The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1878-01-17
IF m the Portsmouth Tflbasr1
Free Turnpikes.

I Our neighbors. the Jackson STANDARD
and Pomeroy Telegraph. arc aritatinc tho
I expedicncy Of constructing free turn
/ pixies in their respective counties. The
I proposition is a cOtnmendable one; but
our friends should be careful 10 profit by
the experience in Scioto county.
Our neighbors will find, should they
decide TO build free turnpilScs. n great
difficulty in reconciling everybody as TO
where the roads should be located Ev-
cry farmer will naturally feel that the
road should intcrsect ms nciELborhood.
and unless great care and dcliberatiCu
arc exercised in the attempt 60 please
everybody. the money will be- exhausted
on q nuubcr Of halt finished roads, laid
out without reference TO tho bcst inter.
ests OF the county at large 10 viii o.
found q difficult matter for the commits
sioners to properly decide, uuiulueuccd
by local interests and party c0nsidcra.
tions.
The next thing should be to provide
the money before hand by taxation 90 as
to pay cash for SO much road as might be-
undertaken and thus avoid the cnog.
nous expenditure Of interest on bonds.
Let the bond business alone,-pay as you
20. and you viii save from thirty TO hny
per cent Ready cash will now secure
labor very cheap.
In the next place avoid the mistake
committed by Scioto county in making
the roads too narrow
IL these precautions are not taken, and
bonds are issued 90 De redeemed by sub
sequent taxation and the question Of
locating the roads is left 90 BE- decided
by local interests and q general scramble
instead Of having iu view tho best inter
ests Of the county 40 large, the result
will be the frittcring away q large
amount Of money for poor roads, poorly
located, and an expenditure Tor interest
on a large debt that would IN the end DO
enough TO have built good roads judi.
ciously located.
Scioto county has been through the
mill, and knows how 10 is.
In Meigs county, we see by the Tclc.
graph. that the farmers are taxed auuu
ally about 81 mills on the dollar for
merely scraping up the mud and dust on
the mud roads, which is not only money
but labor thrown away. This tax if
properly managed would build good free
turnpikes all over the county.
After turnpike is made, there is an
opportunity to exercise judgment and
economy in keeping it in repair. Tho
system Of contracting with responsible
parties to take charge Of certain piece
OF road aud keep il in repair is preferable
20 the plan OF hiring men and teams to
do the work by the day ia the fret
place, o given amount OF work done with
Judgment 90 tho proper time Is worth
twice the labor and expense incurred 90
an improper time and iu an improper
manner 4 road soon wears into ruis,
and a man with q single horse and o
scraVer set diag0u1l.y, GO the proper
time, before the ruts become deep holes,
and while the surplus gravel is lying in
loose ridges along the sides Of the road
can do more effective work in a day than
can be accomplished in twice the time
with double the force after the road Is al
cut through and the sugplu1 gravel has
become packed down or scattered along
the outside Of the road.bed
The celebrated Mr. Fletcher OF Saltoun
was possessed Of o very irritable temper
His butler intimated his intention Of
seeking another place, when Mr. Fletcher
proceeded gently 10 urge him 10 continue
IN his service. Il cannot bear your ten.
ter sir" said The butler. ~ am passion
ate, ] confess. said Ir Fletcher. "but
ms passion d. no sooner 0u chan It D. of
"Yez." rei1iued tho butler. "but thpu its
no sooner or tuau lis on aeIinT
Mrs. John Church, jr, Of Cincinnati,
divorced from a blrblrous and uniCeling
husband, died rec utly with grief and
anguish. because -hc was denied the
c1mUaui0a-lip OF her only child. The
legislation that permits the separation OF
a child from its mother, Is "a cursed relic
,f tha farr a-aa yrbfrh ahnufI ~ Iorfh.