement ofthe highways ola country is rs i'm
portant an object TO the statesman aud econo-
mist, as that OF its water carriage; and the
roads, may, by their sureriornumber, save more
iaDour III the aggregate than the greater differ
ence between land and water carriage Thus.
II we suppose one mile of water carriage to cost
no more than four of land carriage. (Which is
tie ordinary estimate y but that there are TWEEN
tN mics OF road tor one of navigation, (and
the dlHerence is probably still greater,) and il
we also suppose by general improvements
OF our roads, the espSuse of transportation be
diminished one fifth, then the saving of labour
ana TIE value OF the improvement is in both ca
SEES equal.
This comparison is made, not to untIervalue
iie iiihlsputabie advantages of inland navca-
ton, but to shew the Importance ofan improve
m2nt, whchwe seem hitherto not sufficiently
TO have appreciated.
Your Committee are aware, that the present
sparse population of yirsiniais not equal to the
cost OF the best roads, and that perhaps no
system is likely to secure this benefit at as lit
Tie expense, as that of turnpikes, by which the
public accommodation rests upon the sure ba-
sis of individual interest But until a denser
state ofpopulation is attained, your committee
think, that with our present public resources.
most OF our roads are susceptible ofan improve
ment, which will repay the cost in a tenfold
proportion. They think too that foundation
may now be laid for systcmwhich NAV motto
iy accord with the present circums tances of the
country, but which will readily adapt itself to
our progressive increase in wealth and popu-
iatlon, and occasionally admit those artificial
roads, which particular situations may JUST.
~.
Our present system ofroad laws, operates as
an unequaland oppressive tax; and exempting
those who are the owners oftwo male slaves.
II bears hardesron the poorest classes. 1t in
practice too, favours the idle and disobedent
at inc expense OF the loyal administrations p art
Oh the community. 1t bears, also, unequally OH
dinerent parts of the country as from acciden-
tai diversites of soil or surface some road, re
quire more frequent and expensive repairs than
others they consequently are either oppres-
sively burthensome TO the citizens ofthe vicin- |
NY, VINO are legally bound TO repair them or !
they are suffered TO remain unrepaired
10 provide means for the construction and |
repair OF roads, which will bearmore equally on |
the citizen, and be better adapted TO the very
dIferent degrees of expense, which different |
situations require, your Committee recommend
Shat All the public roads of this Commonwealth, |
De distributed into four classes The first class
To comprehend those inferiorrOads which INTER
sect small districts, and TO the repairs ofwhich
the labourers of the yicinage NAV be sniff |
clent- The second class, to comprehend those |
parts OF the preceding, which from extraordi- |
nary local difficulties, may require the aid of |
thewoie country, the cost of which NAV be de-
irayed out of the county levy. The third class. !
10 comprehend highways ofgreater magnitude |
which the fund for internal Improvement. |
should AID In repairing, whenever 1t was not |
fsund eNpedlcnt to establish turnpikes The
fouTth and last class, to comprehend those which
facilitating the commerce and intercourse be-
tween different States, may be deemed objects |
OF national concern, and on which we NAV soon |
eXpecttO see the ample resources ofthe rener-
al government bestowed.
10 give efficacy TO this system, your commit |
tee beg leave to recommend
l. ihat the powers and responsibility of |
surveyors ofpubiic roads be somewhat atginen- |
ted, and that they be stimulated to a faithful |
discharge ofthe important duties assigned them |
by additional bountieS, as wellas additonalpen- |
alties.
=. That superintendent be appointed over
the several surveyors of larger districts, who |
may be selected for his practical skill in the |
construction OF roads, whose duty it shall be TO |
enforce the eycct' ION of the road laws and to |
report at stated times to the Courts and the |
Board of Public Works the existing cOndi- |
ton OF the roads, and recommend improve |
ments.
3. To give the Superior Courts of ,aw. CON
current Jurisdiction with the County Courts i'm
all offences against the road laws
NOur Committee do not venture to expect l
That the preceding plan will at once transform |
our bad roads into good ones. This change |
must be the slow effect of time. Some wears |
must eiapse before the requisite portion of la |
Dour can be spared from orr present thin pop
uatt0D, and before our citizens can learn from |
actual experience, that no labour bestowed OH |
their individual concerns, wiIlrenunerate them
so well as that whchis udiciOusly expended on |
the public roads But your committee believe
that the system they recommend is calculated |
TO teach this salutary lesson, without REQUIRING
from our citizens, too sudden transition from
the habits TO which they have been long accus-
toned and they confidently hope, that it will
lay solid foundation fora species OF improve
ment, which empbatcaliy marks the progress |
OF civilization, aud contributes so largely TO pri- |
vatc comfort and TO national wealth. strength
and safety.