The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1867-11-15
Road Improvement.

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ment than that which Mr.. George Lochsry
has made on what is known as the Hickory road
and no improvement in the county was more
needed. Commencing near the Academy, on the
outskirts of our town, Mr. Lochary has turnpiked
with stone, in very durable and substantial
manner, the public road to beyond the gate Of
Mr.. Mccormick, or nearly TO Bynum's Run
We understand that the County Commissioners
were liberal in their allowance on this piece O
road, and that the balance which was necessary
to complete the work was raised by private con-
tributions. This piece ofroad has always been
unusually bad in the winter and spring time,
and large amounts of money have from time to
time been expended upon it. But at last,
through the liberaity of the County Commits
sioners and of private individuals together
with the care and skill of Mr.. Lochary, the coun-
ty is rid of this yearly outlay for at least quar-
ter of century to come. We have always
thought that money thus expended was money
saved. For while it rids the county of the an
nual expense of repairs--which seldom do much
real good-it saves to the community an meal
culable amount Of money, in the repairs of wa
gons carriages and other vehicles. The amount
to be appropriated may appear large at first, but
when it is remembered that it is to last for years.
the appropriation sinks into insignfcance, when
compared to the advantages which accrue to the
public from the improvement. We are aware
that the county could not afford to make these
permanent Improvements in all places which
need them at one time, bnt suppose two or three of
them were made every year, it would not be
great many years until our county roads would
be compare lively good. We have known
number of these Improvements to be made with
in the last FIVE or six years. Now suppose these
Improvements, instead of running back for five
years, had run back for fifty years. or even twenty
years, it would have been great saving to the
county and vast improvement to the roads,
There is hardly an instance where a considerable
amount, could not be raised by private contribu-
tions to permanently improve any piece ola very
had road, and We think it would be economy
and frugaity if the County Commissioners would
encourage this spirit of enterprise, by increasing
their appropriation, wherever and whenever the
opportunity presents itself. 1t is a well known
and well established fact that the manner in which
our public roads have for years been repaired is
but temporary, and that the money expended, in
many instances, may almost be said to have been
thrown away while by the system which we
suggest, the county and individual tax-pay era
would be the gamers to the amount of every far
thing expended. That the money heretofore ex-
pended on our roads is almost useless, it is
not the fault of any individual in the community,
we admit, but we do charge that it is the fault
of the system, and think that when any sye-
tenn is found to be faulty, that better one shou Id
be adopted in its stead, if one better can be
found or invented. And for this purpose and
for the further purpose of hearing the views Of
those more familiar with this subject than our.
selves, we have written this article, and now
open our columns to any person who feels an in
terest in having good roads in the county, and
who sees proper to discuss this important subject
only asking that their communications ray not
be too long. Especially do we invite the atten-
ton of "F.," who heretofore furnished us with
an able communication on this subject. Besides
sue oioi"aiy reaSons WHICH shoulu ncte'tte eV-
cry people to desire good roads, there is no i'm
provement which STRIKES str,ngsr with so
much force as good roads, on his frst visit to
county or State; and rs a conse-
quence there is nothing which adds more to the
value Of property in community than fine roads,
and particularly does this apply to real esta'e.-
II this be so, and we scarcely think that it can be
doubted, how important good roads are to HAIR
ford county-which already ranks among the first
counties of the State in agriculture, and as graz
zing county the very frst-we leave for others
more deeply interested in the improvement of the
county than ourselves to say.