The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1880-04-10
WHY IS 1T SO?

Yes, why is it so, that SO little at.
tention seems to be given to keeping
our leading or principal pubic coun-
y roads, around and near Mod-gantown
in repair and which arenow in such
wt etched and almost impassob bic corr
dition2 WHY'S it that the first two or
three miles of the Kingwood pike has
the bottom cut out by hauling hea' y
timber overit, and thus put, allowed o
remain, in condition that not only
makes it inconvenient and vexatious
to ride or drive over it, bat next to
impossible and dangerous to do so?
Is it because the tolls charged said
timber teams will not keep it in re-
pair? Or is it because the tolls re-
ceived are not applied to the pur
pose? If it is because the tolls .fred
6y lar are not sufficient, then the
people of the county and State should
see to it that rate of specific tolls
should be provided by law-that are
sufficient-and if the tolls as now
fixed or provided are insufficient, then
the people should see to it that such
tolls are charged, collected and op-.
piled to their legitimate purposes,
Timber men should not complain if
they are made pay enough toll to re-
pair the damages they do the road,
and persons in charge Of such roads
and who have given bond to keep the
road in proper condition, cannot be
heard to complain when they ale
held responsible for not charging and
collecting and applying full tolls,
when necessary to repair the roads.
The same facts are alike applicable
to the three or four miles of the Ices
Ferry and Mor9antown pike, without
bottom, and as we are informed for
the same causes chiefly. The pee
pie cannot dispense with good roads,
and especially 80, when they are tax
ed as it were, to keep them in proper
repair.
The Morgantown and Fairmont
pike, and especially the first mile of
it next town, is next to impossible,
but not produced by the same cause
as the other two roads, but by much
legitimate and necessary travel by
people getting to and from their
county seat. But Notwithstanding
the great importance and absolute
necessity of this road, it is not now,
and has not been for months, safe to
travel 1.-THE bed of the road is of
stiff, tough clay, holding water ike
vessel, aud owing to the great and
constant travel on this end of the
pike, it is now virtually without bot
tom; and that, too, without fault, SO
far as we can see or know of the
person in charge of the road, for it is
impossible to work it during the win
ter and muddy season. 20
There is and can be but one way
to remedy this road, or the worst
part Of it next Morgantown, travelled
by more citizens Of the county by
half than any other road, or part of
a road, in the county; and that is
by stoning or matchmaking it out
as far as the Granville road, at least,
where the two great streams OF coun-
ty travel meet. This would cost
but few hundred dollars. Inc
material to do it with, is easy of &C
cess, and near at hand; and we are
fully satisfied that six or eight hun
dred dollars cannot be expended in
the county to greater, or more gen
eral benefit Of its citizens than in
matchmaking so much at least of
said pike. And if some of our wide
awake citizens would stir up the
matter and bring it before the Court
at its next fiscal term; we feel as
sured that the good sense and public
spirit of that body, backed by an
enterprising public sentiment, would
lose no time in having this great
public obstruction and blockade to
travel removed. Let US now see who
will move in this important matter;
to him, or them, we predict the sim
cere thanks of the people of the
count y and town. It
~
The Board of Public Works met
in Wheeling last Wednesday, opened
the bids and awarded the contract
for building the new State House at
4 L.