The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-09-02


This caption might with equal pro-
priety be = bad roads," as II woald
have attracted just as much attention,
and this Is the purpose of it,. But what
we are going to say on this trite subject,
though at the same time ever fresh on
sccount of its Importance, is TO refer,
again 10 the constant discussion which
it leads 10 all over the country. We
scarcely open .aruraf paper. however
far or near, iniwhich complaint IS not
made about the bad condition in which
the roads. are kept, and the absolute
necessity Of improving rthem- Like
ourselves, our contemporaries are very
nearly, il not quite, Unanimous in de-
nouncing the present system-f system
1t can be called-and recommending
something better something that viii
insure 70 every one who uses them
safety and expedition. The merely
throwing out Of dirt dug or plOwed at
the sides and thrown into the middle,
including everything coming in the way
brush, sods, stones, roots and rubbish
in genera, without any regard 10 where
1t is put, aud lett there TO be worn down
into some order by The travel itself-is
not repar ng at all; it is-simply making
bad worse.
Oar contemporaries refer bitterly in.
some instances TO the Observation-Disclosures
With which the work is done. They
say truly that there is no system OBJ
served. There are no cutters made
that the water will naturally find. They
are not straight and from the extreme
lines inclined thence to the middle. but
Engaging to suit the stones, stumps,
roots, fete.. and are only "deep.
scratches as one of them remarks. A
gutter should be asl.straight as the. line
of the road and should be made deep
enough to carry of all the water in the
heaviest rains. In declivities the road
bed should sharply incline from the
center 20 the cutters, draining of the
water directly into them, and not fore
ING it down 1.-THE -road-bed, washing
gulehes and carrying away all the soil
upon it, "a. Ill -,
Wilson's To 90 upon ttfe- roads with r force
OF menimmediHtely after hewy showers
and re pair them they know all sthe
points where the roads are likely 10
wash and repairing is needed; and they
know or ought to know what kind Of
repairing wal stand the best. There
are parts which are nearly always soft
and where it is useless 10 throw upon it
more sort ,lirt. These points should be
stoned sufficiently heavily to bear any
weight, and should keep in good order
for wears without additional expense.
At sham, hills surface drainage should
be made at short intervals and at an an
gle, in order that the draught may not
he too severely increased upon the
beasts. Thus, once and always well
done such points would but seldom re-
quire repairing and could be always
kept in GOOD condition at very moder-
ate expenSe-not one-haf that which it
would otherwise cost. in the wretched
state in which they are allowed to re-
main from year to year.
It isnot probable. however, that much
of a change will take place in the gen.
eral condition of country roads until
there Shall be a ckange in the force put
upon them to do the work. These en-
ployes. should not be composed of Tom,
Dick and Harry-young and old, bic
and little-but. hands who, should be re-
garded as road makers, and be, always
ready at the call of the supervisor They
may cost more wages per day, but they
will do nearly twice the amount of work,
and do it as it ought TO be done. When
started on the improved system pillow
would be seldom needed, road-scrapers
or machines being sufficient-there be-
ing no distractions in the way--to keep
the road imperfect order. x
As we have often said already, though
we hope that we shall not often be
TmpelIed to repeat it in the future,
there is no money in the shape of tax
that people should be so willing and
IiberaIly to pay than that which shall
go to provide good roads at all seasons
of the year. Ii will save four times the
amount in wear, and tear. loss of time
escapes from accidents and the strain
ing Of horses, wagons, harness, etc. =
-GermGntopn Telegram. ''