The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-03
Country Road Making.

We present this morning synopses oi
two bills to be introduced in the Gen
eral Assembly providing a road law for
Necklenburg county. As is generally
known, they are the result of two mass
meetings held to devise a plan which
would result in giving Mecklenburg
county an improved and satisfactory
system of working the public highways.
The one provides, briefly, for the col
lection of a tax on real estate aud from
each individual entitled to vote to be
used under the direction of the county
authorities. The other creates an in
corvorated company with the right to
collect a toll a J.
If ANYTHING has been established be-
yond any sort of controversy, 1t Is that
all road laws which have hitherto been
in existence, have failed to accomplish
the purposes for which they were made,
either through inherent Deficiencies in
the system which they created, or for
lack of provisions for their enforcement.
In short, we have always had road
laws, but never good roads, except dur
ing the summer Nobody has been
compelled to work them regularly and
systematically, and, consequently, they
were not SO worked. 1t is very much
the case of the Arkansas iddler, who,
being interrupted in his absorbing
amusement Of handling the bow by an
inquirer who asked why he didn't re
pair the roof of his house to protect
himself from the rain, replied that he
didn't wish to work in the rain. Being
asked, then. why he didn't do it in dry
weather, he replied that he didn't feel
the need of it then, and started off on
another tune. We don't work roads in
the summer because they do not es-
p~ecially need it; w can't work them
In the winter.
No law, then, is worth the paper on
which it il written, which doe. not pro
vide for an enforced, systematic and in
telligent method of road building.
Such a system can not be operated
without money. This being admitted,
a special road tax is a necessity. 1t is
necessary to provide tools, to construct
bridges, and, above all, to pay some
body who knows how to build roads.
1t is a notorious fact that the average
road supervisor or overseer is totally
ignorant of the first principles of max
ing a public road, and it is not a refec-
ton on his intelligence to say so it Is
not his business and he cannot be eX
pected to know it. Road making is a
subject requiring study and a knowl-
sdge of the nature of soils, not often
considered by any but engineers or
those t o whom such knowledge is a
necessary adjunct of their business in
life. Can a farmer or a merchant build
a railroad or construct a canal? Why
then should they be expected to carry
on a work which, if properly done, re
quires just as much information and
practical experience.
The peculiar method of construction
or repairing should be left exclusively
to a competent engineer, chosen with
special reference to his practical as well
theoretical knowledge of the subject,
and paid a salary which would Justify
him in devoting his whole time to his
business. All work done on any part of
the county should be under his direc-
ton, if not under his personal SUPER
vision. Such a plan might have special
provisions as a ~precautlon against wild
schemes, or such as do not have a re-
sdIo III liiC ulSdHS dU lllt COLlludlu VI
the county.-Charlotte Observer. !
THE Two ROAD BILLs.-Gen. John
ston has completed the drafts of the
roads bills. One Of them provides for
the levy of q tax of Ii mills on the dol
lar and forty-fve cents on the poll, OBJ
serving the constitutional equation. 1t
provides for a commission of three or
more to apply the money in their dis
erection to once or any more roads lead
from the city of Charlotte in any direc-
ton. The have further right to enter
on land for the purpose of obtaining
material.
They are authorized to receive con-
victs in jail, of Meckleaburg. Union,
Cabarrus, CASTOR, Lincoln, Catawba,
Clsland and Rutherford to the number
not exceeding hundred. The pro-
visions do not affect the present road
law except with regard to the road.
which the commission be in process of
constructing.
The other bill incorporates The
Charlotte Turnpike Company, the being
associated to make macadamized roads
Charlotte to the towns Of Saleisburg,
CIAtssVlie, LlllCOlnJOn OF monroe, OF
to the South Carolina line.
Messrs. Frank Coke, William John
ston, r. Barringsr, L. L. Vail and
Jas. 81. Carson are appointed to receive
subscriptions to the company from in
dlvidual corporator's or counties. The
capital shall be in FIVE hundred shares
of one hundred dollars with the privi-
lege of an increase to fifteen hundred
shares. The company will be allowed
to ~macadanize such roads from Char
lotte as the county commissions will
turn over to them and are granted the
liberty of establishing toll with outside
rates provided in the bill. The coun.
ty may redeem at cost on completion
OF five miles of road.
The commissioners shall submit it to !
the voters of the county whether a sub
scription shall be made to the company
net to exceed $780, 900, the money to be
raised by 6 per per cent. bonds.
The company is further authorized to
lake necessary material at the valua-
tion of ASSESSORS Charlotte Observer.
SOUTHERN News ITEMs.--Arkansas
ha. appropriated $3.50, 600 towards an
insane asylum. There is one white