The Jasper weekly courier., 1876-04-14
Remarks on Roads.

HAVE GOOD OR BAD ROADS Al ABOUT
TIE SAME OUTLAY.
There has perhaps never been as much
complaint Of bad roads as now and for
the last few months. 1t is everywhere.
from Omaha 10 Boston. A little good
management would improve the roads
very much without adding ono cent TO
the taxes OF the people. Bartholomew
county, we are informed. paid last year
more than $4,000 road ts&, and besides
the able bodied men of the county were
lrequired 10 work the roads from two 10
-four days each. We all know how
such work is done, and with that work
and the large expenditure of money our
roads are growing worse all the time.
Why is this? IL is because "what is
everybody's business in nobody's bust
ness We believe lhe matter OF road
improvement is OF so much importance
to the people that an occasional article
on the subject will be read by every one
with interest, that we offer our readers
the following able article, taken from
the columns OF the Western Farm Jour-
NAL: We have long believed and have
no reason SO far 10 change this belief
THAT the present system of working out
road tax by individuals, with such i'm
perfect tools as farmers possess for The
purpose, is where the whole difficulty
lies The work ought 10 be done by
contract, or with proper machinery
under the direction OF the road commits
lsioners, or some competent man whom
they may select. Why? Because ma
lchinery has simpifed and cheapened
trnn1 IND "a paHpl vyitbf.. n La
twelve years as has the reaper and
mower simplified harvesting and hay
making and while il has simplifed the
lprocess II mas reduced the cost OF max
ling earth roads under the supervision OF
Ipraclical road makers 10 tythe one
tenth OF what il used 20 cost in Tie old
way with imperfect dump scrapers and
rusty spades and shovels: vet ninety
mine hundredths OF the road work is
done under the old system. The conse-
quencc is, the tracks called roads have
this winter been rivers of mud an en-
barge has been placed on the handling
of grain, aud farmers with overflowino
eranaries have found themselves obliged
to sit
FRETTING OVER THE SITUATION
nj home and powerless 10 help them
SELVES. Something must be done in this
matter. even were ID to add one-half TO
the cost OF farms. Good earth roads on
lcvery section line would amply pay the
investment and the more valuable the
farm the better would it pay in proper
tion. II COSTS as much 10 make roads
where land is worth only SO per acre.
as it does where il is worth from $50 to
500 per acre. We have within the last
three wears gathered testimony. and
from some of the most intelligent COM
lmissioncrs in Illinois. whore The system
lot making roads by contract. or with
machinery owned by. and operated in
1.-The towns. under the direction of com.
lpeicn' men. showing that good earth
roads have been built at total outla,
for grading. OF from 20 10 ~ cents pei
irod, or for a total tax OF from "a % 4.
lccuts per acre of land owned, and this
hen done by contract. Under IN,
lsupervision OF q true ssioner
lwho really has the interest of his town
Int stake, these figures may be largel,
discounted, perhaps onc-half, when th,
lcityens OF a town feel interested enough
TO thoroughly second the endeavors o
1.-The commissioners. Good roads an,
NECESSARY TO all classes of community
All have 10 use item and all have TO pa,
for making them. They are especial,
lvalua Die TO farmers. for they consttut,
, a principal iuiegcr in the value of tn,
farms. But good roads cannot he bull
, without concert OF action. II granger,
, and farmers clubs and other individual
of the rural districts would enter hearti
! ly into the ways and means for accom-
: lplshing this purpose, in the most eco
nOmical manner, they would perform
/, one Of The most valuable services eve
conferred upon their communities. il
! the interest of agriculture. First of all
, however. the public mind must be dis
, abused Of the idea that earth roads ar
, necessarily bad. They are not so if vel
I made. How TO DO this in the most eco
; nomical manner is the question TO b
discussed. A little inquiry in the rigll
direction will. we think, solve the diff
Guilty.
=. Ill Al.