Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-03-05

STAUNTON. VA.
FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH 5. 1880.
THE PROPOSITION FOB NINETY
MILES OF GOOD ROAD IN
THE COUNTY.
From the promptness with which Gen.
Echols has presented in the House a bill
giving effect to the petition SO numerous
ly signed by responsible citizens of the
county last court day. we presume that
there is little doubt that the proposition
it contains will be submitted to the vote
of the people Of Augusta in May next
Briefly stated it is for Augusta to borrow
100000 at per cent. with tax sufficient
topay the interest and So, 1000 Of the princi-
pal every year. 1t is quite likely that the
Board of Supervisors may be able to obtain
the loansat a less rate, but we will assume
that it will be the figure named. If there
is one thing more than another that bars
the lands of Augusta from bringing high
prices, from being sought after by settlers
from other States, and from being like
those in Pennsylvania the most desirable
holding in the East. it is our bad
county roads. It is the custom of strang-
er coming to farming neighborhood
to call before he leaves at the
county newspaper office to talk about what
he has seen which pleases or disappoints
him, and we cannot remember visitor
whether from the North or Western States
of this country or from the older states
Of Europe with whom we have talked, who
hasn't been liberal with complaints of our
county highways and byways. This would
be, perhaps, matter of less Importance
save for the fact that they button up their
pockets and go elsewhere to settle. Access
to our locality is easy by railroads land over
one route, the Valley, it is beautiful, but
the contrast to the prospector who after
this easy approach is dumped out into a
network Of inferior roads is all the more
discouraging. It is true that some of the
adjoining counties are no better off, but
that is not the point, it is Augusta county
we wish to get population and capital for
if other counties are content to remain
behind the times that is their loss. If an
Englishman or German--the two nation
alities from which our section may most
expect immigration with capital. finds
roads little better than those he finds in
newly settled sections, he at once con-
cludes that the price of the lands should
be somewhere near if not quite as low as
in those sections. If he sees that it takes
a four horse team day to haul to the rail-
road station what in another State two
horse team can haul in half a day the same
distance, because one goes over good mac
admized road and the other does not, then
he goes to the other State to purchase his
farm.
But it is not only to the seller of land
that good roads make difference; it is
doesn't want to sell his farm but every
man does want to make the most out of it.
Bad roads are continued tax and burden
on the farmer. He may not exactly see
the place it pinches him but he knows
it in the addition to the general weight
If you say to farmer that he is actually
paying out every year a certain sum of
money for having bad road instead of a
good one he will incredulously ask you
to prove it. And yet it is SO. There are
hardly any Of our farmers who are not
working more horses than they have any
use for-who are not working four horses
where if the draft was over good roads
three. and often two, would answer. The
best road makers in the world have, from
experience, established the fact that on
what is received as good road, one horse
can draw as much as two on what we call
bad road The condition is almost as
important as the grade. The extra horse
L consumes between $35 and $50 year, and
instead of losing that the farmer would
have it to sell. The question of time also
enters into the matter of good roads. and
that is cash where hired help is employed.
And the wear and tear of vehicles is money
out of pocket. Good roads would help the
development Of our school system. would
promote SOCIAL intercourse, would build
up the villages of the county, develope
new industries and make us all-men,
r. women and land great deal more valua-
BILE to each other. We can think of one
township in our county in which the real es-
tate is over million and quarter dollars
in value, and with not asingle road which
would commend itself to traveller.
The proposed expenditure which is to be
voted on will not be considered by anyone
large. The real estate of the county, in
the increased value Of which it will result,
will be benefited ten times its amount,
and the mode of discharglng the obliga-
cation incurred is gradual, easy and wise
ly chosen.
Since the above was written we notice
that the county papers in Shenandoah and
Frederick are urging that those counties
follow the example of Augusta in this
matter.
MEETING OF THE STATE CoNsERvA.
TIVE CENTRAL CoMMITTEE.-The chair
man of the State Central Conservative
Committee has issued the following call:
A meeting of the State Central Conser-
vative Committee will be held at the Elk.
change Hotel, Room NO. 1877. at s O'Clock,
P. nj. on Wednesday the 10th inst. The
object of this meeting is to issue call for
a State Convention to appoint delegates to