Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-05-08

ouR ROADS for awhile past have been well
looked afief, and as inielligentIy worked md
improved as could well be expected The
moro important ones have been cared for FIRST
and hs they are gotten into tolcrable order, the
work has been extended, and We are now Ia q
fair way 10 have the roads OF the village 10
more than ordinarily good condition. The
work for the present scnsOn, under Supervisor
MERRIMAN, has begun In good time, and 1t
looks now as II the proper season for u is 10
be put W its best use. On this subject, not
witbstanding tho necessary expense is great
the evidence Of an improvement seems 10 se.
cure the approval Of the taxpayers and the
public. We would, In this connection, call
attention 10 matter that needs attention, and
that prompt and energetic No one needs to
be told Of the preciptance and danger of the
hill by which the village is reached from the
South Ridge, from the East II is too steep
and dangerous for general travel. Indeed, our
own citizens avoid IL for the reasons given.
rhe work Of improving it is not formidable,
as any one may see who will take the trouble
TO examine. IL a straight line was struck from
the beech-tree. little more than half way up
the hill to the bridge, grade could be OBJ
tanned that would make this avenue to the
village as easy and secure as that of the North
Ridge. The expense Of such an alteration
could be borne by the corporation alone, or by
the assistance of private subscription Kings.
vile, and those living along the intervening
line, wish to come to our village by this route,
and, as We understand, have frequently prof.
fered their assistance to improve the hill Our
Kingsyille neighbors wish to come to Ashta-
bula to do their trading, but they tell US the
road is Objectionable. While they are equi.
distant between Ashtabula and COnneaut, and
the road to the latter is level, and every way
most desirable and pleasant, that TO Ashtabula
brings them by this terrible hill. What is the
result Of the balancing OF routes? Why, here
tolore Ashtabula, Notwithstanding the charac-
ter of its road, has generally held out induce
ment enough to draw trade. Lattcrly, how
ever, the case has been different. Some of our
Kingsville friends tell us they prefer the road
to Conneaut, and, therefore, give that place
the benefit of their trade. This is the fact.
Whether our merchants and business men will
think the matter Of consequence enough to
move in the matter of an outlay upon Hubbard
HiH, is another thing. 1t is, perhaps, for them
to say whether they will see themselves mar
rowed in, and their trade circumscribed on
every side. without an effort TO meet it, Jeffer-
son bids for trade on the south, Geneva on the
west, and Conneaut on the cast, and the com
Olned eff"rt of the three influences is important
enough to enlist our attention, and if we may,
take such steps as are plainly suggested to
hold our own. Shall we not then, make the
improvement of the hill in question one of the
means of inviting our adjacent eastern neigh
bors to make this the point of their business
transactions? 1t should be done for our own
pleasure, as well as a matter of policy. This
road is unsurpassed in its beauty and excel
lence as drive, and if our Trustees have any
power, it should be eXerted to keep it open to
its full width The road has been encroached
upon by the Newell corners TO such an extent
as to call for action, as ii is asking to much OF
citizen to draw upon his pity and commiscr-
alton for the dwarfish soul that will thus filcll
the public domain, Are these things of i'm
portance enough for consideration?
Another idea in the matter of road building
is worthy of the attention of the Supervisor
or the village Council, as a matter of economy
and humanity. Wenoticedin in passing the Fargo
gravel pit-the difficulty, the time spent, and
the cruelty and injury TO teams in getting out
with loads. Each load takes all hands present
for fifteen or twenty minutes to get into the
road The whipping and unmercilul hauling
is inhuman and cruel. The outlay of few
dollars in plank would obviate all this and
the time saved would more than doubly return
the expenditure in single season.