The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-08-03

tire satisfaction of the tax payers, and, In most
cases those who buy sections Of roads, make
money by the operation: The sections are short
not over three-fourths of mile in length, aud
most of them about one-half mile. SO that 1t
gives most of the farmers who want road the
opportunity of paying their taxes.
Mr.. Glasgow thought there was something
wrong about the system. II better men could
be appointed to attend TO it, II might be i'm
proved
Mr. Jas. Lee favored the contract system as
the best.
Mr.. Bayless also expressed himself as in favor
of the contract system, for the reason that if II
man has contract TO keep u road in repair he
will put work on it when necessary.
Mr. Silver alluded to the bad roads in Dublin
district and said we need change. The present
method should be better carried out or some
new plan devised.
MIR. Ball said he wished some better plan than
the present could be devised or the contract
system of selling out the roads for term of
years. lie gave an interesting account of the
manner i'll which the roads are repaired i'm New
Jersey, but did not recommend it here
Mr.. Janney did not know that the present
| system coulu be improved, but the sooner we get
| out of it the better. We cannot get worse
one. Our bad roads are in striking contrast to
| the appearance of the farms and private proper
| ~, the Thrift and enterprise everywhere seem
1t is almost impossible to sell property where
roads so bad The depreciation of property
| is constantly going on. Good roads for carriages
| and wagons improve a country more than rail
roads. With good roads farms can be worked
| with less team. From what he has heard he
| would favor the contract sy stem. Get the roads
in good condition and they can easily be kept
! Mr. Allen regarded the present system MS an
tier and Outrageous failure. He hid for years
| been in favor of some such system rs Mr.. Mccoy
lsu%gcscd. The club as body ought to take
ac.iUn Immediately. The present system is
enough to cause AN instruction. We ought to
have some legislative action.
| Mr. Mccoy suggested that the Commissioners
already have .ul power and authority on the
subject without additional legislation
| Mr.. Alien continuing sa.a that it is very I'M
| nOriant TO have roads mcndsd early in the spring
| Under The Fulton township plan it will DC OBJ
served that great ntrcss is laId upon that. A
great many roads are not yet mendcd, when we
ought to have been riding oyer good roads for
three months. The whole thing ought to be
cut loose from politics.
Mr.. Archer thought the trouble with the
present system is that it is too unwcldy The
districts are too large. We should have three
| commissioners to run county affairs, divide the
county into twelve districts, have one superyi-
sor for each district, and work the roads by con.
tract,
Mr.. Moorcs said he could not think our bad
roads resulted from the fault OF the avs
| TEN. You can have as good roads In Hartford
county as anywhere else; but where you find
| good roads you find good men. We want private
enterprise more than anything else. One dollar
of private money is worth more than 50 of public
money on the roads The division of the cleo.
| ton districts will 20 very far towards improyipg
the roads under the present system. Loose
stone is the trouble witt many of our roads,
Ten dollars would pay for picking off all the
loose stone out of the road from J.. estford to
Darlington, about which SO much complaint had
been made.
Mr. Rogers thought if the Comfy Commits.
sioncrs have the power to sell out the roads,
they are greatly to blame for not making the
experiment.
Mr. s. NJ Lee.-To make good roads three
things are necessary: the means, the ability and
the responsibility The present system has been
badly managed, but he was opposed to changing
| 1t. He was satisfied that ii it was better exc.
Cuted our roads could be made great deal bet
ter than they are now. The Commissioners are
responsible for the want of proper execution of
the road laws. They have full power to carry
out the present road system, and he knew it was
not properly carried out.
| Mr. Gorrell THOUGHT plan similar to that in
Fulton township, a., ought 10 be adopted
| Nearly every farmer could take the road passing
his property and keep it in repair at much
lower price than any one else, and almost
every one would do it.
Mr.. Thos. A. Hays thought there was no
doubt but that the Fulton township system
would work. If we have laws, let us enforce
them. If our commissioners have not nerve
enough to enforce the road laws let lis put in
men who will. He favored change right now.
Mr.. Webster agreed that the subject was an
important one not only to farmers, but to the
whole community. The present system is a
perfect failure. 1t has been suggested that the
fault is with the supervisors. That will always
be the case under the present system. 1t is un-
pleasant to make complaints and they were
seldom made. Under the contract system q
man is just as responsibilities if he gave Ills note
On motion, Messrs. Allen, Willis and Archer
were appointed a committee to ascertain and
report at the next meeting what steps are neces-
sary to puta contract plan of road mending into
operation.
The subject for next meeting was announced
as follows
| What course would the Club advise me to
pursue to make my farm lirst'class grazing
farm
| Adjourned 10 meet at Thomas A. Hays's, on
Saturday, August 18TH