The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-29
Country Roads.

! One OF tho greatest grievances thht
lapdholders have to hear, says the AMIR.
iew Farnt5, is the want Of good road-,
Taxes are generally high for the very
purpose Of keeping the country roads in
repair, but there Is want OF capacity
on the part Of those who undertake the
Hork to do It systematically, nr with any
/ degree OF scientific skill. We do not
know that We can throw any light upon
the subject in the brief space which we
can at present spare 10 it, and We refer
to it now to put upon record Il hint
which we find in the GamR,t1lra Tie
grIpb, from Mr.. W. Brown, Of New
aamp' hire, which we hope may he tai en-
hold Of aud improved upon by public
spirited citizens in every locality where
there is m opportunity to show human.
tartan principles, We will toll it IN Mr..
Browns own words:
"a STONE which had bafIled number
OF highway surveyors, being directly in
the horse path, and being oisnch shape
that horse was liable to sustain serious
injury, yet no one cared TO attempt il
removal. a great deal of labor was
-pent in covering it up, but in n short
time it would reappear as bad as ever.
The land around was underlaid with
ledge, aud here ii came to the surface,
Only by great expense il was thought
could ii be removed. One morning ]
took q man with me, with powder and
drills, and firm resolution to remove
it at any expense. We succeeded in
our undertaking. Al n cost OF eigAtcsHis
TO the town wo removed boulder OF
slate stone weighing about five hundred
pounds. l give this instance to slow
how little labor will remove some Of the
worst instructions which have been al
lowed to remain because no ono had
attempted removal in good earnest"
A crowbar could be used TO advantage
in raisipg n stone out OF the BID OF the
road, but no one seems to consider it
his business TO DO IL; the road,mender
never dreams that it Is in his contraCt to
attend to II. and, consequently, year
gfter year the stone remains, cDdnnger.
ing the lives OF passengers by the Stun
bling of their horses and the wear aud
tear to carriage wheels il very serious.
Another very serious grievance Is noted
by the same writer as prevalent in his
Statc-tlRt of the running nj large Of
cattle upon the highways This is n
sore evil elsewhere, us farmers in this
section can fully prove. AL roads are
made on land either donated to tho pub
lie, or sold or condemned for that ex.
press purpose, and ii has been decided,
we believe, in our conrts of law for that
purpose onlY-the landliolder from whom
the body Of the road has been taken is
still the sole owner Of the soil for all
other purposes; and, whilst lie cannot
do aught to interrupt the frCcSt travel
upon it, yet my or all other privileges
belong to him, mud no ono has right to
turn their stocl; upon the road to feed
i! upon the grass which belongs to an.
other. The evil would not be SO griev.
Gus were it not for the fact that the
cattle, being thus left TO roam about,
when finding their supplies becoming
sranty ON the roadside, begin TO jump
or knock down the fences to get into the
moro tempting fields before them, while
the hogs roofing under the best OF post
and rail fences. will, IN single day OF
night, do more harm to the crop than
their carcasses are wsrth.