The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1870-01-25
Written for the Spfrit.l
IL q A Id s.

In addition to the routes already men,
toned, for turnpike roads, IN former
article, there should also be turnpike
road made from Woodsfield to intersect
the Barnesville pike near Malaga. This
is an important route, as it is our main
mail route and passenger road. Belmont
County has finished turnpike road from
Barnesville to the county line near Nal
aga. leaving only about seven miles in
our county to connect our county seat
with turnpike facilities to the railroad
depot at Barnesville.
Another road could be made from
Miltonsburg to Calais, and thence to the
county line, SO rs to intersect turnpike
road now being made from Summerheld
in Noble County to the railroad. An
other road should BE- made from Woods
field to intersect the Graysville, Antioch
and Cochransville pike. Another road
should be made from Antioch to Sardis
an0 another road could be made from
Stafford up Clear Fork and Forts Fork
to the county line, so as to intersect the
Noble County pike.
There are other branch roads which
may be required in course of time. 1t
is not expected that all these roads
should be built at one time. The main
through roads should be first construc-
ted. and in the course of few years the
whole of these could be put under con-
tract. If one good gravel or turnpike
road were made in our county, and in
use, its beneficial results would be a
stronger argument in favor of such i'm
provements than all we can say or write
upon the subject.
This has been the case in other
counties where it required a mighty eff
fort to get a single road built, the sue,
cess Of which far exceeded the most san
guine expectations, and resulted in the
construction of such improvements all
over the county. For in every case the
experiment has proved an entire success.
Whether the expense of constructing
these roads should be paid by the locali-
ties most interested or by the county at
large, out of the county Treasury, or
whether the county and localities most
interested should each bear proper
tionate share of that expense are ques
tons for consideration. The construc-
ton of the proposed roads at the ex-
pense of those localities only along the
line of said roads would not operate
equitably for the reason that the benefits
thereof radiate, to considerable extent
far beyond the line of local taxation
while very great proportion of tho
county would share the benefits and en-
/ joy its blessings without contributing 8
proportionate share of the costs and or
the other hand it would be equally un
fair to assess the whole of the expenses
upon the general tax duplicate.
This inequality, however, seems to bc
remedied by an act passed April 80, 1869
entitled an 'Act to authorize County
Commissioners to locate and construc
turnpike roads," vol. 66, page g. By
this act turnpike roads can be construc
ted by local tax for part of the expense
and the balance of the costs by gene
raj levy upon the grand duplicate of tn,
county. This mode it, seems to us
would be preferable to either of the 9th
ers, and has been adopted by othe
counties.
So far as the advantage conferred b,
the construction of a system of turnpik
roads like the one proposed are general
the expense Of their construction shoul,
be borne by the community generally, %
by the tax payers of the county at large
and in SO far as the advantages thu
derived are local in addition to the gen
eral advantages, the expense of thei
construction should be borne by the 10
calities Immediately interested; ms woul
operate fairly and equitably and non
could reasonably complain.
The question then is how PRACTICAL
to arrive at the proporlionate expens
the county and the communities interes
ted each should bear. After careft
consideration Of this question we believ
that the localities along the line of th
/ roads should bear the expense of grad
ing, ditciling and bridging the roads an
completing them ready for the stone Q
! gravel, and the county at large saoul
bear the expense of stoneirg or grave
ing them, this VIC think would be equi,
able aud give entire satisfaction.
While preparing this article we hay
had the opportunity Of reading a yer
able and lengthy report of the roa
Commissioners of Muskingum Count,
who had just completed the location an
survey of eight turnpike roads in sal
county, and find that they recommend
similar division of the expense. We cop
! from it the following paragraphs, whic
| are applicable with equal force to on
county:
i "The several communities throug
which these Turnpike roads are propos
ed to be constructed have no access t
markets or their county seat by any INT
dium of communication except the ol
binary and usual county roads, Throug
their limits passes no public improve
thofoughfare fof any kind whatever
They are, each, comparatively isolate
! cut off from the advantages afford e
by easy. speedy and cheap transports
ton. They each feel the necessity of S,
curing increased facilities to and 'fror
their natural place for market and wher
their public business is transacted. The
, are shut out from communication wit
the rest of the world, at season of til
year when the products of the farm al
most sought for, and prices are most,rt
munerative.
j 1t is not, therefore, surprising that th
most Industrious and enterprising fal
mers, thus situated, should become dis
satisfied, and complain that burdens i
the shape Of taxation were unequal
imposed, and talk of disposing of the
homes and seeking residence in othe
localities, in reality less productive bl
more favored by means of intercomml
nication. More particularly is this trl
of the active, energetic, the thrift
. young farmers, who, in discharge of OF
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