The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-11-04
Good County Roads.

SnOrL anu Well-Sruueu Todu, IroIu Otdu@ltoh
to Barterbrook. We regard this as one of
many valuable improvements that ought to
be made by our county. Nothing tends
moro to stimulate production, to promote
trade, to advance the general prosperity than
good roads. We have no special interest in
the Barterbrook road nor indeed in any par
tcular road Our motive is, to promote the
general welfare We look on the Barter
brook road, as sort Of pioneer enterprise,
and we hope to see many, Of a similar char
acter, undertaken, at an early day.
We believe that the wiscst thing our peo-
pile could do, would be, to enter on general
revision of our whole system of roads. Very
few of them are properly located, and most
Of them arc impossible during the winter
and spring. The location of road is prop
erly the work of scientific engineer, and yet
it is generally entrusted to men of limited
scientific attainments. Hence the innumer-
able blunders that have been committed. A
county like Augusta, ought to have a COM
petent engineer to examine and report on all
the leading roads of the county, suggesting
the alterations in location, which the public
interests require, and the best means of max.
ing them. The first step in the process is, to
ascertain what location is the best for the
public convenience, and then, from time to
time, to put the roads on such locations. -
Then the people would know what to depend
on, and all the work done, and money ex-
pended in making the roads, would be for a
permanent benefit. .-. ..-.i ,.q...
After it shall have been ascertained, by a
comprehensive servey and report, what roads
are necessary, and what locations are best to
accommodate all sections, legislative effort
should be made to construct them-of course
every thing could not be done at once, but
all that is done, should be done with refer
ence to, and in part execution of the general
plan. Let system be agreed on, which
will give convenient outlet to all the impor-
tant points in the county, with lateral roads
leading into them) and then let persistent
effort be made to do something every year. on
each oneof them. When such system is
once commenced, and people begin to under
stand that they are not frittering away their
means on roads which are liable to be chang
ed at any term of the Court, they will work
with will. Farmers will understand that
these roads are for their benefit, and spirit
of emulation will spring up among thcm.-
After the locations are definitely settled,
what would contribute more to the public
convenience than to McAdamise these roads,
commencing at Staunton, and making, say
two or three miles each year, on each road !?
By this process, in seven years, good solid
roads could be extended to every important
point in the county. The local roads would
connect, at suitable points, with these main
routes, and thus convenient system of inter
communication, would be established, through
out the county. Every man, by travelling
few miles, on one of these common roads,
would be able to reach one Of these great
thoroughfares The nearer the town, the
better the roads should be, because more
people would travel over them. The advan-
tages OF such system of roads, in an agri-
cultural, commercial, and social point of
view, can hardly be over-estimated Every
farmer could haul a much larger quantity of
produce over good road than over bad
one, and he could haul at seasons when his
teams would otherwise be idle The mer-
chants would profit by the increased volume
of trade thrown into the town. And neigh
bour could visit neighbor, or come to town,
and bring his wife and daughters, when
the roads would otherwise be impossible
On Sundays too, our pious citizens could 60
with their families, to church, instead of be-
ing confined to their homesteads. All these
advantages can be secured by comparative
lysmall outlay. The main thing is, to oper-
ate with proper system, and to do thoroughly
what we undertake. There is no necessity
TOR burthensome taxation. Ten thousand
dollars year, would amount to only about
30 cents per head for the entire population
or one fourteenth of one per cent of the prop
erty of the county. In our opinion the coun-
ty could expend double this amount annually
for ten years, without feelingit. At the end
OF seven or ten years, we would have an adj
mirable system of roads, which could be kept
in order for trife, and thereafter, through
all time, the people would be, in a great meas
ure, relieved from taxation on this account.
Can any man doubt that if such system of
roads were finished, the enhanced value of
lands in the county would pay the cost ten
fold ...5,
In this connection, we would call the at
tention of the county authorities, to stone
breaking machine which has been invented
and which we learn is now being successful
ly used. We do not feel competent to ex-
press an opinion on the merits of this ma
chine. But committee of the Court could
soon, by actual experiment, test its capacities.
Ii it fulflls half that its inventors and man.
ntacturers promise, it would be of great val
He to the county, and materially expedite and
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