Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-03-20
sTATE TICKET,
A WORD TO GRAND JURORS AND
COMMISSIONERS.


In looking over the reports Of the county
Commissioners for several years back, We
have been struck with a singular feature in
She expenditures. We find sums ranging
from one hundred TO several hundred dol
lars expended for building bridges in various
parts of the county. Now the building OF
bridges is hedged around with many exami-
nations for the purpose of securing such an
expenditure Of money for this purpose as
shall accomplish the largest amount of ac-
conmodation to the pablic and build bridge
cs where they are most needed. Sush is
the real design Of the law. The results OBJ.
tanned in our county seem 10 be in direct
contravention Of this design a large nums
Der of bridges have been built in the North
ern and Western part Of the county, over
streams that rise and fall again in few
hours or days at most, while in the Eastern
and North Eastern part Of the county where
the stream or streams are large and frequent
ly impossible for months there are scarcely
any bridges Beginning at the uarrows be-
low Bedford the southern or Raystown
branch in distance of about sixteen OF
eighteen miles has no less than FIVE county,
and three turnpike bridges, making bridge
to about every two miles over a compare
lively small stream. Beginning at the same
point on the north branch or Denuing' creek
VIC End in about sixteen miles six county
b1idgesor one to about every two and half
miles. Now starting at the same point and
following the two streams, now united and
forming but one and receiving number of
other considerable streams. Eastward until
1t reaches the Huntingdon county line, we
find in a distance of thirty miles just one
turnpike bridge and three county bridges
From Bedford to Bloody Run there is none,
a distance Of eight miles, where in the Spring
Of the year no teams can cross, sometimes
for month or two IN nsuecession, and though
a view has been made and favorable re-
port returned, the consent Of the Grand Ju-
ry has been withheld for four years past.
From Bloody Run to the crossings there is
none, a distance Of six miles, where the
stream is still larger and foT 4 considerable
length of time each year in the same impas
sable condition. From the turnpike bridge
at the crossings there is none until we reach
Hopewella distance of perhaps fifteen or
twenty miles with the volume Of water con
tinually increasing. The distance from
Hopewell to the bridge known as Rhoad S at
Stonerstown we do not know. Dut it also is
considerable. How Grand Jurors aud Com
missioners have, for years, overlooked such
glaring wrong we cannot imagine. Why
they should 60 on building bridges at the
expense Of the county over every rivulet in
some parts Of the county and be utterly
deaf to the rights and necessities of others
is entirely iuexplicable to Us. Let the peo-
PIE Of the county arise and demand that
their interests be no longer Irejudiced by
such injud;ei3us expenditure, but that the
hard earned money Of the tax payers Of the
county be so expended as TO develop the in
dustry and promote the prosperity Of one
part of our county as well as the other.
True, the expenditure may be gtester in
building bridges over the large stream, but
the necessity is also infinitely greater. There
IS neither reason nor excuse for any longer
aegleceng the crying wants Of that portion
Of the county lying along the river East Of
Bedford. Let our grand Jurors and com
missioners note the fact and render their
account to the people.