Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-04-01


law is shout to 60 into Ia Cecil
County, similar TO one ~ been
operated successfully ~ kars in
the adjoining countia ! ylvania.
We shall watch with fI( = = man
ner Of its operation IN l<th the
hope that It may Be VII nb1ed for
our own county. Th ~ WAig
explains its provisiQ91
An important chcp Z TO be
make in our hereto1G6 hod road
system. Under the = Nv 1or
the county, the Com11 ~ ailV0e
tiss .te.sen the. rna51 eezn.
mencing at Elkton q tie 11th Of
March, when the roads Of the Third
District viii be sold ia sections to the
lowest bidder for three years. The
days are appointed in the advertise
ment for selling the roads in each Dis
tric:. One man my buy one or more
sections as he sees proper. It is pro-
posed by this system to place those who
undertake to keep she roads in order,
under sorne obligatiln to do the work
in a proper manner, which they con-
tract to perform, and within certain
specified period, as bridges are built
and all other kinds # public work is
done. When the supervisor, or rather
contractor has examined the section OR
sections of road with he proposes to
purchase, and make his estimate for
keeping it in repair for three years,
and if his bid is the lowest when the
contract is knocked down to him, he
will bond with the County Commits
sioners to make or msnd and keep in
repair the same according to the speci-
fications contained IN his bond. In
each District one ju6cious person will
be selected by the Commissioners whose
duty it shall be to 60 over and exam
inc or inspect the rolds twice a year or
oftener if required, ind certify all bills
of the road contractor before they can
paid by the County treasurer.
The changes in the system Of road
meuding which the altered law propos-
es are, first to make the supervisor re-
sponsible to his employers who are the
Commissioners; secondly, to make it an
object 70 wa.cE tie roads and remedy
the first appearance of q break by
the water, and thus save heavy expense
in repairing damage, which few min
utes work at the beginning would often
prevent; and by judicious management
in keeping the roads always in good
order great saving will be effected,
and profit be realized by the contractor,
willie the public E-soizhe benefit of
good roads at all seasons bf the year.
1t is believed that half the outlay
which has been absorbed by roads which
average about $4,000 yearly, would
keep the public roads in much better
repair then they have been, If it was
made an object with the supervisor to
watch them and repair at the first ap-
pea,auce of a damage, and employ only
such hands as will give a faithful day S
work. No man, VIXEN he is RESPONSE
bic for the payment of road hands, will
think of employing such rs have made
up very large per cent Of those usual
ly found putting in time on the roads.
This abuse which has cost the county
heavily, will disappear under the re-
viscd system. When a man knows the
exact sum he shall receive for perform
ing a specific contract, it at once be.
comes his interest to study economy
bo.h i'll the employment of labor and
the management of his trust. And
when that work has to be pronounced
upon by an inspector he will be doubly
careful to execute it properly.