Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-03-29
COMMUNICATED.
EXPENSIVE ROADS.

A ride on horseback over the county
dirt roads of Jefferson in tie spring of
the year gives spicy food for the imagi-
nation, and leads to such reflection as is
found in this article. Railroads and
turnpikes have their enthusiastic admir-
ers aud influential defenders, whilst
Jefferson county dirt highway is be-
meath critical mention. In order to ex-
hibil little healthy impartiality, few
fgurafiue facts, taken from Uncle Tom
Moore's records, will be brought to the
front for inspection, viz: Last year the
county road expenses were in the seven
districts 81, lS3. O2, to-wit: Charlestown,
81, O7732 Shepherd, 1913 03; Middle
way, S51764; Bolivar, s55sO4; Os-
burn, S429.14; Potomac, s65l.59; Har-
per's Ferry, S15l.25. Jefferson was
taken from Mother Berkeley, a. d.
1901. seventy eight years ago. To con-
slider last year as an average (Which our
venerable Clerk thinks is not), we have
as the sum expended since 1901, 1926
1856. 1t is ayerred that during tie
supervisor system as much as $1,000
was annually spent OH the mud roads OF
Jefferson county. SO, Mr.. Railwayman,
don't you see that we mud-roadels can
get up figures too? But that is not all !;
one supervisor of roads says on his IA
miles he calls out 80 workmen, who are
required 10 each work two days, an
nually, which at one dollar per day
each, would be expended in free labor
$40. Suppose there are $50 miles OF
county roads, and six men subject to
work gratis, pro bono pubiico, on each
mile two days annually, which would
be 800 men at days each, would
amount TO $4,000 worth of gratis work
annually, to be added; aggregallng to
the sum Of S7,lS3,02, annually, for
worsling the roads by tinkering. | re-
fer to Tie general system OF road work
not to few exceptional cases OF
slight improvements. For the above
snug little sum the roadsters OF Jetier-
son have the satisfaction of knowing
that the roads can't be made worse; as
year after year, and generation after
generation, passes, the successor stu
diously neglects what the predecessor
spoiled, thus leaving the roads "clear as
mud" Qncry: Is there no remedy for
this prodigal waste of the public money
and the public labor of the people
Yes! Repeal all road laws and enact
substantially the following: There shall
be an Inspector of roads in every coun,
ty, whose duty shall be to view and Ger
tify every road-master's bill before pay
mcnt, setting out that the roads SO in
spected conform to the law, which law
I shall require that water ditcEes. OF
drains, shall be continuously made on
each side of every legal road ; that the
dirt and stone removed from the bitches
shall be put On the bed Of the road, and
that all roads shall be Of convex shape,
and thus shall they be kept; draining
when necessary, from one side to the
other, shall be by culverts, and in nc
case making or permitting water to ei.
tncr cross over or run on road. Sl,2OC
will McAdamize a mile, on an average
| Suppose there are $50 miles Of county
roads, Oh which there are 1880 men re-
onired TO work two days each at dol
lar per day; makes $4,000, which multi
piled by rs years amounts TO s234,O00
which added to the money expended is
s5GO,295 Sc, which would make 500
miles of turnpike roads. EeS" Food tor
reflection. i.