The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-01-07

I and pass through the farms ofPhihR Watts,
the Eellss, the Brownsville Libby md the
Degans 9Isdo¬ propds that Ii Spsrsons
through whose farms this pad passes should
|be taxed for the pablo soed,evcn sh6ela the
value of their land be enhanced thereby. hu t
| do propose that every farmer who Is directly
interested in the improy ement and travel of
this particular road should contribute volun.
,arlly of his means aud Of his labor, and espo.
lcially of his labor, to the Accomplishment of
this end; not only the farmers who use this
road to convey their products to market, but
the merchant the mechanic, and all others
who consume these products. " 70
If every farmer who lives within ten miles
of Ottawa, and who is in the habit OF travel.
ling this road two or three times a week would
be willing 10 contribute of his labor at a sea
son of the year when his time is OF little value
on his farm from three 70 five or more days,
IN the hauling of stone or gravel, the entire road
could be done, and well done, in very short
time 1t could not be expected, by this voun-
tary system or even by direct tax, that this
but a portion of it could be made every year
until completed. Say, 1t might be finished
the first year as far as Mr.. Eells's; the next
as far Us Mrs. Libby's, and 50 on. And then
what? it might be asked. Why if the Deer
Park and Farm Ridge people wish to continue
the road, let each party look after their own
interests, trusting to the assistance OF those
whom they assist | do not propose either
| that this work should be done in haphaZard,
don tcare sort of way, as farmers are In the
habit of doing when engaged in u public
work of this kind, but that the entire road
should be put under the supervision oil COM
pe,ent engineer, so that when done IL Will be
not only well Macadamised but that the low
places will be properly drained--a very i'm
portant consideration. '.
| The road should be graded and drained ear
| ly IN the spring, and after harvest the work of
hauling stone and gravel should begin, Ten
| or fifteen wagons, every day, for hfteen or
twenty days, would do a great deal of work !;
and the time spent in so doing would be less
than the time spent during the year in found.
ering through the mud. ...... ...
| | speak of this particular road, by way of
ILLUSTRATION but if every neighborhood, and
the regions round about" would adopt this
plan, or some other more feasible one, amy
thing to avoid the burden of heavy taxes
there is no reason why all the principal roads
leading into Ottawa should not be Macadam-
Used, so that the farmer could go into town
whenever and as often as he pleases, and the
citizen of the town can have access" to the
country whenever. business or pleasure calls
HIM.
As final suggestion, land address myself
TO whom it may concern,) l would ask that a.
time and place be appointed or agreed upon,
in our neighborhood, (et other nelghborhoodsI
do as they pleaseD when and where we may
meet to discuss this question with the view of
arriving at some conclusion either by levying
a direct tax or by organizing II turnpike com
pany, or by doing something else, whereby we
may be enabled TO improve our roads and
"mend our ways" A. w. GRIFFITH.