Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-03-11
Opequon tip, March 5, 1876.
Country Roads.

Country Roads.
Ts the Editors sfthes Independent
Allow me through your valua-
BILE paper to call the attention of
the county court and the county
gentlemen, to the bad condition
of our roads. 1t is patent 20 every
country gentlemen that our roads
are not Improving. The work
done upon them each year is of
such character as to absorb money
appropriated without any real or
lasting benefit
In discussing the roads when
country gentlemen meet they at
once condemn road supervisors,
who, TO great extent are to blame
for their incapacity. That is true
of the greater part, and if there
was no money it they would not
have it. How often do you meet
with long flats in wet time up to
the hub, that by ditching along
side would make g nice read. The
supervisor will tell you the farm
ers comes out and tells him to be
careful of his fence. He has set
into the road, passing on both
sides so that in many instances
the road bed is so narrow that the
overseet has not sufficient space to
ditch.
The road supervisor should be,
if he is not, invested with sufficient
authority to have his road the
legal width and if not he should
complain to the court.
The law says the county court
shall keep the road in good repair.
But it looks to me as if they tried
how not to de it, How is it pos
sible for one man to supervise
from ten to fifty miles of road ? A
contract of less than ten miles is of
very little account; and in most
instances these road supervisors
are merely actuated by the patri-
cite motive of helping the county.
We have been making roads on
this plan for century, aud what
have we accomplished I? About
the worst reads in the State. Since
the close of the war; say ten years,
we have expended in this county
from forty to fifty thousand dol
lars. Having accomplished so
little with SO much money and la
Dor expended, would not prudence
suggest that some other mode be
adopted. Let US try the Pennsly-
vania plan for few years that is
| to give no zone su perviSor more
than from one half to a mile of
road to look after, and he to live
on the road This plan would de-
volve upon the court some little
trouble to get it properly started,
but it could he accomplished read
lily. To illustrate take the Hedges
vile road by the Distillery, be-
tween the railroads; 1t belongs to
Opequon Dist let, but not used by
them. Suppose Mr.. ID. Hess was
overseer for the half mile between
the railroads, which is most viii
famous road. Isn't il natural to
suppose that Stewart, Kramer and
Tabb, although living in Hedges
vile, would give some help. Ger
tainly they wouli With half
dozen hands, plain team and a
few loads Of stone they would
make that good road. But ii
would be necessary to have a SUI
pervisor with some vim in him,
so with the dry run read from the
grade by Legg's Mill. If Walters,
Jenneys or Kilmers We're road SUI
perviSor for the mile from the
grade, those half a dozen farmers
would make a good road, and the
farmers on the west, Thomas and
Vanmetre, would carry it on for
the next mile, and 30 on, adding
to the value OF their farms and
bodily comfort.
In place of devoting our time to
so much politics let us turn our
shoulders to the wheel, and see if
we cannot accomplish some thing
for our immediate good by bring
ing this matter before the court in
such shape, they they will be in
duty bound to listen to us.
A CoUNTRYMAN.