The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1868-02-08


ofidgesand public buildings Of our county. The
difeei care OF the latter, with view TO public In
'et,sli has become one Of important moment
whilst Ia respect 10 bridges alone, the want Of
eompeien, supervision has cost the county Annu-
ally N actual losses sums far exceeding that &c.
Commissioner.
This statement could be verified by actual ig.
ures " required. The amount now paid ia con.
missions To District Supervisors who merely dis.
burse the road funds ~ fhc Deputy Supervisors
VIII pay the salary OF the Road Commissioner,
aud this Office will not, therefore, increase the
cost Of iiis over the old system In couipeusatioa
10 officers Besides the direct supervision OF the
public buildings and bridges In the creation Of
THIS ollicr, aud lis conn, elton with the general
care Of the public roads we aim at that in.
tclligeut responsibility and iurisduclion which
would prevail u the public roads were the prop.
eriy OF private individual, and no safer rule
could be- rtsOr,cd 10 than that which would he
adopted by practical men In the control uT mi.
vaie interests In similar circumstance Under
the constant supervision of "a skilful Road Com.
missioner That rigid system Of accountability
which Distinguishes private from public enter.
ptiscs, mighi BE- surely anticipated ia the suhor.
dinaic road officers whilst without IL, Rny svs.
ten would inevitably fall under the general mis-.
rule Ut unf political institutions, and which all
sound minds will admit ntr costly Iaxutics. ut
best. Ia nur preference Tor the creation Of the
Office ui sIcrinl Rom! Iumnlis sioneT rs q central
organization instead of Distinct Board Of Road
Commissioners. Ne have aiHird AZ greater elIirirn.
cy aud diminished cost. IN the Judgments Of all
practical mrn We s,r fully assured our
will lc heartily approved.
ln the lu al ol district arrangement of this sys-
ten, rs vii ie scvn, We propose material changes
We suggest that the County Conmis sionerr shall
suh-di'ile each Election district into not motn
Than aud not less than Road, Districts aud that
ihrfr shall disappointed tor each NJ the Road lis
turis c"npstcni Supervisor who shall per
s"nhiit supervise the repairs Of all the roads
"a lbs district lustrad OF three hundred
aud hn, pepui, Supervisors there will then he less
ilnn hii! The advantages of this change will
hr Obvious H. any one who has examined int,
the subject, both IN point Of efficiency aud ecoso.
my Ond't proper instruction from the head oi
hrl~lartmrni, land which Is fully provided for)
With the essential mean. "a hand a practical and
uniform system Of repairing our roads may be-
confidently anticipated, by which the losses We
have heretofore suffered through injudicious ex.
i"udiiufrs may lee avoided aud gradual and Der.
mancni improvement ~ all our roads he effected
az Al rNly lay. THIS local OF district arrange
inent Tor TIE operations Ot our =, stem IL material
y the same "a that advocated BY all the friends
oi thr rad movement with the simple difference.
Hs 20 the mn'ic of appointment. Thcs- Suprrvi..
"is acting "a concert with the Road Commissions
e., upon we'll devised rules with hdeau,t- extr.
bturr. "ill compose a corps uf efficient officers
The foregoing exhibits the main features Of the
Iroposd law, IN 50 Tor as relates To its OperAlivr
marhlu'r! upon general plan and genrfal
=! sicm ut ;,NA;iou W. have n-cessaril, had To
incorporate into IL other provisions To enable Us
{" attain the desired cui Somc of these we will
briefly rc'cT 10 without application
Many oi oar county roads have been laid out
At too narrow width AID others have been too
much contracted by indalgrni suiIerrnce to land.
h"liers " Is lw Ossiblc ~, my cust TO construct
GOOD road without sufficient breadth for water
courses IN 10. sides. instead Of ON II. cenirc 10
such manner as not 10 work too sudden and scr-
uns Inconvenience aud cost TO landhulders, We
have provided that all roads shall ultimately BE-
brought To the necessary width OF thirty icet
We have also pros ided that IN the niorr popu.
ious aud wealthy districts. verging upon the city
where they may desire To place their roads 10
complete order immediately BY additional and
special taxation up':. ..emsclves 10 p.Tmanshfiy
Improve county roads AT once or 80 construct
turnpike roads. With the assistance OF the county
~ large, they may do 80 With entire Justice 10
themselves and without denying their neighbors
~ other l'stii' illc benefits Of general system
Though not oouila,hendcd in the letter Of our
instructions we rely upon the generous spirit Of
"ur people e.; the county for our justification OF
the entire =, stein presented, when IL shall have
become thoroughly understood.
Ia accordance with the letter OF our ins,ruc.
tons We have provided that the personal organ
ztiion under This $ stem shall cmanaie by ap.
'uiiiucni O. om the toinmi. siOncrs Board OF the
Count! A. ihe proper source, they being the IT,
nanciN representatives. Df the people some Oh
lcsinns nigh, he urged against this on the ground
that rom such body, owing lis official existence
Ia popular election, pattizan considera lions
might picyall IN the selection Of aFpOiniecs, but
wc itel confident that in respect OF the present
boai'! such apprehcnsions are ili-fouHisd The
san" earnest interest now felt universally through.
oui the county IA favor of u system which shall
iroin iis inception produce good results, aud be
Tree from exclusive pariizan Influences, also IN.
spires that Board aud IN the choice Of agents Ia
carry this p, stem into effect, pubic confidence
may be- ,t'rit enter iained In the hope Of ia.
iicion- selection OF officers. The character Of the
Prc.sn, Boh'i Of Itself is a sufficient guarantee
upon his point
Tie guard, We have thrown around the system
IN the proposed act 30 prevent its prostitution to
political purposes hy any future board will. We
h"ie be- found sufficient protection
We cannu, too sensibly appreciate the wisdom
%, tie Convention which instructed US ia favor
'thc appointment Of all road ofiisers by the
County commissioners instead OF their being
chosen ~ popular elections. The latter mole
81 appo.aineui would tot only have entaiied
useless eNl~asr. but under such system We
might have witnessed the sxeppiEa Oh of the
very important Office OF Supervisor tor that Of a
Congressman. VI tie sacrifice % good Super.
visor o. experience for an ordinary Governor ofa
State, aud these and kindred objections cannot
be too carefully avoided. Road officers are not
and ought not be- made the subject Of political
caprice OF chance, aad We know that the people
do not desire they should be-
In the study ~ the subject before us and in the
preparation, u the law herewith submitted We
have given ocr most earnest attention and labor
We have rndeavore,l In accordance with our In
sifuciions 10 fnamc system that would apiiy
hafnOnize with the peculiar wants and circuui.
stances Of the various seciohs Of our county aud
with no selfish aims nor interested purposes. but
with q view solc,y 10 secure the public good, We
have finally agreed upon the law we nov submit,
10 YOU, and We express the earnest hope, 10 CON
clusion' that 'he present occasion may not pass
without the adoption by your body OF this bill,
some other that will give US an improved
system " public roads and In expressing this
wish We assure you wc only bcspeak the desire Of
NOuf constituents.