The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-10-26
GEtt q,,telliQ&llter:
,,,,rr. aU.. ~ nnN ~ fourteenth Nirrei,
Tho Alternate Rond Law.

Tho Alternate R0hd Law. fNt
The Legislature Of West Virginia passed
an net on the l2th Of March, 1881, known
as the "AIlrrnalc Road Law" which we
rOusblera very important law and which
WA yoseA upon aud adopted IN a number
vI tho counties ut the late election, our
Marshall county neighbors being among
,he number that re.endorsed It. We
have always contendcd that tho crying
want Of most Of our counties was better
locaI roais. 4 county without good roads
rsnnut possibly be MI advanced and pro.
yre~yc community. The old school gcog.
rsphcs tell us tlmt roads were the first con.
dlions Of civilization, without which, in.
deed civilization would be impossible The
backward condition Of some Of our coun-
ties, coupled with the almost total absence
q! DECENT roads, goes far 10 make good this
ditnm Of The old Biographies.
In orr opinion the alternate road law
xasastep in the right direction, and VIC are
vlad that our immediate neighbos have
stood by Il. Down in jackson county,
whcte they are waking up on the subject
Of railroads. and sheep, and trying to get
ont Of the woods, the people voted for the
new lsw, and are determined to develop
their county by letting out their roads to
contract under its provisions. U.w4.. b.
As is well known, the old law provides
for keeping up the roads by the days
work" system, rs It is called-tl,at Is, call
iug ont the people to work so many days
on lhc road, and assessing fine on those
who do not respond. Thcspecial hardship
Of this law is the ealnount OF work It requires
or may require from the non.property
holder Good roads rebound, Of course,
mainly 10 the advantage Of the man who
owns land along the line. lie not only
travels but he hauls over them, and his
hanling much or little at certain seasons Of
the ytar depends almost entirely on the
rouGjlion Of lhe roals.
Wean glad to sec our Jackson county
co.unporary, the Herald, congrulula,ing
,lrpeOple down there on their adoption Of
lilrnew law. Itgoes over the advantages
Of The law, rs compared with the old one,
iaar Intelligent and interesting munner;
Dmucl SO TINT we esteem it 4 service 10
ourreaders in counties that still hang on
10 the old law to copy its observations in
regard 10 the two systems. We quote
them AS follows: 30 .l1
'rhat the voters OF this county acted
wisely in indorsing the new road law by
voting for it irrespective OF party, there
can be no doubt. 1t is not The intention
Of this law to Cypress any one, rich or
poor, old or young, but simply that the
roads shall be kept in repair by taxation,
and thereby haye good roads, which, under
the old system, we did not have. This is
TO be done by lcvyingn poll-tax Of 81 on
each male citizen over 81 years Of age, and
thctrsllne by Tux on property; so that
Zach individual only pays in proportion TO
ihealnonnt Of property he owns, which is
right. Under the old system ltands we're
taken upon the roads; some worked, others
lll not. Some road surveyors attended to
their duty, and SAW 10 it that their hands
worked, while others were careless and
RfelecttIl, and the result was that the
roads were in bad condition and greater
pA1t Of them impossible. Under the new
Law surveyors ate placed under bond, with
E"d security, and are compelled to expcnd
iIemoney properly, and to keep the roads
IN good repair, Hence we may expect
good roads, which is u letter OF recon.
mediation for our county and will increase
l''cva!ne Of our lands in proportion to the
amount OF taxes paid. Some, however, OBJ.
J"e! to it because men over the uye requir.
rdhy law to work on the roads will have to
no more than heretofore. Well, that is
Just right. Under the old system man
oyer the age required by law was exempt
WIN the exception Of Il few cents Of tax,
%', III great many cascsa Il rich man who
I''' several teams OH the roads and did
more injury to the rouds in one week than
hshcisnb0r, who is poor, would do in one
y,Er, utmost escaped contribution. Yet
Inn poor man, being OF the age re-
'ilred by law to work the roads, must
work upon the roads several days and also
laya tax III proportion to the value Of his
property. Yet it is not the rich who are
opposed TO it, because they know that the
valle Of their lands will bo increased by
having good roads. One more thought
uUOu fhi4 euhianf mud tbat 10 that tho