Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1872-09-27

more equitable than any other mode of
laying out, and keeping up ppublieroads.
The objection to free county roads is,
that the responsibility of construction
and repair, is so difused as to avoid
the penalty of neglect and mismanage-
ment; and further the tax paying pub
lie never will be satisfied with system
which taxes them for improvements in
which they have no interests and never
see or use. Therefore the toll road be-
comes the only equitable alternative;
but to induce the construction Of toll
roads, authority must be given to lay
a toll sufficient to reimburse the cap
ital necessary for their construction and
preservation.
Where the old county system of lay
ing out and keeping in repair public
roads is adhered to, I would suggest
that counties be divided into much
smaller road districts than at present,
and upon each separate road district
be thrown theexpense and responsible
ty of the construction and repair of it's
own roads. The object of this sugges-
ton is to concentrate responsibility,
and to bring public and private inter
est into as close proximity as possible.
AS an inducement to individuals to
construct toll roads, the system adopt
ed in Washington county, of subscrib-
ing on the part of the county one-fifth
or more the cost of each mile of Turn
pike, appears to be a good one, and
works | understand satisfactory to the
people. The effect is to encourage the
construction of Turnpikes, and to les
sen the expense of keeping up indifer-
ent county roads by general taxation.
The Effects of Good Roads.
The first and most striking effect of
good roads, is the increased value they
at once impart to land adjacent and
convenient thereto. I have seen land
increased from one hundred to one
thousand per cent. by the opening of
a good road. have never seen it de-
preciated.
The second and almost equally bene-
fetal result, is in its social effect. By
good roads, a community is compacted,
and brought closer together. Mutual
sympathies grow up, and mutual
schemes for advancement and improve
ment soon follow: schools, churches
and lyceums are built and patronized,
and all the concomitants of a homo
genious people are soon developed, rem
dering such people as prosperous,
happy and contented as it is possible
in this life to be.
With such results if these crude sug-
gestions shall obtain the approval of
the convention, and through it's infu-
ence, be embodied in the form of law,
the good old State of Maryland will
take an important step onward, and
soon ewhat her geographical position,
mild climate and generous soil entitle
her to rank as one of the most popu-
lous, intelligent, and wealthy States
Of the Union.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. DIS re-
marks, Mr.. William Webster was ap-
pointed Secretary. and Mr.. Lawrence
read his report. It is lengthy and
elaborate report, advocating the Dis
trict system, with many novel features,
and shows great labor and research
It was pretty thoroughly ventilated in
the discussion of it's merits by Messrs.
Davis of Montgomery, Webster, of Bal
timore county; Dorsey, of Howard;
Whitley, of Baltimore county; Walker,
)of Prince Georges; Elliott, of st.
Mary's; and Dorsey, of Carroll. The
committee finally determined to sub
mitit to the convention to be reassembl-
ed upon the call of the President. On
motion of D. Lawrence, ESQ.,, a letter
was prepared, requesting Col. W. W.
W. Bowie, Presidentof the Convention,
to call it, on the 10th of October, at
7.3O ?. NJ. at Raine's Buildings, in
Baltimore City. The committee then
| adjourned to that day.
The following is copy of the Act
proposed by Mr.. Lawrence, which is
to be the subject of discussion at the
next Road Convention, and if adopted,
to be submitted to the Legislature at
its next session for their adoption:
Section l. The voters of the State of
Maryland shall assemble at their usual
voting places in their respective cleo
ton districts on the first Saturday of
March of each year at the hour of two
T. M, (of which due notice shall be
given by the sheriff Of the county in
the manner now prescribed by law for
other elections, and shall elect by bal
lot District Road Commissioner, who
shall serve for twelve months, and I'M
til his successor shall replace him.
Sec. 2. The District Road Commits
sioners (that is to say, one commission
er from each election district in the
county,) shall constitute Board of
County Road Commissioners, sue and
be sued as such, etc., and shall meet
on the first Tuesday of each month,
or of4oroor IF h oir J,1+;oc ol,H Jox,,,x i