The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-09-22
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THIS COLUMN Is OPEN TO ALL.
For The Cecil Wing
THE ROADS OF CECIL COUNTY,

Without any disposition to be querulous,
or to raise factious opposition to the
dominant party in Cecil county, we must
say and we do SO with a full knowledge of
the meaning and full appreciation of the
force of the language that the condition
of the roads of our county is a disgrace to
the civilization of the 18th century. Indeed
such is the miserable condition of the roads
IN some places, that they would be dis
grace to any age or any nation that makes
any pretensions to civilization. Instead of
being put in a condition to afford some rea-
sonable facilities to those whose business
compeIs them to use them, they are allowed
| to remain from year to year in the msera-
bic condition in which we find them at the
present time and suffered gradually to grow
worse. NO effort whatever is made upon
many of them to divert the water that falls
during the prevalence of long continued
and heavy rains from flowing directly in
the track most generally and frequently
used. Owing to the want of some atten-
ton to their proper drainage, they are in
many places for long distances, nearly GOV.
cred with loose, round stones, which make
their use not only unpleasant but in many
cases dangerous These stones being
|
roadway.
| Many of the supervisors think their
whole duty to the public is discharged
when they remove these loose stones from
the track and place them upon the side of
| 1t, from which they soon find their way
back to the track to annoy and impede the
| progress of the traveller who is SO unfortu-
nate as to be compelled to use the abomi-
nable apologies that are dignified by name
of roads. In other places they are covered
with l00se .fIt stones thickly scattered over
them, which, if they were properly pre-.
pared, would nearly suffice to convert them
into very respectable turnpikes. In other
places they appear to have been repaired
some time IN the past when it was more
fashionable than it has recently been, by
the use of stones of considerable size, which
are firmly imbedded in the earth and too
large to DE readily loosened by the passage
of vehicles in ordinary use, which Jolt and
bounce over them in a manner calculated
to weary and exhaust the patience Of Job
or to annhilate the piety of the energetic
and sainted Paul. In many places they
are rendered insecure and positively dan
gerous by holes into which the horse or
vehicle of the unwary traveller is liable to
be precipitated and thereby ruined, and his
life endangered. \ stranger might well
conclude that we made no provision for the
repair of the roads in this county, and
should he come from more favored loca-
ton with the intention of remaining here,
he would probably be deferred from doing
so.
1t is useless to speculate upon the causes
that produce this lamentabe condition of
our roads. 1t has been intimated that their
bad condition is the result of the change
recently made in the law respecting them.
The law is good one, and, if it was prop
erly executed, would be productive of bene-
cial results. We assert, without fear of
successful contradiction, that the evil com
planned of is chargeable to the neglect of
the inspectors of the roads, who, in marv
cases, are actuated not by sense of re-
sponsiblity to the County Commissioners
or to the public whom they are supposed
to represent, but who are controlled by par
tisanship and actuated by desire to bene-
fit the party now in power, who either
wholly neglect to do their duty. or, what
is more reprehensble in public officers, GER
tify to the good condition of the roads when
they know they are in bad one.
The law, as before stated, contains am
pie provision, were it properly executed
and enforced, to remedy the evil complained
of, and it is to be hoped that the people,
who are the sufferers, will at least make an
honest effort to elect a Board of County
Commissioners that will enforce the law
and put the roads of the county in a con-
dition fit to be used.