The independent. (Harrisonburg, La.) 1853-18??, 1858-05-12

In our last number under this heading
We had reference TO the importance of du.
consideration in the location Of roads, anc
also adverted to the Obvious advantage tha
might arise from change of location il
cases where it had been originally made it,
judiciou.ly. We had reference then bv way
of Illustration, TO the section of the AleXan
dra road extending from Ianisonburc to
Caahoula Prairie. We would now d;rec,
public attention 70 the striking importance
of an entire change in the location of this
road. 70 show the futiiitv of aiming to
keep . good road along the hill sides does
seem 10 US wholly unnecessary. Every scra-
ping or digging Of the road affords greater
facility to heavy rains to tear and wash them
to pieces. bitches on the upper sides Of he
road also make the matter worse, for these
in little time become vast chasms that
swallow up the roads; where bitches are not
SO made, the constant emulation of the water
through the earth in the winter and spring
seasons renders the road Doggy and almost
impossible, on tina. account. All the labor
expended on road thus located is absolutely
thrown away. The entrance into Harrison
burg or thi. road has been nearly cut of
during the past winter season for several
years past. The hill sides in the vicinity of
the road are SO torn and excavated by ralus.
that but little space remains for the passing
Of carriage Of any kind. There is now no
alternative left but change of location from
the hill side to the level ground Either
this must be done Of all Intercourse with
uarisonburg on this routs by Wagons ana
carriages must be abandoned. The citizens
Of this place have a greater interest in this
matter than they are fully aware Of. TIE
trade to the place along the Alexandria road
is important and it Is daily becoming more
50. \ large portion Of the population of tie
parish southwest Of this point, are interested
deeply in having at all times, substantial
permanent road to Uarrisouburg Such a
road We maintain, is easily within their reach.
by abandoning at once the idea OF a road
along the bill sides, and constructing an en-
tirely Lew road along the margin Of the
swamp. The first ten miles Of the new route
from lIarrisonburg would be along the iien-
teal old road that was used forty years ago,
by our ancestors, who had too much pract-
cal good sense to think Of having passahle
road along the hill sides. In fact, the pres
ent location of the road was originally got
ten up by few settler, on the margin Of the
hills, who wanted the road for their own
profit and not for any purpose Of public and
general utility. The public benefit now i'm
requires, that it should be put back
upon lis original location, with such chan
ces and notifications as the present con,l;-
ton Of things will require and admit. The
change would be, from the very worst road
in The parish, to one not exceeded in it, in
POI Mt Of beauty or comfort
As there is an urgent necessity that some
thing should be set on foot at once in regard
to the read in question, we have thought it
our duty to speak GU. on the subject at this
time, as the June term Of the Police Jury is
at hand, and the proper action can then be
taken in the matter. In the mean time we
would remind the citizens of nburg !
Of their interest at stake and urge them 10
ponder these things properly ana TO shape
their course accordingly.