Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-09-23
For the Loudon Free Press

For the Loudon Free Press
NJ. Editor-Sir: | saw in your last paper a
piece from your pen, upon the subject of roads
and highways. Although I am not perma-
nent resident of Tennessee, neither do expect
to be, yet l cannot but feel an interest in the
welfare Of place, and people, in and among
which | am for the present employed, and most
especially the State of Tennessee, the people of
which seems to be awakening from the mac
tivity of former years, and with an eager grasp,
seizing upon the many ways and means that are
held out to them by Railroad, and other comra
MES, organized for public improvements, in
their anxiety for advancement.
With this spirit fairly awakened, and rightly
directed, ii viii not be long ere she will be on
an equal footing with the most enterprising, and
prosperous of her sister States. But in no 9TH
er feature Of public improvements, do the peo,
pie need q more thorough awakening, than in
the improvements of their roads and highways;
and it is matter of mystery to me, hotc they
have 50 long lived in comparative inertness up
on this matter accustomed as | have been to
the thorough going, energetic measures Of the
Sons of New England, in these matters. Let
tie roads that are now almost, if not quite i'm
passable, be once put in good travelling condi-
ton, and kept SO, and it viii be felt by every one
from the woalthiest to the poorest artizan. 1t
will give new impetus to business of all kinds
The farmer will find market for his produce
with far less trouble, and instead of the heavy,
clumsy ox-wagon, which is almost the only
wheel carria se in use, he would find that a span
of mules, or horses, attached to light wagon,
would draw larger load with more ease and
greater speed. Pleasure carriages would multi :
ply, the almost entire absence Of which can be
attributed to this cause, and travelling on horse
back would soon be superseded by light vehicles.
Strangers, attracted by the healthy mountain
air, and scenery of East Tennessee, would visit
here in large numbers during the Summer
months. This would of course bring more or
less ready money into the country, and give the
farmers in the vicinity of Hotels, and places of
resort, market for much Of their produce, that
would be impraeticable to send to foreign mar
ket, such astruits Vegetables, fowls, &c. There
are large tracts of valuable lands in East Ten
nessee, that are still without local purchasers
and with the roads in their present condition,
and no prospect of their being better, it will
be long before they will find market, as under
the existing circumstances, much of it would
not be worth "a Journey to see it; but once le;
them find good facilities for travelling in the
country, and enterprising emigrants will soon
ind their way here, the merchant viii find
ready market for his goods, and the mechanic
of every branch, good demand for his labor.
The only way to remedy this evil is by di-
rect tax, upon every individual resident, subject
to poll tax, and all real estate. The mode
practced in New England, and in some of the
Northern States think good one; it may
not be familiar to all your readers: it is this
Each town is divided into districts, and "High-
way surveyor" as he is called, is appointed at
the yearly town meeting, in each district, and
he has given him 10y the town committee, list
of the residents in his district, with the tax
which each individual has to pay. The poll
tax is small, from twenty-five cents to one dol
lar and the real estate according to valuation,
and the amount of repairs necessary to be done
upon the roads, and the surveyor who is ALWAYS
a resident of the district, selects a time that is
the most favorable for the farmer to leave his
work, generally in the month of June, and 10.
titles the district and they meet and work, men
and teams, receiving so much per hour, until
their tax is paid. These districts are not ofen
large, embracing from one to two square miles,
according to the roads popolation &c, and as
each man works in his own district, he feels an
interest in the work, and does it cheerlully, for
there is no compulSion, or if he chooses he can
pay the money, as many mechanics, &c. prefer
to do Then every one has the satisfaction of
riding over roads, that are easy, and safe to
travel, day or night. If they are not so, and
any accident occurs, through inefliciency Of the
roads, such as breaking through bridge, with
a load not exceeding four tons, and receiving
injury thereby; running off a bank, not properly
secured, overtlraing of earra res where there is
a defect, or for any damages sustained, the suf
ferers can collect pay in full of the town, and
there again, all are interested, and accidents
rarely occur, aud the system works admirably,
all being satisfied with it. All travelling and
business upon these roads, is done with wheel
carriages; person on horseback, except for
pleasure ride, being rarely seen.
In country so thinly settled as this is, to
get such a system into operation viii no doubt
be attended with many difficulties, bat once fair
ly tested, al could not but see its advanta-
ges. Yours respectfully, d. c. II.
Grand Lodge Of The United States l. o. O. !
F-The annual session of this body was opened
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