The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-02-07

the University, and knows whereof ne
speaks.1
County Roads.
The Dispatch has allowed the use OF Jus
columns. 10 the interests of the people, lot
suggestions as 70 the best modes ofimproTins,
under law, our county roads. This Is mat
ter of great practical importance. The our
dens and indirect taxation from masy OF our
eXecrabe roads are among the most grley0u,o
borne BIZ the teople. a farmer Will haui DIS
produce over a had road and break "ncel
in consequence Of the condition OF tue niSn'
wav, and have to pay more than flVe doiiars
for a new wheel. If you were TO call Oh lnaI
man for five dollars road-fdr, by law, ne
would regard himself oppresScd.. ANA that
same man will take no step to improve the
roads of his county, and VIII crosk "hen
called upon for road.scrylce.
II is undoubtedly true that there Is very
wide margin for improvement OF our roaos )
hnt il il no less true that 10 our average Win'
ter climate We will ordinarily have bad ROADS
under the best management. ana tnen,
again. we must not forget that the scarcity
of population. the long stretches OF ROAD dis'
tricts on which but few people reside, the
unreliable and disorganiZed condition oil
labor, and the inability Of the people 10 bear
the taxation absolutely necessary IN the oest-
executed system mot 10 consider the dangers
If y0u1is1n in The small mltter Of contracts for
working roads)-ihesea and many other obsta-
cles prevent in many localities good ROADS.
When imprac.icable and visionary men
talk of Ola Epglaud and New England mar
ket reads, and insist that we, too, sbouid
have similar highways, they forget that ours
is <par:ev-scttled country, and that IN the
States indicated the country IS denseiy popu.
lated. with towns and villages located on all
the public roads.
Then. too, with the best system OF work.
Ing roads, aud with practicable and wise
laws, it is in vain 10 expect good roads with
obstacles iuLrrposcd by distractions, DC.
Poor Old Virginia. until late years, and
even now in many localities, has been gov
erned and managed by a set Of men who are
ctcrualy crouking about the roads, and they
lift not finger 10 remove our burdens in
this regard. While there are, of course,
men OF sense assigned in many
districts as "overseers Of roads, yet it is
a very difficult matter often to get any over
seer: and if one Is obtained he is often
wholly incompetent. Men OF education, oil
any engineering knowledge, and even OF no
small pecuniary Interests in good roaus, re-
fuse TO serve as oyerseers.
And there are other obstacles TO this much
desired Improvement. But few of our cltl-
zens take enough interest in the matter TO
aid tue courts in relocating roads or esta0-
lishing ne,c roads. A half century or more
ago q public road, and one leading to an i'm
portant market, was located on the boundary
Ines of adjoining lands-ands up and down
bill, and not at all with reference to suitable
grades. Our people will pass over these
horribly. located roads for years and years.
and will not put themselves to The trouble 10
apply to the courts for mucE-necded change
Of location, even for quarter OF mile;
and if some philosophical man does Apply
fora change, or if county judge, who Is
not nervous about bis popularity, initiates
inquiries and ordeIareports from road COM
missioner, landhoIders demand fabulous
prices for their poor lands by way OF dam
ages sometimes manv times beyond their
assessed or real value-and these same land
holders are ever complaining that this same
land is assessed too high.
While the existing road-law (Acs THO,
page 1777, &c.,j may not be suited to erery
county, while some Of its sections may be
wisely amended, yet the grave difficulty Is
in the failure to execute the Lar, and by men
of character and competent TO do so.
Let the county Judge (who has, by the
law, wide discretion and power in carrying
its provisions into etfect) make the improve.
ment of the public roads specially. even if
he is not paid a day .laborer's wages. Let
him erter on this work with the unSelhsb
purpose of firmly doing his duty. Is there
a road which in his judgment ought to be
changed in this or that location with i'm.
proved grades, let him select the most
man be can fnd, with some know
ledge of engineering, if he can, and direc.
him TO make the report required by law.
Let him be man who Is publlc-splrllcd
enough to look at the public interest. Let
judges and commissioners set out with the
that private interest shall
yield to the public good, giving only just
and fair compensation for damages, II any, TO
landowners.
Many of our Virginia roads may be greatly
improved by relocation along their routes:
and in other districts new and direct roads
may be wisely established. To accomplish
these objects ample provision is now made
by law, if the people who are interested and
the county judges will cooperate:
The 9th section of the existing law (page
1889 requires each oveIseer to make Il full
and detailed report TO the court of the condl-
ton of the several county roads, and sugSes-
tons for improvements, &c. Let the judges
rule the oyerseers up TO making this report
In March of each year.
As to the contract system, many gentle
men regard it as the Wisest and best plan OF
securing good roads. Practical men OF sound
Judgment differ about this. The twenty
third section of the law authorizes the courts
to cause laborers to be hired 70 work the
roads in certain contingencies; and by the
section Up. 1867 the supervisors
may adopt q mixed system Of contract and
labor for working the roads.
There is no doubt room for amendment OF
our road.law. An amendment has been sug-
gesled to the writer by one who proceed him
self to be one of the best road commissioners
10 the State. He suggests that road com.
missioner of best qualifications be appointed
for one or more magisterial districts. who
shall have u superintendent of all oVerseers
and of all matters connected with the
execution Of the road.law, with right
of appeal from any decision OF his
to the County Court; that he shall first
hear and examine all applications for
neo roads; that the courts appoint three
freehoders to pass on questions of dam
ages when the commissioner and land
holder do not agree; and that the trial Of
questions of liability for failure to keep the
roads in order by overseers shall be heard,
unless jury is asked, by this commissioner,
with right of appeal. He further suggests q
road.taX for contingencies, repairs, culyerts,
&c, &C., AID thinks a rosd.taX is necessary
under any system and, further, that there
should be no uncertainty, as now, as to the
mum her of DAYS each man oyer sixteen shall