The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-05-07
GOOD ROADS,

Some Practical suEEestious to the
Board OF Commissioners.
Editors OF the Register.
Before any definite action is taken by
the county Board OF Commissioners in
regard to our county roads, I SHOULD
like to make some statements, as q
"business man and . com nissione err
and enter a protest against the system
Of appropriation and expenditure heres
tofore followed by our authorities hav'
ing control Of internal police and fiscal
affairs Of the county"-and appeal to
business men, and
EVERY MAN CT PUBLIC SPIRIT,
if the statements here made are not in
accordance with strict business princi.
pies, without considering the duty of a
public officer to favor all proper works
of internal improvement. We are all
tired of this sentimental twaddle about
good roads. Let US have some definite
action looking toward this much to be
desired end.
Now, if your resders-who, of course
are the most intelligent portion OF the
community-will just hold up the
hands Of those placed iu authority-who
| are all ready and williug-with may be
one or two exceptions-and l am sorry
to cay that exception comes from the
locality most interested-to meet the
issue. Our financial condition is favor
able. Let US get rid of this burden
this ever uppermost, Banauo-ghost-like
business, aud march on seeking other
words to conquer, other necessary i'm
provements to make, until our city and
county stand out equal to'any, in hel
public improvements, and ahead of all
in the light burden OF her taxes. With
in the past ten years no less than
500 900 HAS BEEN EXPENDED ON COUNTY
ROADS
| in money and labor, and the roads are
in worse condition than ten years ago
And the county has probably not built
five miles, all told, OF new roads. The
principal portion OF the expenditure has
gone in patching up old roads.
In the first place go many OF the
roads are improperly located that all
the work that can be put upon them
cannot make coed roads out of them
and when work is done it is only
half done. Indeed, there is poor en-
enlargement to put work on such
roads, and at times money is spent and
no work doDe-aud again
NOT ENOUGH APPROPRIATION 10 MADE
to do the contemplated work properly,
Let us now begin at the foundation,
complete what has been begun, if worth
finishing, 10 a proper manner, get our
| roads on good locations, for often it will
take less to build the road in a new
location than to patch up the old. A
good grade is OF the first Importance
nothing else will satisfy the wants Of
the travelling public at the present day.
They do not desire in these railroad
times to puff and drag at a half load
with a double team up the lace OF a
hill, arriving at the top with a jaded
and spiritlese team, when good grade
can be obtained around the hill, prob
ably not increasing the distance, when
they can give their team the rein and
arrive at the top with horses ready TO
respond to the whip and 90 off at a
lively gait, while neighbor Hugh Clod'
hopper is still Flooding up the hill over
the old route. Why is it not as easy
to make an easy grade as steep one Z
| It is much easier to keep it in repair
In doing all this, and in building the
roads now located the expenditure need
| not be over $4,000. Then 90 or Is
miles of road, all leading into the city,
with one exception, and that a coal
road, will have been built. All our
large streams will be bridged, except
Big Wheeling; that only needs one
and
SoR 10 NILES aAoADANlzED,
while less than s40, 900 more will COM
plete all the important roads in the
county, both leading and local, il the
citizens along the line OF the route as
sist even to q limited extent, which they
will when they find the authorities in
earnest.