The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-10-05
PUBLIC ROADS.


letter received from Col. w. W. W. Bowie,
Assistant Editor of that old and sterling
agricultural journal the Maryland Farmer,
published in Baltimore, copy of which
every farmer in the State should regularly
receive, are so worthy of consideration by
every landholder. that we take the liberty to
print them so that our readers may have
the benefit of the views of practical farm
er, who has devoted much study to the
road problem. Col. Bowie's plan of divid-
ing the county into squares of 6 miles
would answer in the level part of the State,
but could not be adapted to the hilly re-
gions, but the same general plan might be
carried out by conforming to the irregular
ity of the county and diverging to suit the
ranges of hills. 1t has long been our opin-
ion that the only remedy for bad roads will
be the construction of main lines leading
to prominent points, which shall be kept
up to the turnpike standard, and all other
roads required for purely local convenience
to be opened and kept in repair by the
property holders for whose convenience
they are made. Such system would have
the effect to close up half the roads in the
county, which are constant drain on the
taxpayers without any corresponding ben
eff. A large percentage Of the roads
which the county now keeps up at the ex-
pense to taxpayers are of purely local
nature, accommodating in some measure
only few persons who live on the line of
such roads. This evil is on the increase,
and every year finds new roads opened and
increased taxes levied to keep them in
repair. This thing has become an intcler-
able burthcn, and it is time that something
was done to cure the evil. The road con-
vention which will meet in Baltimore. on
Thursday next, 10th inst, promises to take
steps that will revolutionize our whole
road system. A worse system could not
be devised. After this rather lengthy pre-
face we will introduce, without further
remarks of our own, the extracts from Col.
Bowie's letter referred to above:
oFFlCE hARlLAND ARMER.
BALTIMORE, Sept. Both, 1872
In my opinion there is but one way.
l. Abolish all roads and gates. Appoint
an engineer to lay off sufficient number
of roads so as far as possible to be parallel
not more than six miles apart These to
be county roads, to be built by contract and
kept in prime order for two years.
9. The roads leading to these to be kept
in order at the expense Of those through
whose land they run.
8. These county roads to be divided in
sections and numbered, with Road Mas
ter for every five or more sections, whose
duty would be simply to sec that the con-
tractors discharge their duties, and enforce
the contracts and pay the amounts due by
drafts quarterly on the County Commiss-
toner's.
4. The roads to be built, bridges, &C..
according to the estimates and directions
| of the engineer.
5. The money to be raised by county
| bonds, and an annual tax levied sufficient
to pay the interest on the bonds, and ere
| ate sinking fund and keep the roads in
| repair. the latter expense would be small!
if the roads were well made. Say the
whole expense was $4,000. The annual
tax would be, say for sinking fund 10 per
| cent; annual interest, per cent, and 8 uer
| cent to keep the roads in order. Total, &c
per cent or $3.50 In about wears the
whole debt would be paid off and after
that the county road tax would annually
rarely exceed $1,000. and the public have
fine roads clear of gates, with an increase
IN value of property four fold the road tax.