The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-01-11
COT SfRY ROADS.

Road making as an art is but poorly uu-
d.:sro,d 10y the majority of our highway
slrseycrS aud road masters. and what they
do know Is mot always well carried out.
There l.. no doubt, gradual improvement
IL our highways. Inc loss and iuilry o.
c.sIuncd 10y outlying and wash outs are so
great TIM; those means ~ which STABILITY
n The Travelled way j. secured. are getting
Ia ur '"irrah.y well understood. Blu; the
other points, such securing easy grades.
c nduc'Irg road over u swamp. the man.
h-'mrnt # clayey o. mucky soils. and the
removal Of stones. both fixed aud Loose.
are all matters ia which our rural road
hnIidcrs may easily improve their methods
Ia every farmers c.u" grange aud agricul
tural gathering :"r ihc discussion Of rural
aliaifs, road making shonld be made mat :
Ter Of fr'qHen. consideration.
The losses hy reason of bad roads are
very large far greater than the cost Of
maintaining good ones. But they are so
u"crriain as regards particular instances.
a;'d 80 divided among ali hands. thai the
sum of them is NOT realized as il ought Ia
be. Til" load that can hc drawn over a
road is limited 10y the load that can be
drawn over the worst places. Just Ar the
strength OF a chain l. only the strength of
~ weakest iluk. In= stTaI;,s thrown upon
the different parts oi = wagon OF cl:rIag".
upon this bolts and braces, the wheels. TX les.
= lie. shaft aud on the harness. 70 say
nothing Of horses. by steep grades and
the nncvcnues> of the road bed BY deep
mud. and 10y stones. are also matters that
are large enough i'll detail, hut form Il
INDUSTRIOUS aggregate far beyond the con
ceP;Ion of those who do not ii .ura in re
gard - them. We believe that Their. are
Le" travelled roads in the country on which
the unnecessary lujl:y 1" vehicles alone
would nut pay, aud more than pay. for the
est aad maiulaiuauce OF flint class turn-
pike.
There is enc thing, in particular. which
would cost hu: little to remedy, that is
very dcs'Iuctiv" Ia wheels. the most costly
parts nj every vehicle. and which is also
The cause oil very great injury 10 horses.
We refer Ia t!Ic loose stones left upon the
surface Of the road way-Ihrowu upon it.
III fact. when the road. are repaired. aud
i,ii there The whole season Afterwards.
l!.o&r stones could be- all thrown oil in a
very shout time and al very little expense
hu they are very rarely attended 10. How
many loosrn,d aud broken tires they cause.
and how many noises feet are injured by
these pi"ynkincly loose stones in the road
D:heT bad things. easily Tcmediet are
ting holes aud hnil"wS worn IN the road by
wheels ami rapidly increased in depth NV
the sriienIng caused by the Collection of
water IN them after rains. These holes
break more aNles, ool;s braces and spokes
them up would amount to- A stitch in
Time II here most important. but few
:"ad masters will attend 10 the matter As
they should.
We repeat that these are things worthy
"i frequent discussion among farmers. 50
that knowledge regarding the proper rem
"nIrs may i've disseminated, and, above all
a pubic opinion he created ia favor OF good
roads The civilization of a community i,
almost As well gagged 10y the condition of
i, roads Is by the quantity Of soap it uses
HUral .Nc'r Yorker.